Quote of the Day

Kayja:  What day is it?  Oh, yeah.  It's the thirty-first.

Azie:   No it's not.  It's the twenty-oneth.

Thanksgiving Week

One of the reasons we decided to move here was so we could be close enough to my family that they would actually come see us.  Melvin visited with his family this past summer, and Pamela came from M.C. with her kids and stayed from Monday until Wednesday before Thanksgiving. 

We decided to have a little appetizer night on Tuesday to start our Thanksgiving celebration early.  The kids got to eat on glass plates (to their utter amazement) and got to drink sparkling cider.  We ate pigs in blankets, Mediterranean pizza, veggies and dip, and brie bites that didn't turn out so well.  Cameron had to work late that night and asked us to save some for him.  The poor guy came home to two pieces of pizza (one slightly mutilated by Tamzin), three olives with all the dip I could scrape out of the bowl, two pigs (it would have been three but someone snuck one at the last minute), and lots of brie bites.

Another reason we moved here is so we can go outside after October without getting frostbite.  We took our kids to a large park that we have never been to before.  They got out of the car with shouts of "Awesome!!!"  The park kept them entertained for hours.  It was a short visit, but we were all so excited they could make the trip.

On Thanksgiving Day, we made prime rib, sweet potatoes, another veggie tray, and rolls, and our neighbor Becky B. brought us some "real" brie bites that I didn't share with the family.

Cameron and I decided to hit the stores on Black Friday, and much to our surprise they were not overly busy.  We found some good deals, and were able to wrap up our Christmas shopping.  That afternoon we broke out the Christmas decorations and decked our halls. 

All in all, it was a fabulous week.

My Budding Little Chef

Monday night I started feeling light-headed and dizzy.  Cameron's theory is that I knocked the rocks in my head loose when I sneezed really hard.  The official diagnosis is that I'm a dizzy blonde.  Ha.  Ha.  Ha.

Anyway... Yesterday I still wasn't feeling so great so I asked Azie to get Tamzin a biscuit to eat.  I came downstairs a few minutes later to find Tamzin strapped in her chair, loving every crumb of her lunch.  Azie informed me that not only did she get Tamzin a biscuit, she also got her a cornbread muffin, and she put cheese on them and microwaved them so the cheese would melt.  Her culinary creation got rave reviews from herself.

Today she prayed that Mom would not get dizzy anymore and would feel better forever.  Darn!  I was looking forward to Azie making lunch for us everyday!

Steamboat Springs, CO, July 2010

Since I only started blogging this year, I wanted to be sure I included the portraits of the kids I had on the sidebar when I started my blog.  I took new ones of the girls in their Easter dresses, but I'm sad to see the old ones go.  The old worn-out cliche is true, they do grow up so fast.

Tamzie Woo-woo

Azie B

Kakie

Anni Bananni

Deebug

More Bunnies

I know, you probably think I think my bunnies are more exciting than my kids, but I just can't resist writing about them. 

So, you know that our rabbit had four bunnies, right?  Wrong!  SIX!  Yes, apparently not only can boys have babies, once he has babies the babies can have babies. 

Since we were moving, though, we had to get rid of all our bunnies.  That means no more blogs about the cute, furry little things :(  How, you ask, did we manage to find homes for seven bunnies?  It wasn't so easy.  Apparently not everyone shares my fettish.  Finally, when it was down to the wire and we decided (I hate to admit it) we could just give them to our neighbor so that he could shoot and eat them, we found them homes.  One next door neighbor took one, the other next door neighbor took two, and our best friends took four babies and the mom.  We knew they would have good homes. 

The only problem I saw was that the two and/or the four plus mom could eventually turn into an epidemic.  I have a friend, though, who told me how to determine the gender.  You just lift their little tails and spread their legs.  Well, I knew the mom was a female (or at least I think she is) so I looked at her first.  Imagine my complete and utter surprise when all, yes ALL, the babies looked just like mommy!!!!  Our obvious allergy to male babies did wear off onto our rabbit.  Now we'll just have to wait and see if two girls can have babies together. :)

Yes, I Am a Slacker

I have gotten onto my blog two times now since my last post, but I had so much fun reading everybody else's blogs that by the time I was going to write, something came up and I had to go.

