Angela – Page 237 – Letters from Home

Princess Waltz

Dear Paige,

Since you have so many adoring fans, Dad decided to create this video of your Princess Waltz ballet number. This version was edited for content, as the original had too many babies screaming in the background. There are benefits to being the only daughter… you can have as many ballet lessons as you like. And fans, please note that Comments are Open on this post so you may request Paige’s autograph and congratulate Richard on his cinematography and editing prowess.

choreography by Michele Brady

Sunday will Come

During the trials in our life, big and small, it’s always good to have a reminder of the Savior’s understanding and victory over it all.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlc5RvmWN4s

Goin’ to Town

Fathers Day self portrait

Sunday, June 21: This was me, just before our big Stake Conference on Father’s Day at Centennial Hall. We met Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The kids shook his hand. We are now members of the newly formed Sahuarita Arizona Stake.

Here are some photos that I took while taking another long drive to Tucson. In all, I drove up 4 times this week. I know, it’s only 45 minutes away, but it gets a little old.

on the road

When I get to the pecan groves, I know that home is just a few minutes away. Someday I will take the kids and we will run down the shady rows between the trees, laugh, sing songs and take about 100 pictures.

pecan grove

Flashlight tutorial

This is what we did on Wednesday afternoon at our house. It was so neat we had to share it. I got the idea from a Cub Scout Roundtable meeting.

flashlight assembly 007

You will need this stuff plus some newspaper and electrical tape.

The tiny bulb is a flashlight bulb. Look in the camping aisle at your local camping store/Wal-Mart.

We used a C battery, but you could try another size. It’s science, so have fun.

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Cut a piece of electrical wire about 4 1/2 inches long.

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Strip each end of the wire.

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It will look like this.

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Using scissors or a drill, make a hole in the lid of the bottle. Be careful not to make it too big. You want the bulb to fit through it snugly.

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It doesn’t have to be perfect.

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Slide the bulb through the hole.

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Wrap wire around the positive side of the battery. Actually, any end will do, but this seemed to be easier for us.

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Tape into place.

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Wrap the other end of the wire around the end of the flashlight bulb.

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Tape into place, keeping the end contact of the bulb exposed.

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Your assembly will look like this.

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Place enough newspaper in the bottom of the pill container so the battery will touch the bulb when assembled.

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Insert battery & wire into the container. Screw the lid on (upside down).

Once you touch the bulb to the battery, it should light up. If not, check your connections.

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Go in a dark place and be amazed. You just made a flashlight!

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Are you a Federal Employee?

Hess Family

Ryan and Margie Hess are our friends. In addition to prayers, there is something else we can do to help this family. We have learned that if you are a Federal employee, you can donate leave time to Ryan. Margie sent us the following:

***FEDERAL EMPLOYEES- PLEASE DONATE LEAVE TO RYAN HESS***

My name is Margie Hess, my husband Ryan was diagnosed on June 12, 2009 with a rare and aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Since this is an aggressive form of T-Cell Lymphoma, his doctor has put him on an aggressive chemo regimen that will result in him being unable to work for the next 4-6 months and possibly longer. At the time of diagnosis he was finishing up his 1^st year as a Podiatry Resident at the V.A. in Tucson, AZ. Ryan is a devoted husband and father of two children, Hallie (5) and Max (2). By the end of this month (June 2009), Ryan will use up the last of his vacation and sick leave and will have to go on unpaid leave. Ryan is the sole provider for our family; I stay at home with both the kids. Without him working we have no income. I need to stay home to help care for him, so I cannot get a job right now, either. As difficult as it is for our family to have to ask for help, we have realized that we must do so at this time. We were told that any federal employee (ie: military, Border Patrol, DEA, FB I, Dept of Justice, EPA etc. EXCEPT Post Office employees) can donate vacation time to be used as sick leave for another Federal employee. We would be so thankful for any number of extra paid days we can accumulate. Thank you so much.

How can you help if you ARE a Federal Employee?

Go to your HR department and request to donate leave to Ryan Hess who works for the VA. (Your HR person will know the form that needs to be filled out- each Federal agency has their own form to donate leave)

Once filled out and signed, the HR person will then need to fax or e-mail the form to:

OLIVIA McCLURE – Benefits Specialist (TUCSON V.A.)

Phone #: (520) 792-1450 x 6076

Fax # : (520) 629-1849

E-Mail : olivia.mcclure@va.gov

ALSO, for those who are federal employees, please print out this message and post it in break/lunch rooms to help get the word out as well as emailing it to co-workers!

