Grandpa Gene

My Grandpa Gene passed away yesterday. This is one of my favorite pictures of him ever! About 6 years ago when I first saw it, I asked my grandma to tell me more about it. She said that they were in High School. It was her favorite outfit, she loved the denim skirt! And grandpa's shirt was pale blue, just the color of his eyes! So cute!






This picture is of him with me and Syd one Easter Sunday.














The following pictures were taken last summer on our
last visit with him. Ryan has this shirt that reminded
me of Grandpa Gene. So we always either called it his cowboy shirt or his Grandpa Gene shirt. When we got ready that day, I had Ryan wear it and when we came downstairs, Grandpa had a different shirt on, but within minutes, he changed his shirt to match with Ryan!
At the Air and Space Annex Museum in Dulles, VA.

Look at those matching shirts:)

We was a "Newsie" on the streets of Van Nuys, CA when he was 9-11. He remembers Betty Davis would pull up in her car to buy the newspapers - honking her horn, but wasn't very nice. Even though he was a city boy, he moved to Kansas when his mom remarried and was forced into the life of a "farmer." He went to school in a one room school house after moving to Kansas. Before it fell down, I saw this little place, very reminiscent to Little House on the Prarie to me, but even smaller! He worked hard to provide for his family and did well. Syd and I got to stay with them sometimes during the summer when mom would be out of town and I remember him coming home from work and him having us take off his boots (cowboy boots). He could fix anything and I will never forget the entire garage full of tools he owned. When they were moving to Kansas for retirement, Sydney and I wondered how they would ever pack his garage!

When you are small, you take everything at face value and never ask questions. So I was surprised to learn a few years ago that he had wanted to be a veterinarian at one time! I remember his many dune buggies he'd work and heard many a story about his water skiing ability! He was involved in the community throughout his life. While raising his children, he managed a Little League and Pony League youth sports organization, served as the President of the Duarte High School Booster Club. He was a lifetime member of the NRA, and a member of the American Legion, Forty & Eight, the Elks, and the Scottish Right. He was a Mason. A great example of serving those around him.

We love you Grandpa Gene. As Grandma always says, till next time!

Christmas

We had such a great Christmas! Here are some highlights:

Ryan's preschool had a little Christmas program. I was SOOO impressed with the costumes his teacher has gathered over the years - perfect for these preschoolers! You've got to see the wisemen, they were stylin! Ryan was the only one who wanted to be Joseph. I was proud of him because all the other boys wanted to be wisemen, but he didn't follow the crowd! He was really excited for the program, though you couldn't tell because the day before, he spent the ENTIRE DAY laying still and not moving...wierd story! At 8 am, he tried to get up off our floor and started crying, saying his neck hurt!
So I let him hang out there watching some cartoons for a while...that turned into hours! Scott ended up staying home with him while I went to church...and Scott's mom showed up during Sacrament meeting and thought we should take him to the ER. So we did and throughout the hours he still would NOT move without crying. Scott transported him from home to car carrying him horizontal with his pillow. To go into the ER, he rode in a stroller that was reclined to a horizontal position...it was so strange! All nurses and doctors agreed that this was not normal! Then about 9 hours after the ordeal began, he cautiously started moving again without trauma. And now he's fine. The doctor tried to explain it as something called torto.... but I'm not really buying it...there were not swollen lymph nodes in his neck, etc. So we have no answers... But the show must go on, right? So here he is, as Joseph, and not yet quite himself.




Our Family visiting baby Jesus (Ward Christmas Party).

Sean found a dancing Santa at Granny's house Chrismtas Eve. He danced with Santa many times and in his own little world. I have more video of this kid moving his hips than I know what to do with!

Visiting Dovewood Court(every house decorates like crazy...they have a HOA just for their street so they can monitor the over-the-top decorations) - annual tradition!

Monkey faces for monkey jammies...new christmas toys to play with!

...Dad's favorite toy.

What a fun day! We played with new toys all day long! It was great...except for my funky stomach issue. I had no appetite and was a little nausious...so yummy dinner was not made...Sorry Scott, he was a bit bummed. He made Mac and Cheese for he and the boys...at least he's the best Mac and Cheese maker around.

We had a bit of drama prior to Ryan actually skiing. It all centered around how amazingly COLD it was...and snowing! But he insisted one boot was too tight, even though he'd just tried them on in the rental place. So we got some pizza and rootbeer in the lodge, regrouped, and Scott and Ryan tried again...initially it seemed like Ryan was going to love it! Up the lift, he was so excited and they got off and he told Scott to get in his snowboard bindings so they could go faster. But then a real hill came and he sat down. After some more attempts, they returned to the lodge, where Sean was sleeping on my lap. Luckily after Scott returned from a few runs, Ryan wanted another try (probably so he could get the IBC Rootbeer Scott promised him if he gave it a good try). The kid responds to incentives or bribery:)

Alas, the day ends with Ryan on skiis and a smile on his face. Still not the dream Scott had in his head, but at least it ended on a good note...even if it was more walking than skiing:)

Cousins playing in the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. The Museum was great...but three cousins in particular went through at lightning speeds...so tough to slow them down! They were having so much fun together...so I missed many details. It was all I could do to keep them from climbing up the rocks trying to kill the wolly mammoth with the other human skeletons - the display was showing how many people it took to take down the wolly mammoth.
They thought they could help...and my kids have played this game since.

