For Sale

We are selling a few things around here.  

First of all, our Nikon d5000.  It is one year old and in perfect condition.  We are selling it with a 18-55 mm lens, Nikon camera bag, battery, necessary cords and cables.  For details on the camera and its capabilities, click here.  We have loved this camera!  We are asking $500.

  

We are also selling this desk.

For details on the desk, click here.

So far we have gotten by with just laptops at our house, but as our kids are getting older, we have decided it might be time to get a desk top computer and unfortunately, this desk won't hold one.  It is 2 years old and in great condition.  We are asking $500.

Sledding Injury 2010

We live by a wonderful sledding hill.  It is huge and the kids love it!  I love it because it is within walking distance.  It was made for sledding, so pretty much the only obstacles are the other people, you have to watch out because it is a pretty popular place to be!

 This was the sledding injury for 2010.  Since he closed his eyes, he is not sure how it happened;)  At least it didn't require stitches!

Budding Scholars

Jacob and David recently participated in a "wax museum" at school.  Jacob was Thomas Edison and David was Zachary Taylor.  They had to make a display and orally present information about that person as if they were that person.  We worked at home on their displays.  They read their books and wrote their reports on their own.  I guess I didn't really pay too much attention to the actual requirements because I was so impressed when I got there and realized they were sharing all their information from memory.  We did not practice or talk about this at home.  These twins have amazing memories!  I can't wait to see what they become!

Ethan just participated in the school spelling bee.  I was proud of him for trying and making it to the finals.  He did not win, but he did awesome!  I love that he tries so hard to be successful at whatever he does.  I can't wait to see what he becomes as well!

The Cherry on Top

Just before we left for home, my siblings and I, took a little visit to my grandma's home.  No one has been living there for several years.  My aunts have stayed there during the summers, but I had not been in the house for years and years.  With both of my grandparents now gone, it was a sweet opportunity to see their home and reminisce.  Knowing that my aunts stay there in the summer with their kids, I honestly expected that the house might be a lot different, but it wasn't.  So much was the same as when we were kids and used to stay there.  I couldn't believe it.  During the weekend we talked about a few different things we remembered.   

One of them was this pink stove.  It plugs in and really works.  When I was little and my grandma made bread, she would put a little in a pan and I got to baked it in this oven.  I LOVED it!  We were overjoyed when we found it in the basement.  Well, mostly just Kaitlin and I were excited about it:) 

 We all have fond memories of these old stuffed snakes.  There were two of them and we played with them over and over again.  We were so excited to find them!  I honestly can't believe how so many of the toys we played with as kids were still there, just as we remembered them.

 Wearing them around our necks was our favorite:)

 

The basement contains all kinds of treasures and still houses many fruits and vegetables that my grandma canned.

  

 In the winter, there was always a fire going in the fire place.  

 This is my grandma's kitchen, exactly the way I remember it as a kid.  She never had a dish washer, and I do remember when she didn't have a garbage disposal either.

 If there was a theme to this house, it might be purple.  Isn't that carpet just the best?  It has been there forever and I love that the afghan matches it perfectly.

 The piano is still there and still out of tune.

 When we went to grandma's house for breakfast, we would always have toast and boiled eggs.  My grandma would boil the eggs and them mash them with a fork in these little bowls.  She would sprinkle them with salt and pepper and we would gobble them up.

 When I visualize my grandma in her home, I either picture her standing in front of the stove or sitting in the chair below.  At the stove, she was usually tending to her bread, cooking, or just visiting.  Just beyond this stove top is a plastic dome thing that she always had applesauce cookies in.  We could always find them in there when we came to visit.

 Grandma's chair when she sat down, which wasn't very often.

 Grandpa's chair.  It is so classic that it is covered in old towels, they seemed to fix everything.  I picture my grandpa sitting here early in the morning getting his work boots on so he could go out and do his chores.  

 These pillows have been on the floor as long as I can remember.