Our adventures have been many since I last wrote.  Tamzin and Azie both had a birthday in May.  Their birthdays are only a day apart, but I promised myself that they would never have a joint birthday party.  I just want them to feel like they each have their own special day.  In fact, when we were in the hospital, Cameron gave plenty of encouragement so that I would be sure to get Tamzin out before the clock struck midnight.  (I made it by an hour and a half - phew!)

We ended up having to leave town on Azie's birthday, thus making it a necessity to have a joint party. (Not starting out so great, I know.)  It sure was fun, complete with great friends and great gifts, but after we had the party I recommitted myself to having separate parties for a different reason.  I couldn't see both of them at the same time.  I ended up missing a few precious moments, including Azie's huge eyes when she opened her Zhu Zhu pet.  Here are a few that I caught.

Yes, Azie requested a blue frog cake.

One of Azie's many favorite presents.

Tam Tam is in love with Elmo!

 She wasn't about to leave a single crumb on her tray.

Squealing because she couldn't get her doll out of the box.

Kayja is 7

We had a party with the family and a few friends last week.  Kayja requested a princess castle for a cake, but I lost enthusiasm for the idea, so the girls each got a cupcake and a sugar cone, frosted them, then took them to Cameron to be airbrushed in their favorite color.  It was a hit.  It shocks me that sometimes the simplest of ideas are so exciting to a kid.  Unfortunately, our craft project of turning cereal boxes into purses was a flop.  My Mod Podge has been sitting far too long, and was way too thick to spread.

After Kayja opened each present, she posed for the camera.  Here are a few and and video of her blowing out her candles.  She got lots of great gifts.  I think her favorite was a pogo stick.  She and Annika have been wanting one for about a year now.  After the party, Kayja ran outside in her new tennis shoes and bounced around while Annnika tried out the giant frisbee.

Friends that were present: Brooke F., Audrey B., Rayna R., Aspen L.

Gender Confusion

So if you've read my blog two posts ago, you know that our female rabbit, Coconut, had two bunnies, which our boy rabbit, Smokey, killed so he could mate with her again. We traded Coconut for another boy, who was driven out of his new home. We were left with just the boy, Smokey, never again to get another rabbit.

Today we discovered that boys can have babies. Smokey is the proud mother of four. He built a little nest out of his fur, just like Coconut did for her litter. Confused yet? So am I.

Obviously, this is what happened:

Smokey (the male mother) birthed a litter of two bunnies, using Coconut's fur for the nest. Coconut (the mean female dad) then killed the bunnies so he could mate with Smokey again, which he successfully got away with before we gave him away. Smokey is now left to be a single mom (thankfully) to four babies. The only problem, according to my kids, is that Smokey is a boy name so they need to rename him / her. The only problem, according to me, is that it's highly unlikely that our habit of producing only girls has rubbed off on our rabbit.

Anyone want a bunny?

Little Pranksters

On April Fool's Eve I did some research to find the perfect April Fools joke to play on my kids. Find it, I did. Execute it, I did not. A woman wrote that when she was a kid her mom went into the rooms of the kids, scooped them up out of their beds, and placed them in someone else's bed. The woman marveled at the fact that her mom succeeded without waking a single child.

I knew I had no hope of pulling this one off, so I asked Cameron to brainstorm with me. He came up with toilet papering their bedrooms. I know, it's the old standby, but we had never done it before, and I have fond memories of toilet papering people's houses. We snuck into their bedrooms and strung two rolls in each room. It was just like the good ole days.

The next morning we woke to little squeals and then the pitter-patter of little feet in the dining room as Annika and Kayja were busy readying their April Fool's prank. We went downstairs and discovered they had set the whole table for breakfast, substituting utensils for an array of kitchen implements. They had also stolen the toilet paper idea and toilet papered our table. They thought they were so clever.

