In Memory of My Sweet Grandpa

It is with a heavy heart and teary eyes that I tell you my sweet Grandpa, or Pappy as we have called him since he became a Great Grandpa, passed away this morning. I am including some of my favorite pictures of him(at least that I have in digital format). We spent the evening looking through pictures and old albums and telling our favorite stories about him. I'm going to share some with you now, as it is helping me to focus on the great times and not our great loss.

When Beth and I were little my Grandparents babysat us while our parents went out, when my Mom and Dad were coming to pick us up we used to run to their bed and act like we were sleeping so we could spend the night. My Dad used to tickle us and we would giggle, but never open our eyes. It usually always worked!

Pappy used to love us to comb and style his hair. We could do anything we wanted to it, but as soon as we were done he combed it right back into place. He never had a hair out of place, and even these last few days at the hospital he always looked great. His nurses even always commented on it.

We used to play baseball in their big back yard all of the time, he was so patient and would pitch to us for hours and hours. Brian used to run the bases backwards, it was so funny. Grandpa was convinced he would make it to America's Funniest Home video's with the film of that one.

My Grandpa took us all to Disney World on vacation one year, and bought a new video camera to capture the memories. Most of the memories captured were Grandpa's feet, as when he thought the camera was on it was off and visa versa. The lens cap was also on for a large part of the trip, so you would hear voices but not see video.

He wanted me to be a good golfer so bad, and took me out to the legion religiously every week. (he later did the same with my brother and sister) He knew everyone on that course, but no ones names. He's always called all men Tiger and ladies simply Lady or Gal. He always had a big smile and hello for everyone!

I attribute my love of ice cream and all things sweet to my dear Pappy! He used to take us very regularly to North Side Dairy Haven for 3/$1 Hamburgers and ice cream cones. I still love that dive to this day!

This last summer Brittney played ball on the ball diamond across the street from my Grandparents house. Since Pappy's leg was amputated a few years ago, and as his health has deteriorated, it has become harder for him to leave the house. But with the ball diamond right across the street, Pappy could hop on his scooter and head to Brit's games. No matter how bad he felt, he never missed a game. He was so proud and excited to get to see her. Brittney always scolded me for it, but I always put a bow in her hair for her games...it was so Pappy could tell which little girl was Brit, his eyes weren't good enough to read names on the back of their shirts or pick up little facial details.

I could go on and on, but I will leave you with that. Thank you so much everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Pappy is in a better place now, watching over us in Heaven with the best seat in the house.

Rough Week!

This week has been a rough one for our family...an emotional roller coaster and lots of sickness.

It started last week with stomach flu. Brie started it off on Thursday, Brittney followed on Saturday, then me on Sunday. Bill got a little bout too, but we're not sure his wasn't self inflicted from eating too much jalapeno loaded Chili.

On Monday my Grandpa was admitted to the hospital with Severe Congestive Heart Failure. They moved him to the ICU on Wednesday and things aren't looking good. He's still fighting, but his body is showing signs of shutting down. His kidneys, lungs, and heart are all in bad shape. This is Pappy's third admission to the hospital since Thanksgiving, and each time he comes home weaker. Please keep him in your prayers, we really need them right now. Pappy is not ready to go yet, he wants to watch his Great Granddaughters grow up and to see my brother and Katie get married.















Pappy is such a kind hearted and sweet man. He plays the lotto everyday in hopes of winning so that he can pay off all of our houses so that we don't have to worry about money. He is soft hearted and caring and would do anything to bring joy to someone else. We're not ready to lose him yet, so please send some extra prayers his direction if you can.

Brittney has been home from school with a virus yesterday and today. Sore throat, cough, fever of 102-104. She's doing a little better today, but we're trying to keep her calm and well rested.

We got a call this morning at 5:30 that Bill's brother, Dennis, was in the hospital with appendicitis. We just got a call that he is out of surgery and doing well. If all continues to go well he will get to come home tomorrow.

Uggg, I'm tired of sickness and Dr.'s and hospitals! We're hoping and praying that the sickness is leaving our house for good and that Denny and especially my Grandpa will get better and get to come home soon!

Brie's Kindergarten Christmas Program...Finally!

