My Gramps

I started writing this a few months ago when gramps had just started getting sick. At that time the verbs were "is" instead of  "was," present tense, not past. I'm not really sure it does his larger than life personality justice, but here goes it. 

"Gramps"

An incongurity between the appearance of things and reality, this is irony, and this is my gramps.

The irony of an old man that bleed BYU blue, but had an abundance of red cars, red sweaters, a red couch.

The irony of a white, old man that conviced himself and his family, along with everyone else including indians, that he was an indian too.

The irony of an old man that occassionaly chased us around his house with a whip, but really was a sweet, loving, giving, often times quirky, but still loving gramps.

The irony of an old man that called his granddaughters "messy girls," yet he was the one always spilling things all over his shirts.

The irony of an old man that always wanted you to "visit," but really just wanted you to play the game with him.

The irony of an old man that called you a "damn liar" if you called him an old man.

The irony of an old man that spent his whole life telling everyone to "mind," but I'm not so sure he ever "minded" himself.

The irony of this old man, this amazing, funny, generous, silly, crazy, talkative, bossy, sweet, much loved old man, will be greatly missed.

We love you gramps!

The Catch Up

 Ok peeps, I'm back. So, here are my top exciting stories (that I've taken photographic record of) since ya know, like March.

Hot Topic #1:

After four great years together, my beloved Jesus sandals were laid to rest (thrown in the trash can) after having broken the left one beyond repair. I'm pretty sad about this seeing that they were only
$8.00 dollars when I bought them, they took minimal effort to put on, and well now I have to go buy another pair, which James seems to think I don't really need to do. FYI, I broke them while weeding our flower bed that James insisted I do, and it probably would have been really funny to see my trying to make it back to the house with it still on considering the fact that I couldn't pick up my left foot, so I had to Hunchback of Notre Dame it back to the porch.

 Hot Topic #2:

Yeah, I cut off all my hair. This has been a long continual process that I've done my whole life: grow my hair really long, cut it off, hate it, grow it out again . . . repeat. It's been really hot though, so I wanted it cut, but my hair stylist thought I said butch it, when in fact I said "Don't butch it!" And well, here is the resolute. I guess it's ok.

Hot Topic #3:

Ok, I'm a really horrible wife for not doing this post sooner. James graduated! He was really excited to be done, and we were all super pround of him, and now he is an automotive tech at Jorgenson's Ford!

 Hot Topic #4:

James and I went camping with "some" of my fam. Some highlights from the camping trip: James still couldn't catch any fish, Claira decided to be my friend (only when I had food), only my forehead got sunburnt of course, and I finally beat Amanda at Scattergories (life long dream achieved!).

Stay turned for any other exciting things that might happen this summer, like next week when my family has a pool party and Trent and Chad wear wetsuits and flippers because for some reason I heard through the grapevine that Trent wants to scuba dive at the pool. You better believe I'm be posting about that one.

Vegas Vacation

It's my district's Spring Break this week, a whole week off and away from teenagers I for sure needed, and we headed down to Vegas with James's family to an ASD show for their stores. I'm not completely sure it was the relaxing trip I was looking for, a whole lot of walking all day required, but it was a nice break from work.

at the top of the Stratosphere

at the Bellagio fountains

Home Renovations . . . Still Not Complete

So months ago we started working on the house again, most finishing painting. We're still not completely finished, may never be, but this is what we have done thus far.

We finally got a new stove in the kitchen that works properly and matches everything else and we put some new hardware on the cupboards.

our bedroom - just a "during the chaos" since I never got around to taking a good after pic

our bathroom - the before

the after - we still plan on changing out that ugly vanity to a white one, redoing the flooring, and painting the door white

main floor bathroom - the before

the after - still plan on changing the flooring and this vanity too, or at least the counter top since it doesn't really match

Take Note

Although James bought me a nice camera for Christmas this year, I still really suck at taking pictures. I either don't remember the camera or I feel awkward taking advantage of the photo ops. Anyway it's just James and I, and it's not like we do really exciting things around here a lot, hence the reason I rarely post anymore; plus we're at work all the time.

Anyway today is one of those rare days that I'm not at work or doing something with James because well it's Saturday and James has been at a class all day, so I'm bored and thought I'd post a little something. Things have been pissing me off lately, so I thought I'd stick with that theme.

Things that Piss Me Off Lately:
(In no particualr order.)

1. Dogs that bark all night in our neighborhood: Dogs, warning, I am not an animal lover and am not ashamed of killing you and burying you in my backyard. There currently isn't any grass back there anyway.


2. How I just ate a whole box of Hot Tamales by myself: I don't even know how that happend, but it did, and it pisses me off.


3. Exercising


4. Life, you really piss me off recently.


5. Secretaries


6. Counselors


7. State testing that doesn't work like it should, and just state testing period.


8. Loud noises: James, that one is for you.


9. Doing the dishes, that's a hint for you as well.


10. Old lady visiting teaching partners: No old lady, I will not quit my job just so I can go visiting teaching with you during the day!

Clearly I need a vacation. Hope I can make it to Spring Break in a month.

Things & Stuff

So, I've been slacking on my blogging because we are renovating again, and I've been waiting for all of that to get completed, but we're slow at it. I will fill you in on this though: we may have added somethings to the kitchen, we may have painted something BRIGHT torquoise (LOVE!), we may have painted something else blue, like really blue, by accident - thought about repainting it, but it grew on us - and we may be finally finishing out bedroom. Still have a lot to do, but we kind of like it - minus James is not a good sport when it comes to painting.


Anyhow, I'll leave you with this fun pic to tide you over until I get around to actually blogging again.

For New Year's Eve we played poker, and more importantly, it was my first time playing poker. I'd like you to take notice of a few things in the below picture.

1. Chad's face

2. Chad's "pile" of chips

3. My pile of chips

And although my victory may have been short lived, you better believe I basked in it!

"Hip Hip Hooray for Christmas Vacation"

Ugly Christmas sweater party, hand crafted awesomeness right there people.

24th birthday party: went shooting my new gun and snowmobiling.

New Year's Eve at our house.

(Although we might perceive to be dunk, and James clearly looks mentally unstable in the first picture, remember appearances can be deceiving.)

And now I'm horribly depressed because Christmas vacation is over, and I have to go to work tomorrow. Ugh, back to real life.