Visitors

After ringing in the new year at a single adult dance I spent the rest of the day with guests. You may recognize them.

Visit from a Leprechaun

During my week off of school I received a visit from a Leprechaun. Rather than causing mischeif this he was a rather helpful one.We started out by sanding and staining the curtain rods and braces. Given the stain was already out, and I had a helping hand we also went ahead and stained the table.There is apparently some level of apperciation or couriousity about my attack. Knowing his sister had taken a trip my leprechaun also went on up. He was a little more adventurous than his sister, and wanted to stay longer than I wanted him too.This next shoot will either illustrate how tall Toby is, or how short my leprechaun is.

TurtleBug visit...day 3

Yesterday was all snowy. Today they sun is out. TurtleBug (TB) and I spent a good part of the day getting ready for the Young Single Adults to come over for Family Home Evening. After doing the dishes and cleaning what I call the "flat surfaces" it was time to vacuum. This was the first time Toby was in the house while the vacuum cleaner was on. I usually leave him outside.

Another item on our "to do" list was for TB to see in the attic.

After running our errand for pizza TB wanted pictures my ice sickles out front. And Swiss Cheese thought I didn't have any decorations:-).

We then worked on figuring out how to make a granny square and then had just one more thing to do before the gathering.

Making the carmel corn...the candy making tradition moves down to another generation...

TurtleBug visit

I have the week off from work. Since I was in Boise on Friday and Saturday I decided to bring a child back with mee. My second niece has been my TurtleBug since her first couple of months of life.

She will be spending a couple of days with mee. So far she is helping to keep Toby entertained, joining us on walks, and this morning she made mee Wonderland Pancakes for breakfast.

Rocky Bar

In the mountains near Featherville is a small ghost town called "Rocky Bar". Connie's boss took us there during our driving around on Saturday.

We got to walk through a couple of houses.

Inside this on was a small kitchen and dining area.

with stairs heading to ...

what almost looks like my sister's master suite, I don't think there was a bathroom though.

I think this one must have been a store or saloon.

It has the long bars on each side and a

fire place in the middle.

All Saints Day

Alright, I didn't really do anything to observe "All Saints Day", but I did take the they day off. Cousin Connie invited mee to join her at a work related retreat in Pine, ID. I had previously been to Pine, and was glad to have a chance to get away.

Our Hostess decided to take us to see the sights, my cousin is much better with a camera than I am, but I'll show you some of what I got.

I have recently come to realize that I love central Idaho...

and that there is so much more for mee to learn about my home state...

General Conference

This past weekend as the 178th Semi Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is an event I have learned to greatly look forward to. It is on opportunity to set learn at the feet of prophets, gaining more refined direction for life. This year I was especially looking forward to it, thirsty for living waters. I was not disappointed.

A couple of months ago a friend told mee he had gotten a bunch of tickets and invited mee to join a group on an expedition to Utah. The above picture is a part of the group. I was delighted, while saving seats Sunday Morning, to have a row of Young Single Adults from Mountain Home complemented by our Stake President.

A number in our group had never been able to enjoy Temple Square in Salt Lake City prior to this trip. As you can tell all of us had our cameras out. These pictures was taken in the Assembly Hall in the Southwest corner of Temple Square.

I guess I'll throw in a picture highlighting my new due...

Tiffany is the one who cut my hair.

Did I mention there was excitement about our visit to temple square, and be in the presence of the Lord's Special Witnesses?

a time to play

Last Thursday Tiffany, Erin, and I went horse back riding. It was a lot of fun. I thought a lot about my Grandpa Mackley and his love of horses. It was a beautiful ride. I have pictures on my phone, ask if you want to see them.

After our ride Tiffany wanted to make us dinner. Baked Ziti. I would have declined had I needed to go to work the next day. However, I went along. It was fun to visit and spend extra time with them. After dinner, a short rest, and quick packing I headed out to Bruneau to meet my family for a camp out.

Papabear helped the kids work on their casting skills prior to go to the pond.

 

Our family likes playing cards.

Apparently Kevin didn't think his family was putting up heir second tent fast enough and decided to do it.

We went out to the observatory Friday afternoon to get a tour prior to that evenings star gazing.

We also got to look at the sun through a special telescope. First we had to get the sun to come out and play.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear, we could see the stars, moon, and some planets. I chose to not sleep in a tent. It was a really windy night. I waited for the sun to begin peeking up over the mountain before getting up. After a short walk I settled down by the fire and began the day with Smore's.

After coming home and having lunch I took a good shower and joined the Mountain Home Single's branch on a trip to Twin Falls to tour the new temple.

Lucky Enough?