The school informed us Tuesday that Wednesday night the Kindergartners would get to make up their Christmas program that was cancelled in December due to the ice storm. Brie was ecstatic, especially since Brittney had been stealing the spotlight a little lately with her play and solo in church.

Even though it is a month past Christmas, I'm glad they let the kids make up their performance. The little stinkers are so adorable, and I truly cherish all of these fun memories!

Here is Up on the House Top....

Celebrate...

12 Days of Christmas...

Must be Santa...this one is my favorite! Santa made a surprise visit, and you can tell on the kids faces when the see him. So cute! The rest of the song they can't concentrate on singing because of Santa.

Brie did great, she was very concentrated on the songs and motions that they needed to do. She was very funny all through the holidays about it too. She wanted her performance to be a surprise...so she would never sing the songs or practice at home, and although I kept prying to find out what songs she was going to sing, her lips were sealed! Very unusual behavior for my BrieBrie!

Brie is such a character. Last night she was telling me about bumping her head at school with her best friend Sidney. When I asked her how it happened, here was her response. Brie always starts her stories with a big "Weelll....". "Weellll, I was running from my six boyfriends on the playground (yes that is right, she said six boyfriends!) and I made a turn to try and get away from them and BAM Sidney and I bonked right into each others heads." I tried to ask about the six boyfriends, but she couldn't stay focused enough for that conversation. Perhaps another day, or maybe I'm better off not knowing!

Brittney's Solo Debut in Church

Brittney's choir director from the church called Wednesday and asked her to learn part of a song to lead the congregation in church for today. Brittney was very excited, and did a wonderful job. A tear jerker for me, and many others in the congregation...she looks and sounds so angelic!
I can't believe how fearless she was about standing in front of hundreds of people to sing a solo! It was a long morning in church, as she sang in all three services. She wants to know when she can sing up there again...I guess she is a natural performer!

Our Little Star

Thursday night they finally made up Brittney drama club performance that was cancelled last month. Our little zebra did and great job and we were very proud of her! The name of their show was "It's a Jungle Out There." Very cute! Cute songs, a few whitty lines. Not too long, perfect for kiddos. Brittney had one of the three lead roles...to give you a little background, the King/lion wanted to find the key to happiness and sent off his two workers Stripes the Zebra (Brittney) and Lucky the Leopard to find it. Along they way they met the Cheetah's, who were "party animals". Next they met the Monkeys who were "going bananas for video games." Third they met the Hyena's that laughed and laughed because "everything is funny to them". Finally they met the Elephants, who know the importance of a good friend, and took time to stop and smell the roses. That is where they found the key to happiness.

We had some video camera malfunctions, so I was stuck using my digital camera for the whole show. So the focus and image stabilization didn't work out so well for me. I appogize in advance for my lack of skills.

The lion, Patrick, was quite the little ham!

I love how Brit was always trying to feed Bo his lines.

Here is Brit with her two leading men.

Brittney told me before the performance that she wasn't nervous because she had already performed the show for the whole school. She also told me that she loves being in drama and her favorite thing was getting to wear the remote microphone on her clothes. Too funny!

First Slumber Party

This is how I find my 7 year old after her first slumber party. She came home crabby, "Mom, a couple of the girls just wouldn't sleep and were talking and giggling all night." This made my her mad...I think I remember feeling like this a time or two at a slumber party myself. She insisted she wasn't tired and wouldn't be taking a nap, after lunch I went downstairs to change loads of laundry and when I came back upstairs...she was passed out!

A Special Night with My Girl!

Brittney had her first slumber party last night, and Brie was a little down in the dumps that she didn't get to go and party. Bill was working, so I told Brie that it would be her special night and the two of us would do whatever she wanted. Here eyes got big as she though about the possibilities. She decided on...

Dinner at La Fonda, followed by ice cream from Cold Stone, then we headed back home where she requested a make-over. She wanted to wear my make-up, "even the black stuff you put on your lashes mom." She requested her hair in a side pony tail, she liked that on one of the Libby Lu girls the other day. Then she got dressed in her new Hannah Montana dance class outfit and requested a photo shoot in front of the Christmas tree.

After the photo shoot we played about 30 games of Guess Who, then read 5 of her favorite books, then at her request snuggled and watched cooking shows until she fell asleep on me. What a fun evening with my special girl!