Basketball Gets Rough!!!

Tom plays basketball at the church at noon on Wednesday with Joe and several of Joe's friends! I know things can get rough but today....Tom really took one for the team!! Tom was a little late when he came home to change but hurried up to go play what he calls...some good fun exercise! They usually play 4 to 5 games of full court ball up to 25 points!! I have always know it is slightly more that just exercise and just getting your cardio in for the day!! I KNOW TOM!!! After Tom left he came back 20 minutes later and when I heard him come in the house, I hollered....Whats wrong? I knew he would of only come home for one reason early....and that would be because he was hurt! The one reassuring thing I had to hold onto was at least he could drive him self home!!! Right!!! About the time he walked into our room, I say his white shirt was RED!!! He went on to say he was.... MAD!! When Tom gets hurt his reaction is MAD! The real reason why he is mad....He knows injuries can slow you up and he just does not have anytime for injuries!!! But the things he enjoys in life are fast things! His horses, motorcycles, quads and fast sports!! So Tom.... here we go....If you do not want to get hurt.... maybe you should slow down and...ACT YOUR AGE...But.... then again this is one of the things I LOVE about you!!! I am so sorry you had to "take one for the team"....But I am so thankful you were not hurt really bad!!

I am also REALLY thankful for Doctor Karl Hiatt who I use to work for!! I guess that is one of the blessing of scrubbing for a plastic surgeon for several years!! I was able to call on a back line during lunch. He was in surgery but was more than happy to have Tom come right in!!! I think Karl was just happy to see Tom and plan there next diving trip to Mexico!! WHAT....Did I say diving??? Yes, Tom and Karl love to dive...WOW...I think I took the hit on that one!! Again I was happy Tom was not hurt to bad AND....I would not want Tom to change anything about him except...Next time let someone else "take one for the team"!! I LOVE YOU TOM SCHEURN!!!

Karl Hiatt...Your the BEST!! The BIG "Y" shape laceration now looks like a small thin line!! ALL internal stitches!! Much better than the emergency room where you come out with "Frankenstein" black nylon stitches!! Good Job Karl!!!

On to visit about the Mexico diving trip!!!!

Just Because...

"Just Because I Love You and You Need a Little Cheering Up"!

I LOVE YOU!

"Thank You Tom...I LOVE YOU TOO"!

Our Brown Principessa is 3!!!

Today is Gwen Scheurn's birthday!!! She is THREE!! We celebrated her and Noah's birthday on Sunday! We had a fun family party and as you can see Gwen is our "Little Brown Principessa"! She is so cute! Since Gwen was 17 or 18 months, Tom and I have had a on going joke she is a genius!! That is what Tom thinks. She is not but...This girl is so funny! Gwen has the blackest eyes, the darkest skin, and she for sure did not get any tall genes...but she is for sure our little "brownie"! As little as she is...nothing seems to stop her from keeping up with the big kids! Since she has been 18 months she has played "duck duck goose", "Simon says" with pops and so many other things that we would not exspect her to do at this age! Walker once said to me.."Mom do you think my kids will be as cute as Gwenie"? I reassured him they would be! Gwen has stole many hearts! Some of Gwen's favorite things to do is... swim, love on Boone and Milie (pops's dogs) ride on Pops's horse, wear jewelry, sleep with her big sister Emma, put perfume on, go work out with her mom, go anywhere with her dad, and go to primary! I can say this little girl LOVES her Pops and Pops think she is pretty special too! Gwenie, Pops and Grammy want you to know how much we love our "Little Brown Principessa"!! Happy Birthday SWEET GIRL!!!

" I AM SORRY...I DO NOT THINK I HEARD YOU RIGHT"!!!!

