Grandma Verla

I know not many people read my blog and the few that do already know that my Grandma Verla has passed away. I was debating blogging about it or not and have been dealing with a lot of feelings lately that I didn't know how to deal with and well, writing about it seemed like the perfect way to deal with it. I have not had someone this close to me pass away before especially at an age when I really knew what was happening and when I really knew the person. When I first heard the news I just couldn't believe it. Everyone kept saying she was getting better and now she is gone.

It has been hard for me being in school and working and not being able to take anytime to reflect and cry. During this last few days I have thought about how the Judaism religion has got it right. Taking days off from everything just to grieve and give your respects to the person that has left this world. Why can we not do that? Why does our society focus so much on ourselves and everything we need to do and get done. Well, I need to cry and I need to be comforted about my Grandma passing but I will only get one day to deal with that and then I will be thrown back in this tornado called life.

These last few days I have had to keep pushing with school, work and ward activities and here I am sitting at my desk when reality hit me. She is really gone. When I go to her house on Sunday she will not be there but my memory of her and her spirit always will be. Whenever I play chinese checkers, put a puzzle together or someday become as good of a cook as she was she will be on my mind.

Ever since I have been in Utah I have been so blessed to spend a lot more time with Grandpa and Grandma Haynie and I went from being their FAVORITE granddaughter (that's right Erin :) to a great friend. I could just go on about everything I loved about Grandma, her fruit salad deliciousness, playing games, croquet in the yard, her hugs, I LOVE her laugh, and whenever I would call she would just love to talk to me, and the visits where she and Aunt Diane brought me treats or cards while I am at school, her sassy personality, and refusal to give in to the material things of this world....Grandma, I love you and thank you for the example you set for me and for the memories you made with me:)

Unlike what Alice Cooper says School is not out for the summer...It is just getting started.

Yes, I am back in school for spring and summer classes and so far it has not been too bad but as soon as I get that phone call about going floating down the river or playing sports outside in the beautiful sun and I have to say no then it will really hit me. I discovered something else too while in school you develop calluses to certain things, especially paper cuts. In just the two days that I have been in school I have received about several paper cuts on my hands!!! That has never happened before, maybe one every now and then but this is a lot. Every time I wash my hands I feel it a stinging! I do not have much to write at the moment since I have to get back to studying but here are some pics I took to express my feelings.

This is how I feel overall about being back in classes.....

this is how I feel about partying and having a college social life again...
this is how I feel when I realize I don't have time for a college social life...
and this is how I feel about homework and tests...totally whack!
Au Revoir!

Last Night of Vacation!!!

A few of these pictures are not from the last day but they are so darn cute that I had to put them up!!!

On a walk with Liam

He has lil scrubs to match his daddy...and lots of drool too, again to match his daddy:)
Nothing needs to be said here <3
SO, this is the real last for me on my vaca in Virginia/DC with my sis. It is kind of a funny story actually the whole week we just spent at home or in downtown Alexandria, which was a lot of fun, but Rachel was feeling kind of bad that we had not really gone out, or seen DC or anything that most tourists would do. Well, I have been to DC before so it was not too big of a deal for me but we went out anyway....after all I was hoping to pick up some hott teenage boys (reference to post below).

This is us in Georgetown going bar hopping
the night was young and hott, just like us
As we were driving home we realized I had not seen any of the classic monuments that people visit (again I have already seen them but I felt that since I was there I had to see them again). So, we went on a drive by tour and tried our best to get pictures of the different monuments...which as you will see did not turn out so well

Jefferson Monument!
It's a beauty Clark! (you are truely awesome if you can name that movie!)
YAHOO!!! This was the picture that turned out the best
Rachel's car windows are really dirty
Drive by
And then my battery died but I also saw the Lincoln Memorial and City Hall...maybe...

So, in the end our night was successful, we partied downtown like it was 1999, we sat on benches and discussed our aspiration to someday be able to afford clothes at Anthropology, we watched people walk past us, discover a great cafe with delicious crepes and nutella, saw all the monuments and laughed the whole night! It was so awesome and at 445 this morning when I woke up to leave I was so sad, mostly because it was 445 in the morning, but also to leave part of my family that I do love so much!

And that is my story!

Virginia

Some of you know I have been in Virginia watching my adorable nephew while Rachel brings the mullah home and Ryan studies his lil heart out! While being here I have been able to enjoy watching Liam smile, babble, cry, fall asleep on my shoulder, roxy cuddle with my legs in bed at night, laugh with my sister while I try and imitate how my parents imitate the chicken dance from Arrested Development (Go to randrrailroad.blogspot.com to learn more), I have eaten a variety of delicious food and well the list could keep going on......and this all leads into one story that I want to tell about Rachel today. 

We were driving home from the park when we reached an obstacle....it was one of those annoying roads where they allow parking on both sides of the road but here is the catch, when there are cars on both sides only one car can fit through them. So, we are cruisin like HOTT ladies in their new mini van, yes I said mini van, when we stop and let, not only ONE, but TWO cars drive through this trap first. Well, we just assumed it was our turn and there were no cars coming up close or quick so we continue our cruisin like HOTT ladies in the van and then it happens a car filled with teenage boys starts coming at us. 

We are like, oh no you didn't and started honking to make them stop and then it all came down to a game of chicken (who are we kidding we are in a beast and they were in some small contraption of a car, we knew we were going to win) and WIN we did. 

They finally stopped and let us through and as I look over I notice they are all laughing and I'm like "what you fools laughing at we are some HOTT mothers (well technically only rachel) just cruisin!" Then, here is the kicker, Rachel is all flustered and mad at the boys and then looks at me and is like, "Oh, I am sorry did I embarrass you in front of your peers?" My Peers! Woman, don't you know I am 21! 

So, moral of the story, Rachel my birthday was a couple weeks ago, yes I am 21 now, not a teenager anymore, far from, and NO I do not go for younger men:) 

Some more from California...

I got to see some of my close friends from high school and it was so fun! Most of them I have not seen since high school and it was refreshing to be with these friends and have everything fall back into place like we were never separated! Isn't it just great when you have friends like that.

I also got to spend time with just two of my cute cute cousins!!! And we spent it at Chuck-e-Cheese...which ended up being more fun then I remembered. Or maybe I just had better company with me this time.
Amy was scared of him, but I don't blame her. He is a giant rat and really who likes rats when they aren't giant.?
The new member of our family, welcome Rebecca (spelling)
And the awesome gift GRANDMA got for Vanessa!!!!

brothers

So, as I looked over what I wrote in the last post I was like why would I mention poop that is so something Marshal or Parker would do?! Then I remembered the only interaction I really have with other human beings is with Marshal and Parker. Next thing you know I will be posting jokes about farts and having belching competitions (which I would for sure win).

Moral of the Story: Boys=Bad Influence and sorry about the poop comment in case I did offend anyone besides my own intelligence.

California Here We Come!

I am too tired and lazy right now and I have a huge headache so you can write your own captions for these pictures....I will give you some keywords you can use: California, Escondido, Santa Monica, Poop (good luck with that one), Bikes, Family, So Happy I Peed My Pants! <3