A Sad Tail

When our baby bunnies were a week old, the girls went out to check on them. Sadly enough, they had died. I had found out the night before that many times the male will kill the babies so he can mate with the female again. I was planning on separating them that day, but I was a little too late. I felt kind of guilty. I know I did my best with the information I had, but I still felt some responsibility for the deaths.

We traded with our neighbor our female for another male. That living situation did not last long. Our male was biting the tail of the other male, causing it to bleed. He would not share his bunny house with him either. After a couple days of this behavior, we decided to just give back the other male and keep one bunny. Besides his homicidal and aggressive tendencies, he's a great bunny. He likes the kids to hold and pet him, and he'll eat out of their hands.

We did have another bunny move in today. I'm not sure she'll fit in the bunny cage though. I see a strange resemblance between this bunny and Azie.

Put That Guy in a Spelling Bee

Me: Annika, go get dressed.

Annika: Dressed?

Me: Yeah, you know, clothes.

Annika: Clothes?

Cameron: Yeah, you know, C-L-O-T-H-S

So Ugly They're Cute

About six months ago we bought our kids two baby bunnies from the neighbor. I hoped and prayed we lucked out and got two of the same gender. It's impossible to tell on rabbits until they're adults. Last week I noticed that Coconut was pulling out her fur. This was a bad sign. Sure enough, when Kayja went to feed them yesterday she noticed (to her delight) that we had two babies. Our rabbits have a tent-shaped wooden house they like to huddle in, and under it Coconut had built a sort of nest for her precious offspring. It was made of wood chips that we keep in their cage and lots of her own fur. I did think that was quite cool. The bunnies, however, are quite ugly. They look like four-inch long hairless mice with bunny ears stuck to their head. I went out today to take a picture, and Coconut had covered them with even more fur, making it difficult to see the babies, but I did get their little movements on video. They are kind of cute in an ugly sort of way.

I (Fern)

I have been asked by my sister-in-law, Camille, to help type her (and Cameron's) grandma's journals. She was a faithful journal-keeper for much of her life. I have only typed about a month's worth of entries but have already learned a lot about the woman. She loved to cook. She loved getting fresh fruits and vegetables from friends and family and often canned them. She appreciated the assistance and enjoyed the company of her granddaughter, Colette. She loved her husband Howard very much. I am typing the journal she kept not long after Howard suffered from a stroke. It made her sad to see him struggle. She also does some funny things. There are many times she writes, "I (Fern)" as if the reader would forget whose journal it was! She also comes back to a blank page years later and inserts an entry. For example, I just typed an entry for September 23, 1991, and the next (inserted) entry is April 1, 2003. This woman would have been a queen blogger. She would have exceeded her storage limit in no time.

I have few memories of Fern, as Cameron and I married just three years before she passed away. We visited her months before she passed, and she told us at least 20 times to keep a journal. "Just four lines a day. Make it your goal to write at least four lines a day." Another memory I have of her is when I went to the Care Center to perm her hair. She told me the story about her and her husband making the drive with their infant daughter Coleen to be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. They had their luggage strapped to the top of the vehicle and at some point along the way it fell off, scattering clothes all over the highway. She told me this story twice, started in on it again, and asked,"Have I already told you this story?" I admitted to never having heard it before, so she told it again, nearly word for word. Funny how she could remember something so vividly from 50-something years ago but nothing from 50-something seconds ago.

Who Knew?

People often ask me if Annika and Kayja are friends. I think they generally are good buddies, but this note I found really surprised me. It reads:

To: Kayja thank you for playing with me it is alout of fun. Kayja I think you are a good sister cause you play with me and laugh with me. It was funny when we were in the car. Why did you put your head down. Love Annika

Summer Time

It warmed up to 55 degrees today and there's hardly any snow left on the ground, so we all broke out our shorts and flip-flops. See what you come to appreciate when you live in Siberia?