Last Friday and Saturday the Young Single Adults of the Mt. Home 6th Branch went to Pine, ID for a "camp-out". Our home base was a cabin owned by a family member of the branch presidency. In that kitchen was a plaque reading:

"If you are lucky enough

to be in the mountains,

you are lucky enough."

Being a fan of spending time in the mountains I decided I was lucky enough.

My car was the last load of people to make it to Pine. One in my group was suppose to get off at 4pm, but wasn't able to get done until 6pm. After setting up our tent we were going to join the rest of the group at a hot spring pool. They got back just as we were getting in our car to go. We were lucky enough to have a small group willing to go back with us.

I was also lucky enough to have a small group of people join mee on a starlit walk Friday night and get up for an early (5:30) walk Saturday morning. We were also lucky enough to find our way to the Fall Creek recreation area at Anderson Dam, with two boats for the purpose of four plus hours of recreation. (I am lucky enough to have been raised in Idaho!)

I am also lucky enough to have a car big enough to bring myself and four others back to Mt. Home with mee. And to have all four of them willing to chip in for the price of gas.

Whereas I don't hold to luck, but a kind, loving Heavenly Father I will move from saying I am lucky enough to I am blessed enough. I am confident He will continue to bless mee according to my faithfulness, needs, and desires.

May you find that you are blessed enough!

Summer Break--2--Thursday & Friday

I started the day with a walk. Then I made a list of everything I wanted to get done before going back to school indicating which things needed to get done before Charmaine (my visiting teacher) came, and which ones I wanted her help with. I decided I needed a drill and level to get everything I wanted to done. I was able to borrow such things from a couple of now from work (Thanks Schonstroms) It was a busy day. I got everything I wanted to done. As well as some relaxing. Charmaine made it about 8am. I had her work on painting the dining room wall "dutch" (I believe) while I work on other things including:

• painting the kitchen window trim
• painting my bedroom window trim
• painting a couple of shelves in my kitchen (over my washer and dryer)
• hanging an additional brace for my kitchen shelves
• Helped paint the dining room wall
• finished the magnetic chalkboard

Charmaine also helped mee:

• hang three "floaters" (shelves) that was an adventure requiring the drill, level, patience and ingenuity.
• hang binds in the dining room
• hang dining room plaque
• and move furniture into dining room

It was really nice to have the help. Then it was time to start cleaning. That will be Saturday. Dining room plaque reads:

A little faith will

bring your soul

to heaven

A lot of faith will

bring heaven

to your soul

Summer Break--2--Tuesday & Wednesday

Realizing Tuesday wasn't very far into the week, but still having a lot I wanted to get done. I decided that I usually work during the hot part of the day and can work outside before and aftr work I decided to work on getting the painting projects I needed to done. I finished sanding the walls I wanted to and went to prime the window in the "dining room". At that point when I decided to prime the window seal (which should have been done two months ago) I remembered the need to air circulation in my house while painting. This further lead me to decided to do my painting will it was cool out side so I could have all my windows open. By the time I went to bed Tuesday night I had my sanding done and my "dining room" window and patio door trims primed. Did I mention my visiting teachers came buy too. One of them volunteered to come and help me Friday morning, her day off. On Wednesday I wanted to make sure I had the dining room wall primed and the window trim painted. I need to the paint dry enough so I could tape it Friday morning to paint the rest of the wall. It was also on this day that I realized I working awful hard for someone on vacation. I made myself stop to take time to read a little bit more. (Mind you I have been preparing a talk all week so I had already been doing extra reading.) I decided I needed to work on a book my dad a lent mee, because it needs to go back to the library. The Power is Within You, by Lousia L. Hays. I got through the first chapter and decided I couldn't read it yet. I need to by it so I can write in it. You may here more about it later. Along with finishing the painting job on the dining room window I also finish the trim for the patio door and completed a coat of magnetic paint. Oh yeah, and I played in paint.net for a couple of hours (I was up way to late).

Summer Break--2--Monday

I had the last week off for a summer break. It was nice to have a change of routine. I was able to accomplish a lot of things in my home. I figured I could do yard work while it was cool and house work when it was hot, but cool in the house. Monday: That worked well. It was nice being out side and getting rid of weeds...It was also nice to come back in the house... A while back I started sanding a couple of walls so I could paint them. One just because they are way too bumpy. I don't like textured walls anyway. It is my opinion walls a textured to hide a poor mudding job. These walls actually bit mee. Seriously, drawing blood and everything. I worked on sanding that wall for a couple of hours. I then got ready and went visiting teaching. We scheduled our appointments so my companion could be done by 6pm. I figured that would work well because I had a birthday party to be at by7pm. When I got home from Visiting Teaching I double checked the invitation for the location and date...It was the time I had wrong. Party began at 5pm. I made it there around 6pm. The party was for my Great Aunt Melva Mckenzie. Happy Birthday!