Some of our kids skipped out before pictures!!
"I am sorry....YOU SAID WHAT"!!!! "But President Andersen...I thought you prayed about callings"!!! President Andersen says. I have.... over and over and it saddened me to soon release Tom from the High Council!! I felt like he had a few more years of serving on the High Council but....The Lord has called Tom to serve else where"!! "But Tom...You will continue to serve on the High Council with his new calling until further notice".....WHAT DID YOU SAY!!!! This was pretty much the first three minutes of Tom and my interview we had with President Andersen about a month ago as we met with him!!! Tom and I knew for two weeks we had a up coming interview with President Andersen and felt sure he was going to release Tom from the High Council.... since he has been serving there for so long.... and call us both....as service missionaries in the addiction and recovery program of our church! I was wrong as always! I was not released nor was Tom... but we were called to serve in the Williams, Young Single Adult Ward! Tom Vanderwalker was called as the Bishop...Tom Scheurn was called as the First Councelor and Bud Neilsen was called to serve as the Second Counselor in the Bishopric!! It has been a crazy last month as we have led up to this day!! Try keeping this news of everyone including your kids....for a month! Well we didn't! We did tell Rhett and a few other close family members! But we did invite our kids to church at noon in the Williams Field Stake Center so....I feel sure they knew it was the YSA ward but they did not know exactly what the calling was until today!! There have been mixed emotion in so many ways!! We do know Tom Vanderwalker and his wife Pam...But we do not know Brother Neilsen and his wife Robin. We look forward to getting to know them. We were asked to arrive at 11:59 and church would start at noon. I have to say Tom and I were never so nervous! I had a feeling all of the wives would be asked to speak at this time....and for once I was right!! It is so hard to talk when you know how difficult it is for this ward to get a new Bishopric!! We were welcome by many in this ward. I was so thankful for that! I was so thankful for my family to be there to support Ton and I in our new callings! It was cute to hear some of our grand kids, in what they asked and said! After sacrament the new Bishopric was set apart and it was quite a spiritual time! President Andersen read the letter from our First Presidency...of our church, authorizing this Bishopric!! President Andersen also spoke to us three wives and told us that Heavenly Father had been watching us through this process. It was quite humbling as we sat and listen to our Stake President!! After the Bishopric was set apart...there was no time to spare when President advised us on our first training meeting that would come this week!! After church we were all drained The new Bishopric met with the old Bishopric, us wives met for a short time, and tithing and many other things had to be done before Tom could come home!! We will have our first family home evening tomorrow night with the ward!!! I am thankful that Heavenly Father has much faith in Tom and I!!! I hope I do not disappoint HIM!!! I am thankful to serve with Tom in this ward! I know Tom will be AWESOME...this ward will LOVE him! Rhett has told us how excited he will be when he gets home to have his dad in his Bishopric!! I not quite sure if he know what he is saying!!! WHAT DID RHETT SAY.... HE WILL BE IN THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT WARD.....HOW CAN THAT BE ....RHETT YOU ARE OUR BABY!!! NO!!!! I do need to thank our kids again for the support today and the love they show us!! They know this will take up our family dinner time on Sundays most of the time but our kids have been to excited and supportive!! I want each one of our kids, their spouses and grand children to know how much we love them all! Tom and I anxious to serve with all we have and are so thankful for one another as we have shared many conversations with one another over this last month and prior to this day!! All I can say is HOLD ON WILLIAMS WARD....WE WILL DO OUR BEST AND.....WE ALREADY LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

"120 Pounds"

For those of you that were asking me about the "bulk chicken"....Here we go! My friend Karen Lee was kind enough to think about us when the "bulk chicken" come around this time! Many of you were asking exactly what it looked like and how it came! You pay for it two weeks or so in advance! It comes out to be about $1.64 a pound. It comes in a 40 pound box.Inside each box there is four bags of ten pounds each! It is really nice because about four days before the BIG truck comes they email you and let you know where to pick it up! The great thing about the pick up is you do not even have to get out of your car! You bring your receipt you print off...You drive up in a line...you give them your receipt...They put a the number of boxes you bought with a number on your windshield...You go another 30 feet and they put it in your car where you want it....With plastic bags under the box just in case they leak! The chicken was only 3 days old and had never been frozen! It was quite cold though...Almost frozen! They do tell you to go home and re-bag it in to smaller bags!! I called Tom on the way home and he say that he would meet me at home to bring it in! I re-assured him I could carry it in...Not such a right idea...Where is Rhett when I need him!!! (I miss him.... another post) Once I got it in and opened it...Like Karen said these chicken breast were HUGE!! They are more like small turkeys!!! There was hardly any fat on them! I ended up cutting each breast in to four pieces! Erin came to help on the last 40 pounds or so...which was nice! The kids helped put a 6 or 4 on each bags and Erin bagged them!! We made a few bags of just four breast so if was just a 3 or 4 people you would not have to thaw out to much!! The bonus came when I drop Karen Lee's chicken off at her house for her...She had made me a BEAUTIFUL loaf of bread and....A bottle of home made peach jam she also had just made!! I told Karen I would pick up anything she needs and bring it to her anytime for such a delicious loaf of bread and fresh peach jam!! Karen Lee... I LOVE YOU and thank you for letting me in on the chicken and..... THANK YOU SO MUCH for the bread and jam!!! IT WAS THE BEST BREAD EVER!! THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

What Was I THINKING!!!!