To Cut or Not to Cut

I slipped on the ice and landed on my tailbone when I was pregnant with Azie. Maybe it was the loss of weight, maybe she adjusted it on her way out, but after Azie was born I had no pain... until I slipped on the stairs and landed on it again when I was pregnant with Tamzin. After Tamzin was born, the pain was minimal until a few months ago. It's getting worse. Today at water aerobics I couldn't do all the moves because I hurt so bad. It's so upsetting - the more I try to get in shape, the worse it hurts. So now I have a decision to make: exercise despite the pain, sit around watching Oprah and eating Bon Bons, or cut the thing off, which I'm sure I'm not ready for. It sounds a little freaky.

Poor Baby

Little Tamzie has been very sick. She started with a cold and a cough on Saturday, then a fever that night. Diarrhea followed on Sunday and into yesterday. She finally ate and drank her bottle last night at dinner. She slept all night last night and woke up without a fever. She seems to have turned a corner, but yesterday she just wanted to sleep and be held. I have to admit I enjoy the cuddle time when my babies are sick.

Darion's Blog

Darion created her blog today. The address is www.dee-bug.blogspot.com

Annika's Baptism

Annika got baptized last Saturday. Grandma and Grandpa by the Beach made the trek from California. Grandma and Grandpa by the Hill came from St. George. Colby, Marcela, Cohen, and Marcela's mom came from Grand Junction. Our neighbors, the Mercados, were there. Annika's primary teacher, Sister Morrill, her church classmate, Dillya, and her mom, and Bishop Storey were there as well.

There's something about seeing my child hit a major milestone in her life that makes me feel a little older.

My Kids' Blogs

I'm having so much fun with this blogging thing that I thought I'd get my kids started. Annika, Kayja, and Azie started theirs tonight. (Darion is not home, but we'll get her started soon.)

Annika's site is http://www.spazzpot.blogspot.com/

Kayja's site is http://www.quirky-kakie.blogspot.com/

Azie's site is http://www.square-azie.blogspot.com/

They came up with their own names, wrote their own entries, and picked their own backgrounds and pictures. This should be interesting.

What Would You Do For Some Frosted Flakes?

Annika has this problem. Her permanent teeth like to come in before her baby teeth fall out. She has this other problem. She has the most stubby teeth I've ever seen. This makes it difficult to get a good grip on a loose tooth to pull it out.

Cameron bought some Frosted Flakes on Saturday, and we hid them from the kids... until last night. We ate lunch at 3:00 and decided cereal would be a good snack before bed. We broke out the Frosted Flakes and the kids saw.

Annika asked for some.

I said, "No."

She asked again.

I said, "No."

Darion asked, "Did we buy Frosted Flakes?"

I said, "No. 'We' did not buy anything. Dad buys everything in this house, and if you would like to use anything you must ask him for permission."

In her sweetest, most polite voice Annika asked, "Can I please have some Frosted Flakes, Dad?"

"No."

"What?!"

"I'll let you have some if you'll let me pull out your tooth."

She really wanted some Frosted Flakes.

Is this an orthodontist's dream come true or what?! It looks worse in person. The photograph is missing the depth. In addition to being somewhat sideways, her front right tooth is about a quarter inch farther forward than the two teeth next to it.

Some day I will have bragging rights that I paid for a Ferrari. Unfortunately, I will not be the proud owner of said Ferrari, only the proud owner of a child with straight teeth.

A Break

Cameron had a business trip planned for four days this last week to Salt Lake City. Not the most exciting destination seeing as how I lived there for a couple years and I've visited countless times. I wasn't going to go until, on a whim, Cameron called his sister and asked if she could come stay with our kids. Sienna's husband is in boot camp and she is not working right now, so she said she'd come on over.

I couldn't believe it! Four (almost whole) days without four of the kids! I packed my bags and off we went. Tamzin was really good in the car. She wasn't even too bad sleeping between us at night. I have to admit I kind of liked cuddling her while she slept even though she's a bed hog and I was lucky to have six inches on the side because she prefers sleeping sideways.

Tamzin and I went out to breakfast and lunch together three days in a row - just the two of us. It was so relaxing to sit there with only one child - a child who doesn't speak. I found the experience quite liberating.

I did a little shopping. The Gymboree outlet in Park City had some great pants on sale for Annika and Kayja. The Wal-Mart there in Park City was spotless clean, had a nice open floor plan, had friendly and professional workers, and had no empty shelves. Quite the opposite of the one in Vernal. Their Valentine's candy was half off, so I stocked up.