The megalodon, Carcharodon megalodon, was a giant prehistoric shark that probably lived between about 2 to 20 million years ago, and was the apex predator in its time. It is recognized as the biggest known carnivorous fish to have ever existed. It is often termed the "megatooth shark".

Frigid Temple Square. I should have abandoned the smiling attempt. When it's so cold, you can't really feel your face...and it feels wierd to smile, probably should just have a closed mouth smile...that's my rationale for my funny grin here. Ryan was so cold, after listening to the nativity scene's narration, he was pretty much done. I was excited about taking the kids to Temple Square's lights so I tried to get him excited...saying, "hey look! Look at all those lights, let's go see more!" He says to me, "What's so great about lights?"

Uncle Chris leading the pack of cousins in Rudolph, Jingle Bells and some made up tunes.

Ryan loves to throw snow balls or chunks. He and Scott made a snow cave too.

As you can see we have a very full Christmas Vacation! There was so much to do and so little time! We did manage to squeeze in some down time...although Park City's temperatures were in the single digits (felt below zero with the windchill) many were found in the hot tub, frozen hair and all (obviously not me...being prego and all) and the cousins enjoyed the movie theater basement! A great Motley gathering.

Gingerbread House Party

There are so many fun things to do with kids during holidays, or any time for that matter, but holidays seem to bring out more creativity in me. Last year the kids, my mom and I made Gingerbread house from graham crakers and trees from sugar cones. It was soo fun! I loved having the finished product to look at...and munch on when it got closer to Christmas! So this year, the kids and I decided to have friends over to make Gingerbread houses! It was a blast...a crazy blast!
We had 16 kids in our small home 4 and under(two were infants) and one eight year old, that makes 17 kids all together! So because of the amount of people and craziness, we didn't get to make the sugar cone trees at the party, but the boys and I made our "village" yesterday, putting their two houses together and surrounding them with our trees. I think it turned out sooooo fun! They boys are dying to nibble it...but I want them to wait til it gets closer to Christmas so it'll last a bit. Plus, they had tons of candy whilst making said village.

At the party, we had the kids gather and sing Jingle Bells and Rudolf, the Red Nosed Reindeer. Then the mayhem began. It was really fun, but the parents really need to help such little ones with the frosting "glue" still. So I wonder if there is a better idea for a Christmas party for the little ones. Maybe next year we will make ornaments or something. My kids were in heaven...Ryan asked if we could have another Gingerbread Party before the kids even left! That makes me happy. Hopefully he'll have some memory of it.

Now, many of you might not care to read on, and that's okay. I'm being obsessive and I'm doing this for my posterity, mom and grandma. Remember I mentioned my love of ornaments? Well, I spotlighted a few and have felt ever since like I'm hurting the feelings of the other favorites I have by not highlighting them on here(like leaving out a child). So for my posterity...and for the ornaments feelings (Do you think the ornaments come to life when we're not looking...and play on the tree...TOY STORYish?) here are more of my favorites...and hopefully I'll restrain posting anymore until next year. Dork I am, I know:)

Mom: One favorite that's not pictured is the little gingerbread house made from yarn, but it didn't get onto the tree this year - I didn't want to wrestle the kids in not opening and closing the door...it'll get its own picture next year.

Scott's personal favorite...Crusin' Santa

Little house that a light goes into from the back that illumates the windows - has been on my dad's Christmas tree since he was small! Grandma sent me one last year! Thanks Grandma!

Blown glass reindeer - from Samantha! There's another too. So charming!
Hand beaded little angel...from my other Grandma's tree. My mom has one just like it that is pink and white. I've always loved these little angels.

Little china angel, from my Grandpa Rol's tree.


Patriotic Santa, need I say more? Got him from my first ever Ornament Exchange...played like a white elephant game...open, steal, steal, stay. Great party idea!!! So much fun!Stuffed toy soldier my mom made when I was small...perfect for the bottom where little fingers touch!
Toy red truck - grandpa gave it to the boys last year. Supposed to remind them of his red truck when he was young, but Ryan reminds me that it doesn't really look like the real thing...and the boys have discovered that it's metal...so magnets stick to it...and since it's got an open truck bed, they have a HARD time resisting putting small trinkets in the back of the truck! Still a goodie. Ceramic teddy bear I made in Brownies...probably age 6 or 7? I still remember making him.If I had to choose a Buzz and Woody of ornaments, I don't think I could...so many favorites for so many different reasons. My favorite of Scott's - Spagetti Santa - got mushy in a box that was leaked on in storage a few years ago. I cried! I let him dry out, but he's never been the same. So he doesn't make it onto the tree anymore, but next year I'll have to document him for posterity.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree and Thankfulness!

