She'll be coming around the mountain

The chapel in Sedona is located on a road named, Mormon Hill. It is a nice little chapel (not full size) and the people were very friendly. They announced that visitors were welcomed to share their testimonies as we made up 70% of the attendance. The funny thing was that a couple we know from El Cajon Stake, came and sat down right by us, and they are staying in the same time share. They gave us a heads up on what to see since they come here often. After church we drove up Oak Creek Canyon and saw beautiful country. At the upper elevation there was snow on the ground. We stopped at a lookout where there was snow and ice and a cold, chilly wind! We drove on into Flagstaff and visited with a former roommate I haven't seen in decades. Check out the license plate on this truck we pulled behind in Flagstaff. Dad recognized the initials right off and then I noted the correct year! On the way back into Sedona we pulled over at some view points and awed at the beautiful scenery. Here are a couple of pictures from today.

Baby, It's cold outside

I just read Mary's blog about it being cold, very cold. And I think how glad I am that we have such mild weather here! And here is a first! Driving home from celebrating Chinese New Year at a local restaurant (thanks Mother!), Mike was shivering and turned up the heater. I was talking with Jack and Tamara on the cell when all of a sudden I was burning up! Mike had the heater on full blast. I don't think I've ever before asked him to turn down the car heater! I'm the one who's always waiting til he's not looking while he's driving to turn it up higher. And the low's are in the 40s. Mild winters! Hurrah.

Creative solutions

We live in a family where everyone has a great idea for creative solutions to problems. So, this evening, I've been sitting in my favorite (new since the flood) Lazy Boy recliner with my feet up and my laptop (computer) on my laptop catching up on blog reading (I am way behind since Thanksgiving). The laptop was getting my lap hotter and hotter and hotter (which is not unusual). So, Mike, sitting in his matching (but larger) lazy boy next to me, came up with a great creative solution to my hot lap. He reached over and grabbed the empty arhu (Chinese instrument I bought on our China trip - never played) box and placed it across the two arms of the lazy boy. Voila! The laptop is well supported up high and my lap is staying cool. Only a new dilemma - the cat won't jump up on the chair arms with the box there - she actually jumped up on Mike's chair and he's low on her pecking order. Oh well: cool lap or cool cat!

Down at the WAP

This is the Wild Animal Park's last Christmas for "Festival of Lights." We didn't want to miss it (since we have missed it for who knows how many years, but we used to go every year)! So we met Jocelyn there for an afternoon and evening of park delights. I love the lion camp. Currently they have 8 lion cubs (at age 13 months) lounging, leaping, licking, frolicking, boxing all over their open enclosure. The cheetahs appear at dusk so we enjoyed them as well. After our safari tour around the back enclosures, we enjoyed wandering around looking at the lights. A good time with family.

Dilemma

Here is my dilemma. Jocelyn set up my blog listing the 5 siblings under the heading of "My Little Ducklings" in reference to the finger play and the great Mother's day card the siblings put together last May! But, where do I put Jack? I don't want him to feel like he's a "little duckling" but I don't like separating him out into "Family blogs." Whadjagonnadue? I'm taking suggestions. By the way, I think this is great - this is the biggest dilemma going on in my life right now!

Spoken

Today I spoke in Sacrament Meeting. I chose two of my favorite general conference talks: Elder David A. Bednar's April 2005 talk on The Tender Mercies of the Lord and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's October 2008 talk on The Ministering of Angels. What gratitude I have for these two talks that spoke on things that have encouraged and uplifted me during trials and challenges. And how thankful I am for experiences of the Lord's tender mercies and the presence and attendance of angels both heavenly and earthly at times needed in my life. I started a list of these experiences but realized some were too personal to share or the list would get too long. But I think it would be a good thing to journal and read when I'm in need of a tender mercy! However, I don't know why I don't choose a topic for speaking in church that is not quite so dear to my heart so I could just give a talk for once in my life without tearing up! Next talk will be on the importance of giving service cleaning the ward building!

"Robertson, Party of Four"

Our Halloween celebration was very different than usual! No one came over (because we were sick) and no one went trick or treating (we're just too old) and no one carved a pumpkin (dad would have if I could have found a pumpkin)! But I really wanted us to have the fun of Halloween so I tried to make it a party. I couldn't find any pumpkins to carve on Halloween day (the only day I had time and any energy from being sick to look for a pumpkin) but ended up buying a "Cinderella" pumpkin to use as fall decoration and then the fake plug in and light up Wal-mart pumpkin (which I put outside - soooo nice to have electrical outlets outside). I bought doughnuts, favorite snack foods and some Halloween candy (not much good stuff left) and put some fall mums on the table. Brent set up the fog machine outside the front door. Chelsea dressed up in her Halloween costume she wore to school (and to the Renaissance fair the next day - borrowed from Lyn) and she and Brent answered the door for the trick-or-treaters. Between door knocks, we all played Mancala (two boards). It's great to play this game with mom and dad when they are too sick to think! So, even though it was just a party of four, we celebrated Halloween!