We came home to children who said nothing to me or Cameron, but showered Tamzin with kisses and hugs and gushed over how much they missed her. When Cameron asked if they missed us Annika's reply was, "I forgot all about you."

Maybe we should leave more often. Then they'll really forget all about us when they want makeup or new clothes or a car or a wedding reception.

How Romantic!

Cameron and I celebrated Valentine's Day two days before, on Saturday. We had a romantic candlelight dinner of New York steaks, Italian stuffed mushrooms, bread dipped in Balsalmic, tortellini salad, raspberry cheesecake, and Martinelli's. The dinner was complete with "Barbie and the Swan Princess" playing in the background and Azie begging for bites of cheesecake and sips of Martinelli's.

Yes.... we went on a date to the kitchen.

Scraps

What do you get when you save fabric scraps for seven years even though your husband relentlessly makes fun of you for doing so?

A fun and colorful scrap quilt at a next-to-nothing price. With a tip from our local sewing guru and another from Aunt Judy, I stitched scraps of fabric in a very random pattern onto muslim squares and then used the "Quilt as You Go" method to attach it to a fleece blanket that I bought on sale for $2.40.

Needless to say, Cameron was quite impressed I turned all those pieces of trash into a masterpiece.

Moles

So this is a totally random blog, but I just read Pamela's post on bras and bums, and I couldn't help reminiscing about body talk blunders in my home.

A day or so after I brought Tamzin home from the hospital Azie just had to peek under the blanket. What she saw was appaling to her. "Why is Tamzie sucking on you moles?!"

After a few weeks it was apparent that she had had some "Facts of Life" talks with her older sisters. We had somewhere to go, and I told Azie we would leave after I fed Tamzin. A little embarassed, Azie asked, "Does Tamzie like to eat moles?" Quite surprised at her frankness, I said, "What?!" Then she really surprised me. "I mean, does Tamzie like to eat boobs?"

Who needs all those letters?

Annika's Birthday

We celebrated Annika's birthday with one of her friends, Chloe F., whose birthday was two days after Annika's. Chloe's mom and I decided that since they would be inviting only a couple friends in addition to each other and each other's little sisters, we may as well make it a double party, which meant we split the party duties. Nita handled, among other things, the gift bags and the decorations, which I don't really like to do. Cameron and I did the cake, which Nita doesn't really like to do. It worked out fabulously.

"Tangled" was the theme, so the girls made braided hair head bands out of yarn and ribbon. They turned out quite cute. Cameron airbrushed the cake (his first attempt), which received rave reviews from Nita. She also bought Chloe and Annika the Tangled Barbies. We had the party at our rec center so the kids could go swimming for a while before the festivites.

The best part of the evening was later at home when Annika exclaimed, "That was the best birthday party ever!" Cameron and I totally agreed, but he had a valid concern. "That was the best party we've ever given our kids. Do you think they'll expect that every time from now on?" If I could partner with Nita for every party, they would all be that good.

Tamzin having a ball in the baby pool.

Dillya W. failed to hide from the camera.

The party-goers (L to R) Brooke F., Annika, Chloe F., Dillya W., Abigail B., Kayja

Annika and Chloe blowing out their candles.

The beautiful Rapunzels.

I Am Not a Slacker

I have not bailed off the blogging bandwagon. I have three very good reasons for not blogging in the last little while.

1. My computer had a total hard drive failure two weeks ago and it had to go to a very expensive doctor for a week.

2. I went with Cameron on his business trip for four days. We left the day my computer came back, and the hotel we stayed at charged $13 a day for internet access. Sorry, I'm just not that dedicated of a blogger.

3. When I came home I had 72 loads of laundry to do.

Sooooo... I have lots to catch up on here. It may seem like my entries are a little jumbled, but I don't want to leave anything out.

A Hard Word

Kayja bumped into the wall on her way into her room, grabbed her shoulder, and said, "My elbow hurts."

I said, "That's your shoulder, not your elbow."