We took our annual pilgrimage to Indian Rock Tree Farm to get our Christmas Tree (a tradition that was started in Scott's family - BEFORE HE WAS BORN! We started last year with our kids after I learned the tricks of the trade on many trips over the years with his family the day after Thanksgiving) on Saturday. While I grew up with fake trees and can still appreciate their easiness, I have loved getting the real trees with Scott. Anyhow I am a HUGE Christmas tree softie as I LOVE ornaments! Scott says that when we got married, he missed out on the cow dowry, but inherited a Christmas Ornament Dowry. Funny, but really it's so true!

We get a new ornament each year, and usually one relating to something we've done or somewhere we've gone. One of my favorite ornaments on my tree (how can I have just one favorite? There are MANY favs) is a violin, for when I played the violin in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. I guess I wasn't so great at it, but maybe someday I'll take it up again and not hurt everyone's ears! My favorite ornament addition this year is this:

How cute is Pirate Mickey!? It says, Yo Ho Ho Ho! Of course we went to Disneyland this year and I have boys who loved Pirates of the Caribean and who sang "Yo Ho Yo Ho a pirates life for me," all day long! So this ornament makes us happy!






This blog has taken on a life of it's own and now I feel sad when I miss stuff...needing it to be part of my journal that one thay I WILL print into a book so that it really is a journal/scrapbook. So what I'm trying to say is this: I have a bit of catch up to do.


I never got to mention this funny day that was before Thanksgiving! We went with Scott's parents to a little lake so the kids could go fishing. Unfornately, the weather man missed his mark and the rain started much earlier that day than had been forecasted! So since we were cold on the dock and no fish were biting, we decided to feed the ducks. Here was the funny part of the day. There were ducks and there were geese! I was afraid of having food near the geese because they are so nasty, but we tried anyhow. So we found the ducks alone, but the geese were not too far away. So the kids and I and grandma started feeding the ducks and before we knew it, the geese were at our feet! Sean was about the same size as these aggressive geese. I was trying to throw the bread as far away from us as possible to redirect the (stupid) geese! They weren't getting it! Sean was trying to hide in our legs, Ryan figured out these guys weren't very cool and so grandma and I each grabbed a kid and ran! By this point the seaguls had come and the geese were still unsatisfied! So Grandpa took a bag of old stale chips to fend of these wild animals! He would throw up chips high into the air and the seaguls would dive to catch them...which made the geese lose interest!

Now for the Thankfulness! I've been tagged! Which I'm sorta glad for because I meant to, but just never got to posting about actual Thanksgiving! I was feeling horrible about that because this year I probably have the most to be thankful for out of my whole life!

So, I've been tagged by Jaynann!

I am Thankful for (*how can I possibly write all I'm thankful for in 7 items...and I'm keeping the descriptions short as this entry is out of control):

1. Scott - my best friend and so happy I get to spend eternity with him! He's had a tough year and I'm so proud of him!
2. Doctors and medical researchers - without whom, this year could have been Soooo scary - because of them I get to know Scott is healthy and will stick around for a long time!
3. My kids - All parents must think their kids are the funniest, smartest kids around, and I'm no exception! They constantly amaze me, make me smile, make me think, etc. Who wouldn't think their kids were the best when they tell me at least once a day, "I love you mom, you're so pretty!" Or a little boy who runs in our room most mornings yelling, "Surprise!" Can't wait for another one!
4. Parents and other family - Scott and I both have great parents, grandparents and siblings who continue to be a great support to us and who we love to spend time with!
5. The gospel - gives me important knowledge, comfort, peace, strength, refinement and so much more! (sorry to sorta copy you Jaynann...but I too love my Young Women's calling! I always say that I love my callings, from Primary to YW to Relief Society to Sunday School, they always teach me so much!)
6. Holidays - especially Christmas! All Holidays give us reason to celebrate and reflect on something important (usually - Halloween might not be a reflective one...but it's still fun)! LOVE THEM ALL! The traditions associated with them make me really happy!
7. Food...sorry for not being deep here...I'm hungry! Really though, think of all the great food out there! Yummo! Pizza, soup (with good bread), mexican, chinese, grilled sandwiches, desserts...the list could go on for hours! Mmmmmm.

I tag:

Sydney
Dad
Aunt Gina
Kathy (Shoemaker)
Amy (Atherly)
Jenner (Brown-lo-down)
Becky (Cota)

p.s. I sorta have issues with tagging people. Here's why...if I tag some people, some might not want to do it. If I don't tag other people they might not think I was thinking about them or don't like hearing from them. So my philosophy this time for choosing who I tagged was a)people who hadn't already done something for Thanksgivng b)people who I knew wouldn't get annoyed I tagged them c)people who haven't blogged in a long time and I miss hearing from them d)I avoided people who have way too much going on. Sorry if you are tagged or not tagged and meet my criteria. But being Thankful is sorta a great tag this time of year don't ya think?

(alrighty, I'm being a rebel and I just don't want to do all these links...they are all on the side of my blog anyhow...so you can see who they are there.)
RULES:
1. List the link to your tagger and also post these following rules.
2. Share 7 things you are grateful for
3. Tag people at the the end of your blog also leaving the links to their blogs