Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day 

today 

to Mr. Cactus

Father of 5, Grandfather to 3

and 

my Father-In Law Lynn

*who will be 95 this year!

Father of 9

Grandfather to 40

and I've lost count of 

how many great grandchildren

50+ ?

These men have honored their roll 

as a Father

and provided love, support 

and 

strong family commitment

over the years.

XXOO

Thank You!

Thank you to all who have sacrificed in the service of our Country.

I am blessed with many opportunities and privileges

because of your efforts.

We honor you this day!
**
What are you doing this Memorial Day?
Even though temps are now reaching into the triple digits
here in Arizona
we will be attending our grandson's last baseball game of the season.
What is more American than baseball?

He Lives!

 Happy Easter!

Today is the day 

out all the other 364 days of the year

for which I am 

most grateful!

 The Resurrection

by Carl Heinrich Bloch

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

(*Song: I Know That my Redeemer Lives)

Under A Red Moon

I just couldn't help myself.

I had to go outside to our backyard

in my pajamas

 at 12:30 a.m. Arizona time

to take pictures of this

Blood Moon

Did you know that we are experiencing part of a

Blood Moon Tetrad

meaning we will see a total of 

4 Lunar Eclipses

within the next 6 months.

So cool.

Our world is such an amazing place!

Why Red?

The moon's glow comes from 

Reflected light from the sun.

When the moon and Earth are in 

perfect alignment, the Moon becomes 

blanketed in the Earth's Shadow.

The red appears 

by capturing refracted light particles from the sky.

My Favorite Weekend

 The first weekend in April

and 

the first weekend in October

are my most 

favorite weekend's of the year.

It's General Conference time

and we get to 

stay home and watch church on T.V.

A time to listen to wonderful messages

about our Savior

and to focus on what matters most.

Goal!

 She may only be 4,

but look out world

Kayla has started playing soccer.

All that

tenacity

spunk

persistence

and chutzpah

focused in one area.

 From the time she took her first steps,

she's always had a thing about shoes.

Who knew they made tiny soccer cleats in pink?

Of course she had to have them :)

 Learning skills

like balance

and focus

 With a great coach.

 The nets are placed close together

for this age group

while the sidelines are packed with supportive family members

from parents to siblings to grandparents

all cheering and clapping

no matter which team manages to be coordinated enough

to make a goal.

 Little Miss Fashion Statement

has no fear about pushing an opponent aside

in order to get the ball in the net.

Determined

Persistent

First Game: 5 Goals!

 We are so enjoying our Saturday mornings

under this beautiful Arizona sunshine

watching the grandchildren play sports.

Noah is now 6 and we can see his skill level 

and coordination

increasing with each season.

 It really helps to have his dad,

(who was quite the soccer player in his day)

 as the team coach.

As I sit on these fields that are 

filled to capacity with hundreds of children

surrounded by cheering family members

I think of how lucky we all are to be part of this experience.

I observe loving parents and patient coaches shouting

Good job!

Nice try!

Keep at it!

This kind of community support is, after all

the best kind of 

GOAL

Sunday Thoughts

Gilbert Temple Dedication

 Today is a very special day

here in our area of Arizona

A long awaited event.

After years of anticipation

The Gilbert Temple

of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

will be dedicated.

 Yesterday over 12,000 youth performed in a 

dance and song celebration...

In the Rain

We live in a desert.

It rarely rains here in Arizona

It's been over 70 days since we've even had a sprinkle.

But, last night it poured buckets

and yet the show went on.

These kids were such troopers.

They have been practicing for months.

Hours upon hours through homework, sports

and other busy life commitments

All volunteered in honor of this great Temple

which will now be in our midst.

I was so proud of their efforts!

And for me personally,

I look forward to spending as much time as possible

communing with God

in this peaceful place

only a few miles from my home.

Gilbert Arizona Temple Open House

 We attended the Open House

for the 

Gilbert Arizona Temple 

yesterday

As members of 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

we are so excited to live within a few miles

of this beautiful temple!

Construction began in 2010

and every time we have driven by the building site, 

we anticipated and looked forward to this day.

"At 85,000 square feet, the Gilbert Temple 
is the largest temple

the church has constructed in 17 years.

The temple's spire reaches 195 feet, 

making it the tallest building in Gilbert."
Temple Worship Focuses our Lives 
On Jesus Christ

The Open House runs through February 15th

Everyone is invited to attend

Each day about 20,000 people stand in line to view the interior.

The lines move fast, and were so well organized that we 

were only there

from beginning to end

 about an hour and a half.

Within the 5 week Open House event

they anticipate nearly half a million people will 

view this Temple.

 Camera's were not allowed inside, but

I was able to take a few exterior shots before entering.

Magnificent !

is the best word to describe.

Every inch was designed with great detail!

The Temple is the most sacred place 
on Earth

for members of our church

 The Angel Moroni sits on top of many of our temples.

What we learn in the temple gives

meaning and direction in our lives.

 The motif of the Agave plant,

native to Arizona

is used through out the temple

 "The Agave signifies the influence of one generation on another.

The agave's lower, older leaves create impressions on the upper leaves,

just as ancestors' legacies leave an impression on

the generation that follows."