Azie proceeded to give us an anatomy lesson, pointing to each body part as she went. "Dis is youy elbow. Deze aye youy shouldews. Deze aye youy sheeks."

I attempted to give her a speech lesson. "Say ch-cheeks."

"I can't! Dat's a hawd wowd."

Give Thanks In All Things

Azie loves to say family prayer. She doesn't even bother to ask if she can say it, and she pays no attention to Cameron when he asks someone else to pray. She just jumps in and starts her prayer. Tonight she thanked God for "The Cosby Show" ... twice.

Darion the Artist

Cameron and I have been struggling with a way to light a fire under Darion. What is she interested in? What will get her excitement level up? We proposed an idea to her last summer to attend a music camp since she enjoys playing bass clarinet in the school band. We told her we were willing to pay for it, but she had to do extra work around the house to earn it. As the school year has progressed, getting her to practice has been like pulling teeth. We realized she just wasn't that interested.

She brought home a great piece of art from school a couple months ago. We realized that she has some talent that possibly hasn't been explored too deeply. A few weeks ago I remembered that the rec center offers a Bob Ross oil painting class. We told Darion she could use the money she's earned to pay for that instead, and she said she'd be interested in going. She went to her first class today. My jaw dropped when I saw what she came home with. Finally, we have found what lights her fire. She was thrilled with her painting. It's now hanging in our dining room. We plan on having many more hanging around the house as time goes on.

Darion has also been crocheting a quilt for Tamzin for almost a year now. She finally finished this week.

It's amazing what these accomplishments have done for her self esteem. We are very excited for her.

Grandpa's Obituary

Melvin Grey, 1920 ~ 2011
died 2011-01-25


Melvin James Grey (Mel), 90 years old, made his final trip around the bases to “home plate” on Tuesday morning, Jan. 25, 2011, in Ogden, Utah. That home-run ball landed in heaven’s ballpark, where the rest of the team was waiting for him to play first base!

Many friends and family members have been waiting for years; others, not so long. And waiting in Heaven’s stands to welcome him home are his parents, Maggie and John Grey; and seven brothers and sisters, Walter, Freeda, Mary, Helen, Clyde, Warren and Johnny.

Dad is survived by brother, Maurice, and sister, JoAnn, who are preparing to join the family reunion. A son-in-law and granddaughter have also preceded him in death.

Dad is survived by his wife of 71 years, LaVon Grey, who loves him dearly; four children, Bonnie Foremaster, Carolyn Grey, Melvin Grey and Debbie Grey.

He taught us how to play ball, showed us how to be good people and built a family tradition of chocolate-while-shopping as he indulged us with white “treasure” sacks from Sears, holding big blocks of yummy chocolate and orange slices.

His posterity includes 16 grandkids and 41 great grandkids, who loved cycle riding and four-wheeling with Grandpa, who also had time for picnics, teaching, teasing and sharing. He celebrated his 82nd birthday while on a 1,200-mile roundtrip with his son, going through Jackson Hole and Yellowstone – while riding his own Harley!

Dad was born July 9, 1920 in Brazil, Ind. He grew up there and joined the CCC camp (Civilian Conservation Corps) when he was 17 years old. He was sent to Panaca, Nev., all to the good fortune of his sweetheart, LaVon, whom he would marry in 1939.

He was scouted by a professional baseball team, but declined the offer because it would have meant leaving his new bride of that very day, as she would have been without his companionship and support as he trained in California. He loved showing off Mom’s beautiful artwork of crocheting and needlework.

People came to know Dad as a good and honest man, full of integrity, who stood up for right and honored his commitment to family and country. He was quick with a smile when he saw us kids and supported us with praise and encouragement when we did something great or needed a little (sometimes more) help to improve.

He had outstanding talent as an athlete and played on town baseball teams for years and was shown respect and admiration by former Lincoln County, Nev. schoolmates at the high school’s 100th anniversary in 2010.

He loved telling stories of his life, and one best of all, the story of his 80-yard kick-off return for a touchdown!