How to help if you are NOT a Federal Employee:

PASS this along to ANYONE and EVERYONE that you know and then ask them to pass the message along. Post it on blogs, Facebook…whatever you can think of.

Thanks again everyone- this will help SO much!

GO TEAM RYAN HESS!

(E-mail teamryanhess@gmail.com to receive updates or to send a message!)

Harmless Potato Pellets

I had to go to town today. I left the kids strict instructions to keep the house clean while I was gone. They were good kids, so I pulled these out of the closet when I got home. I’ve been saving them for 6 months. Sometimes I just have to do something crazy like give my kids guns to keep our lives extraordinary. And yes, people, our lives are extraordinary. Just like yours.

potatoguns (4)

Happy retro packaging.

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Simple, sturdy design.

potatoguns

Biodegradable pellets will nourish the lawn.

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And, they make a charming “pop” when you shoot them.

I bought four and all were entertained.

Law of the harvest

seminaryclass2001

My Seminary Students on the last day of class, May 2001

I was a volunteer seminary teacher from 1998-2001 in Austin, Texas. We didn’t have a place to meet, so we met in our home. One room of the house was roped off as a seminary room and my own children slept through most of it. My first year, I taught Doctrine and Covenants and Church History to three students (D&C 18:10, 15-16). Year two I taught Old Testament; Year three I taught New Testament and my class grew to fifteen students. We held class from 6-7:00. One year we met at 5:45 a.m. Ouch!

I have to say that the sacrifice these kids made to come to seminary really set them apart from others their age. I was proud of them. I know they are blessed for their efforts.

Thursday is the wedding day for Cody, to be married in the Salt Lake Temple! Jed became a father this month. I have seen students in the temple, said good-bye as they went on their missions, received lots of wedding announcements and I am always glad for updates on their college lives and work. Facebook: hallelujah.

Seminary: the toughest job I ever loved. Next to motherhood, of course.

Cause for Celebration

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Our Tomato vines produced their first ripe tomato! It was cause for celebration.

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The kids and I spent some time setting up a nice table under a big tent in our back yard.

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We prepared a Mexican food feast with homemade salsa, guacamole, and fruit salad…

First Tomato Party 005 and desserts…

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Susie came, too.

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We enjoyed our dinner together outside.

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When it got dark, the lanterns lit up our night.

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We spread out the blanket and we listened to an audio book outside and tried not to think about possible rattlesnake attacks in the grass (Thus explains the psychotic look on my face…)

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Good night.

Captain Ross Returns!

Richard has been gone this week to a Stake Scout Encampment. (Thus the late-night-introspective-posts this week.) He is the high councilor assigned to the Young Men’s program in the Stake. He worked hard to help plan and carry out this camp. I just pulled out the laundry from the dryer and found this gem of a t-shirt. It’s got to be empowering to wear something like this. I need a female version. Pronto.

Scout Encampment Shirt back

Neighbors extraordinaire

Susie and Maria This is my neighbor, Maria and her daughter, Susie. Maria excels in all things neighborly.

Today Maria kidnapped my boys (even Mark) for the day so Paige and I could have some time together. Neat-o. Maria kidnaps my kids occasionally. It’s always well-timed and spontaneous. It’s really uncanny how she seems to know when the kids need to be spoiled for a little while. Today was the first day that Mark was old enough to come along. When I told him to get ready to go, he stopped, mouth gaping, and said, “I. Can’t. Believe!” and then threw his hands into the air and ran around the driveway six times.

I’ve been trying to think of a title for Maria, like “Aunt Maria,” but it just doesn’t fit. She’s more magical than that. She’s like a fairy godmother, appearing with marvelous kindness at just the right time.

Some days she shows up with a specially wrapped lunch prepared just for me. Other days she shows up with batches of cookies that she’s decorated which are worthy of a magazine cover. I have no idea why she chooses us to shower with her kindness, but I won’t rock the boat by asking too many questions.

Her husband, Jeff is just as generous. His wheelbarrow has spent more time in our back yard than in his own.

Her daughter, Susie is our talk-over-the-fence backyard friend. Ok, the kids don’t just talk, they traffic lizards, toys, and squirt guns across our friendly border fence. In fact, I would say Susie will someday be an ambassador to nations, ready to talk to anyone and she’ll always wear impeccably coordinated outfits. She’s charming.

We count ourselves lucky to have these two ladies & Jeff next door.