Not quite sure what I was thinking....I guess I wasn't....But Vance and Noah had a birthday and my baby sister Nena, was going to the Grand Canyon with her daughter Grace....and my sister-in-law....Jami and her son Grayson. So I decided I would take the two birthday boys along with Nena and Jami! It was a quick trip...We left Monday morning and returned Tuesday night! Unfortunately I lost my camera while on the trip so our pictures are just from our cell phones! We stoppedd by Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well on the way up! The boys earned a Ranger badge and love the cliffs and castle! From there we had some yummy sandwiches so we took them to a picnic area by Montezuma Well/Spring and enjoyed a fun cool breeze under the huge Sycamore trees! There was a running stream where we put our feet in and played in the water! Us girls were admiring our pedicures under the cool crystal clear water!! SO FUN!!! We then headed up to Williams where we stayed in the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel!! We arrived just in time for the kids to swim for an hour or so before we got them ready for bed! We decided in route to get something to eat...To stop and watch the shoot out on "Route 66"! The little boys were scared to death and did not want to get out of the car....Not to mention they were in their PJ's...But we finally made them get out and they enjoyed it a lot!! By the time we got to dinner Noah cold not stay awake!! We sort ate without him as you can see! The next morning we got up or should I say we had to wake the boys up...To catch the train! They were exhausted from the day before!! It is only 65 miles to the Grand Canyon BUT....It takes two and a half hours to get there!!!!!! There was some entertainment while on the train!! I do wish it could of gone a little faster! The little boys got pretty restless...And the women in front of us did not seem to understand!! Especially on the way back!!! Once we got to the Grand Canyon It was some what nerve racking trying to make sure no one went over the ledge!! That is including me!! There was a moment where I thought I might just jump....After trying to hold on to two little boys who had been on a SLOW train for two and a half hours!!! We had a ice cream while Nena and Jami took their kids on a little hike! When they return we grabbed some quick lunch and we headed back to the train for our SLOW ride back to Williams!!! We did run into some bad cowboys that jumped onto the train and try to rob us!! As they come into our train...Vance was terrified! I told Vance they were not real so....He pulled his head up from hiding and YELLED to them..."MY POP'S IS A COWBOY AND HE CAN BEAT YOU UP"!!! It was so funny and cute!! I feel sure Pops could of took them all if he were there!!! Tuesday morning as the kids were eating Noah lost a tooth or should I say....Grammie pulled Noah's tooth...That was excited as well! He dropped it on a white speckle floor and it took a while to find it but we did so he was happy for the "Tooth Fairy" to come and visit him!! Once we got back to Williams at around 5:30...We went to Safeway and grabbed some fruit, cheese and crackers and headed back down the mountain!! We listen and sang our favorites songs on the ipod. Noah made it to about 20 miles outside of Flagstaff and was out like a light and Vance...Did not fall asleep until about 20 miles from home!!! It was a great trip and I was happy I took the boys BUT...I think before I ever take another grand child on another short rode trip....I need to make sure it is age appropriate!! All in all...I know the boys had a great time!! That is what is most important!! It will be a trip they will hopefully remember!! Vance and Noah...I love you both ever so much....I am thankful that we were able to spend the time together and...Thanks for trying

to scare off the robbers and protect me!!!

"Ruby!"

Tom's dog Ruby, that he had for nine years....Had to be put to sleep! She was completely blind! Tom knew she was having some issues with her sight about a year ago when she quit wanting to go feed the horses with him.... and run with him! The vet said.... as long as she was eating well and happy she would be good and Tom would know when the time would be to put her to sleep! You would of never know she did not see if you say her in the back yard! She knew where everything was and was so happy! Unfortunately she follow Boone out a gate that Tom accidentally had left open after mowing the grass! We did not realize she was out for about 1 1/2 hours! We looked for her, from nine until midnight and could not found her! As Tom and I had prayer that night about 12:30am...As Tom prayed he asked for Ruby to be able to return home safely! At that time I thought to my self...She is blind...Tom why did you ask for that she cannot get home! I kept thinking that she must have been hit by a car or maybe fell in a ditch and could not get out! Sure enough when Tom went outside at six the next morning SOME HOW she was home! She did not look well and it was obvious that she had suffered some sort of trauma BUT.... She was home! Tom was going to clean her up and then take her to the vet....but know how much Ruby hates baths and the water...Tom loaded her up on a blanket on the back seat of the truck and took her to Dr.Ron Tenney. This is what Tom texted me..... She didn't look the same after she got lost at night. It really was a miracle she found her way back. At least I could say good bye and was able to put her down in a peaceful way. She fell asleep with her head in my hands. I know that gave her allot of comfort!

There Are Pirates in Glibert Arizona!!

Today we had five little Pirates in our pool and backyard!!! Our Noah Kai turned FIVE!! It seems like it was just a few days ago when Noah was in a cute little sun hat as his mom and his dad had him in pool and..... Grammie was telling his mom and dad...."JOE...ERIN...Two months old is to young to be in the POOL"!!! Now he just swims like a fish!! Some of Noah favorite things are....Fishing with his dad, football, basketball, sports class, bugging his sisters, SNACKS,,,and,,,,FISHING WITH HIS DAD!!

Noah LOVES his Pops and.... thinks he is so funny!! The kids were so good at the party but...It was Pops that had poor behavior!!! "Hey Noah...Can you eat a cupcake in one bite like this"???? Maybe Pops will not be invited to the next party!!!
Case seemed to love his cupcake....He was quite serious about his cupcake and did not waste a crumb!!

Noah did not feel very good....But was a great sport and put the best smile on he had!!Good job Noah....AKA SNACK!!! Noah....I hope you feel better!

Noah's two best buddies...Crew and Case Larsen!
Noah, Pops and Grammie love you so much and we are so proud of you!! We are so happy you had a fun Pirate Birthday Party!!! I know you will do so well in school this coming year and we pray you will have a few less time outs in this year to come!! Thanks for helping Pops do chores always!!! WE LOVE YOU EVER SO MUCH!!