Dad was a paratrooper in WWII, worked in the mines in Pioche Nev., on the railroad in Caliente Nev., and the Nevada test site. He was a master mechanic for over 40 years, had his own shop, Grey’s Auto Repair, in Moab, Utah, and didn’t fully retire until 2002.

He taught auto mechanics for a time, incorporating respect for knowledge, self and others, which helped guide students. He served on Grand County’s School Board, loved to watch the news and sessions of the House and Senate, and baseball and more baseball! He loved fishing and fish were afraid of him!

Dad was ready to go, carrying a baseball, a fishing pole, a wrench and a heart full of love and a smooch for his sweetheart. Babe Ruth was Dad’s hero. Dad/Grandpa is ours!

A family viewing was held in Ogden, Utah on Thursday, Jan. 27. Graveside services were held Friday, Jan. 28. Interment was at the Panaca Cemetery in Nevada.

I Begin At the End...

...of my grandpa's life, that is. Funny how the death of a loved spurs you to action. When Grandpa Grey died last week, I was asked to share a memory of him. Although I have a few detailed memories of Grandma and him, I realized that I have many more vague ones - ones that are just pictures in my mind. Saying goodbye to Grandpa was something that I realized I wanted to remember, so I decided now is the time to start a blog.

I saw Grandpa alive for the last time at his 90th birthday last July. It was clear he was having a hard time recognizing me. When I got a call last week that he was about to pass, I wasn't sure I wanted to see him again. I didn't figure I could get out there soon enough to say goodbye anyway, so I waited. I finally left for Ogden last Tuesday, only to get a phone call from Glenna when we were halfway there that he had passed on. I admit I was relieved that I didn't make it in time. I wanted to remember him the way he looked last summer.

When we went to the viewing on Thursday, I was hesitant to approach his casket to say my goodbyes. Azie prompted me to go. I'm really glad I did. He looked just the same as I remembered him from last summer with the exception of his lips. He looked like he got botox. They were much smoother than normal. Family members placed precious items in his casket. Rae Lynn stuffed a whole bunch of his favorite candies in his pocket so he could share them in heaven. I had an empty feeling that I had nothing to give him. Then I realized that I did have something to give - my love and prayers. I told him that he would be learning about eternal families up there and to please, please accept the temple work that someone would be doing for him so that he and Grandma could be together forever. I told him I would be praying for him. I didn't really want to say goodbye, but it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I suddenly wanted to go to Panaca to be there when the final goodbye was said.

At his graveside Grandpa's children all said a few words, but they all basically said the same thing. They all felt loved while growing up, and they all said he was a great dad. The VFW was also there to pay tribute. It was quite touching. They folded up the flag and presented it to Grandma, and she immediately began to sob. Melvin dedicated the grave. It was very heartfelt. They opened the casket one last time for people to say goodbye. Pamela was as hesitant as I had been to approach him, but with my encouragement she finally went up. I watched as she visited with Grandma for a few minutes - the first time since she was 15 years old. Then I watched as she and my dad hugged - the first time since she was 18 years old.

We went to the local church for a family lunch where we were reaquainted with relatives. One of my favorites is Uncle Bus - nicknamed for the Buster Brown shirts he used to wear. I don't even know his real name. He's Grandma's brother. We used to stop at his and Aunt Marnie's house in Las Vegas almost every summer. They were always smiling and happy. Aunt Marnie isn't well and couldn't make the trip, but it was sure great to see Uncle Bus. All the cousins were there except Amber and Aaron. I did see Aaron at the viewing though.

Besides saying goodbye to Grandpa, my favorite memory of that trip is when I got to work on Grandma's nails. Her polish was badly chipped and her fingernails grown out. I cleaned the polish off and cut and filed her nails. She has dementia, so reminiscing was out of the question. I just sat and enjoyed touching my Grandma's hands for those minutes. Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Debbie asked if she wanted to go take a nap, but she said she didn't want to leave with all those people around. It was so nice for her that everyone was there. I learned a lot about "bearing one another's burdens". Grandma was grieving, but having us all there helped ease her burden. I can't imagine her enduring that experience alone. I think we have funerals so that we can help carry the load of those closest to the deceased.