 When I was little, I used to find candy in this jar.  I love that is matches the rest of the room, blue and purple;)

 This rock/petrified wood always sat right there in the corner.  I have no idea where it came from, but it was always there.  My grandma used to have plastic runners on the carpet because you had to walk through the carpet to get to the kitchen, later they got rid of those.  

 A board game we played as kids.

 Toys we played with.

 This metal cup was my grandpa's and when he came in from working, he would use this to get a drink.  It is amazing to me that it is still sitting in the same spot!

My grandpa always had a collection of flashlights and we found it!

Mostly these posts are for me and my family.  Being here was so much fun.  I realized how important it is to take care of the things that I have and make them last.  Not only does it save you money in the long run, but it brings so much joy and satisfaction as well.  I still can't get over how it is all still the same.  The decorations, the furniture, and all of the things.  My grandparents lived frugally and never had much, but they still sent their kids on missions, to college, and saved enough money to pay for care centers if they ever had to live there.  I came home with a renewed sense to do a little better and want a little less.  Except costco got me today, darn it!  I need to stay out of there. 

Rockville, the Day of the Funeral

Saturday after the funeral, my sister and I went for a walk down by my grandma's house.  We took lots of pictures and admired all the junk:)  I decided I wanted to post some of the pictures, so I will get to my favorite part next time.

This is where my grandma hung her clothes out to dry.  During the summer that I lived with my grandparents, I also hung my clothes out to dry.  Who knew it was going to be good practice for my mission.  I have often wished I had a place at my house where I could hang my clothes out to dry.  I definitely have enough wind.

I love this picture of my grandparents' cars.  My grandpa rode that "mule" around everywhere.  I can't believe that it is still there along with their car.  My parents bought a mini van about the same time.  They had just come out with them, and they were such a novelty.  Since then, my family has gone through lots of cars, but my grandparents still have theirs, who knows if it runs!

With the hopes of being able to "use up" everything, there is a lot of junk laying around my grandparents' house.  These are old gas tanks, I am not really sure what they are called, but my grandpa used to have gas in them and I remember him filling up my old Buick Skylark once in awhile.  

This is the pecan tree at their house.  It produces a lot of pecans!  My grandma spent a lot of time cracking nuts and she always had some to share.  It is much prettier later in the year when there are some leaves. 

More junk....but I remember this car sitting at their house when I was a little girl.  I had no idea it was still there, it is just a little more hidden from plain sight.  

Lots of old tractors hanging around...

Bridge Road is one of my favorites, I have posted pictures of this bridge before, but everytime we go, it is still one of my favorite things to see.

At the end of my grandparents' lane, you can see the house where Kirk's grandpa grew up.  Small world!

And this is another reason why we love Rockville so much!

My Grandma

 My Grandma passed away last week.  She had been sick for awhile and we knew the time was coming. I was able to spend a little time with her, which I am grateful for.  When I saw her last week, she was barely alive.  My dad got her attention to let hew know I was there.  She seemed to know who was visiting her that day.  I held her hand and she told me that she loved me.  It was really hard to see her so frail.  The days following were good days as I thought about her being able to pass into the spirit world and be reunited with family and her husband.  My grandma was a hard working person who was pretty quiet.  She went about doing her work and getting things done.  She exemplified the quote, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."  Nothing ever went to waste at her house.  She was such a good example to me.  My grandma was from Orderville, Utah, but spent her married life in Rockville, Utah which is a small town just outside of Zion National Park.  My grandpa worked for the park and was a farmer as well.  Rockville has become a special part of my life.  We often visited when I was little, I lived there for a couple of summers and worked in the park, and my parents eventually built a house there where we get together occasionally.  My boys told me they would like to live there.  Sometimes I would like to live there as well.  It is warmer than where I live and much more beautiful.   

 My boys got their first limo ride with all of their little cousins.  

Proof of the limo.

 At the cemetary

 My Dad and his sisters-Shillene, Deanna, Shauna, and Tristan

 All of the first cousins

 I just had to put this picture in because Leon Lewis is a family friend and such a sweet little man.

 All of my family at the Springdale church.

My favorite part of the trip will come in tomorrow's post.