We invited our friends The Hollands

to attend with us.

The weather was a perfect 75 degrees

with the Arizona sun shining brightly

in the midst of azure blue skies.

A very special day.

A Good Start To A New Year

Isaak's Baptism Day

Yesterday was an important day in our family.

Our oldest grandson Isaak

was was baptized.

 In our faith, we believe a child

should be 8 years old,

or the age of accountability

 before making the decision of baptism.

Isaak was baptized by his father,

our Son-In-Law Dano.

A very special moment between father and son.

 Baptism is a very sacred ordinance.

It is a 2-way promise, or Covenant with God

to show our commitment to Him.

We demonstrate we want to follow Jesus Christ,

to help each other,

and to try and remember the Savior in all we do.

 We believe in baptism by immersion, 

the same way Christ was baptized.

Immersion is symbolic of a 

rebirth into a spiritual life.

 We are proud of Isaak and his choice

to be baptized.

He is a wonderful young man 

who is sensitive, kind, and a friend to all.

Many people came to see his baptism.

At the end of the service,

without any promptings from his parents,

 Isaak went around the room

and shook hands with each person,

thanking each one personally for coming.

I watched him with amazement.

I am grateful for

our daughter Amy

and our SIL Dano

who are wonderful parents

in their devotion to their 

children, family,

and God.

Aqua Cruiser Bike

 My children gathered together

and surprised me with this cute little

Aqua Cruiser Bike

for my birthday.
Very vintage and retro looking.
Perfect

 I wasn't aware how much I would love this bike!

Previously, bikes were something I rode in my younger years

where I felt the only options 

were to be hunched over the handlebars of a 10-speed

with a seat that practically impaled your derriere.

 No longer!

Now am Cruisin' in comfort :)

 One of the nice things about biking in Arizona is that

the terrain is flat, making for easy Cruisin'.

Many subdivisions have green belts

between the homes

where the back yards back up to paths

 that wind through trees, 

well groomed parks

and playgrounds.

Seeing how much fun I have been having,

the kids gathered together again

and gave Mr. Cactus a Cruiser bike for his birthday too!

 During the summer the sun rises around 5 a.m.

We have discovered that if we get up early for a ride,

we can beat the heat. 

We ride nearly every morning

and I'm as happy as a clam at high tide.

My cruiser has a little bell that allows me to 

ping ping ping

a warning to any one else on the path

that I am heading their way.

Joggers and people walking their dogs

smile and wave a friendly hello.

 Mr. Cactus attached a basket with inexpensive zip ties,

which are easily removable.

I have the option of changing out the basket when I want a new look.

I think I need to cover this in some cute quilt fabric, don't you?

 Our area of Chandler is very bike friendly,

with well marked, wide bike lanes on the busier streets.

The other day when we were riding by

a group of local Hispanic men called out

in their deep throat accents

"Cooool Cruuiisers maaaannnn"

Too funny!

We are grandparents, after all :)

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This

Do you ever have one of those days 

where life just feels good?

Sometimes it's the little 

everyday things where you

feel gratitude 

for simple pleasures.

Yesterday was one of those days for me.

 My friend Jackie Kunkel (Canton Village Quilt Works) was in town,

visiting from snowy Connecticut.

We met for lunch with cute Alyssa Lichner (Pile O'Fabric)

These two ladies have met professionally

on line through their quilt blogs,

but today was the first time for them to 

meet in person.

It was so nice just to sit with friends

and chat in the warm Arizona sunshine.

Temps were hovering near a perfect 80 degrees :)

 We had the most delicious food at my Son-In-Law's 

Costa Vida Restaurant 

in Mesa

Any day with 

Costa food 

is a good day.

 And then I came home to the most

heavenly smell outside.

The aroma permeated

 our entire neighborhood.

 The citrus trees are in full bloom,

and the orange blossoms

transported me to a visual

and fragrant wonderland.

 We are still picking sweet pink

Grapefruit off the trees

and for months

have been enjoying

freshly squeezed juice with breakfast.

And then, the orange and gold sunset

coloring the sky

above the palm trees

was

Spectacular

God has given us so many things to enjoy each day.

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This

Koi In The Pond Quilt

 It was wonderful to walk around

with camera in hand

 viewing

all the beautiful quilts at the 

Tucson Quilters Guild Show

My eye was drawn to 

Koi In The Pond

a group quilt made by The Honeybees

as a donation to 

Quilt For A Cause

I have a friend fighting 

Breast Cancer right now and was particularly moved

by the generosity of this group.

 Pattern: Fractured by Kathy Doughty

from September 2009 Issue Down Under Quilts

Machine Quilted by Arlys Bjorke

 The blue and white fabrics are from Japan, 

including some Kimono fabrics

 The addition of 

little spots of 

novelty fabrics

with orange fish,

 and the embroidered Koi

contributed by Judy Smith

were well placed 

and brought brightness to the quilt.

Nice job ladies!

and thank you :)

 

*I feel so honored!

The Kathy Doughty,

yes, the one and only

Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession

in Australia

left me a comment here on this post.

Wow!

(I'm a big fan of her work)

Very nice to see such a nice version of Fractured...a wonderful interpretation! Kathy Doughty