Pretty is as Pretty does

Have you ever heard that saying, "pretty is as pretty does"?
I grew up hearing it.
It was just one of the many things my great grandmother would say.
Here is the official definition:
Pretty is as pretty does. (old-fashioned)
"something that you say which means that you should judge people by the way they behave, not by their appearance."

Dad called me this afternoon to let me know that Wilma, my great grandmother who is 92 years old, had a stroke early this morning. I don't know much about what is going on, only that she is paralyzed on her left side.

Since one of the reasons we have this blog is to serve as a sort of scrapbook/journal, I just wanted to record this saying and perhaps a few memories.

I spent a lot of time eating lunch with Grandma from 8th grade to junior year. As a senior I was trying to be cool, taking my buddies to McDonald's for lunch, (We didn't have a cafeteria) so I didn't eat with her as often.
When I did eat with her she would often order a whole Domino's Pizza just for me or make me turkey sandwiches.

I grew up from the time I was 6 to 17 years old enjoying my birthdays with lots of family around. A few times Grandma Janet(Wilma's daughter) and Wilma would have me and my dad over to celebrate our birthdays together.
She gave me a bikini when I was like 12 or something...Mom and Dad didn't like that too well. Not to mention that every birthday I got clothes and had to immediately try them on to make sure they fit. It was embarrassing.
One time Wilma got locked her bedroom and I had to kick the door down, well not really down but I got it open.
She would let me use her curling iron during lunch so I could look really cute when I got back to school.
There was always a soap opera on TV during lunch, and one time she gave me some good advice about tweezing eyebrows, "Be careful, if you do it too much they don't grow back."
She, along with grandma Janet gave me a great Graduation Party. They put a lot of effort in it and it would be the last time so many family members gathered together just for me, (other than my wedding reception). Great grandpa Pete was there, along with Paw pa and Mawma, Clint, Geri, my immediate family and many others.

Things are changing. The memories of my youth are clouded as I try to think back to birthdays and visits that were routine.

As time passes by I will lose more of those guests that came to celebrate.
I am sad.

I am currently working on typing Wilma's memoir, although I only have the first 50 pages. I am hoping I might be able to get the rest so that I can have it printed and bound so that her descendants will have a piece of the past.

"you are only as beautiful/handsome/pretty as your deeds."
One things for sure, I'll always remember that pretty is as pretty does.

My Little Helper

I just thought I'd make a quick post, in order to document a little behavior I noticed today. Ella, when she feels like it, is a really excellent helper.

This month the Elders Quorum is assigned to take down the chairs at church after meetings. During such months, when Ella inevitably wants to run, drink from the water fountain, be a pill, or all of the above, we go around the periphery and stack chairs in the classrooms to pass the time (and keep her on a bit shorter of a leash--the straightaways that the chapel offers are just too much fun to walk down). Today was one of those days, and as we'd go around, we'd get into this little routine where Ella would push/pull one of the chairs over to me, and I'd stack it. Now I wasn't waiting around for her to do it...I'd grab plenty myself. However, it was just so neat to have her help. And after she'd help me, occasionally she'd look up and say "Good Job High Five", after which we'd high five and then run (well, she'd run) to the next classroom.

This evening we emptied the dishwasher together. Ella knows where nearly everything goes, including the Pyrex. She had it halfway to the Lazy Susan when I came over to help. She's a very smart little girl. She's also very funny...right now she says a lot of c's like h's, so "car" comes out "har" and "cup" comes out "hup". That doesn't really relate to the rest of the story, except to say that as she'd grab cups from the dishwasher to put away she'd say "hup". Ella has taken to mimicking everything I say (or a lot of it), which means that I occasionally get a "dang it", but often get prayers, as well as a lot of other cute stuff. I'm truly honored to be her daddy.

Anyway, I hope that I didn't bore the rest of you with that stuff, but this blog serves partial function as a family journal, and I didn't want to lose those details. I hope that I can continue to be as close to her as she grows, in spite of new trips to time out and the fact that any reprimand causes her to tear up nearly immediately. I've come to understand my Heavenly Father a bit better through the experience, in that I have to do things that make her sad in the short term (like putting her down for naps), in order to accomplish larger goals for her and ensure eventual happiness.

Daddy

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I hope you all enjoy these pictures I took today of gorgeous Gabriella.

















I've never seen anything cuter!

Some randomness

Random things and pictures I want blog about:

First, I've been taking Yoga again. I started originally in 2005, and it was "Hot Yoga." It really helped me lose weight, if you can keep from passing out from the heat and humidity. Just ask Erin...poor girl, I dragged her to a class three years ago and she about passed out. She was a trooper.

This Summer I started up again, but definitely not for hot yoga, just the regular old "Yoga for all levels." I loved my class this past summer and I signed up again for another two month session. But, my mat is old and the sticky stuff has come off, so when I'd try to do that stupid "downward dog,"

my hands and feet would slip, so with Steve's suggestion I went off to find a new mat. Here it is....

ummm, yeah so here I am looking very excited about my new mat.
Look how buff this dude is!

On to the next thing...
I know I'm biased but I really like this Mary Kay mineral foundation stuff...it isn't heavy and is super easy...I need to get more!

Next...A blog I really love to read...http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com
she has her own fabric, links to tutorials, and I actually really like orange too.

I am soooo going to make these.

another blog Steve and I like to read together...http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
When professional cakes go very wrong...

This one is a wreck on purpose...Bond, James Bond
Very Cool!

Okay here is another:
Trying to get something for nothing...food that is. I have been trying to do coupons again. Today I got 5 bags of Chex Mix from Walgreen for $1.30. Not too bad...that should last for a week right? No, I'm so not with it in terms of getting great deals. But I will keep trying.
Random pictures taken 2 weeks ago before Erin came out...I was bored in the car.


Another favorite thing...think Christmas if you any of you need ideas...
are these wallets.
I got one in Breckenridge and they sell cheap on ebay. I just think they are too cute!
http://www.espe.ca/index.html



My project 8 months in the making...

my craft/guest bedroom is 99.9% done. Someday I want to put new carpet and baseboards.
And a new sleeper sofa, and ....

My favorite feature is the mirror, but I made the mistake of telling Erin I wasn't sure how sturdy it was so I think she was afraid it would fall on her while she slept. BUT...no fear Steve put that thing tight in the wall. I had been watching the price of it online for months and when it finally came in I was so happy.

Finally, I've saved the best for last...
do you see it? look closer...

closer...

Yep some kind of nest about the size of a football attached to our house...icky.

I bought two cans of this stuff. The house/car/family adventures never end!
Cue "Indiana Jones" music.

Day 2

Sunday we went to church and I got to show Erin off...it was fun.

Since it was our anniversary Erin helped cook dinner and make us a cheesecake...yummy. She also got Steve a Key lime pie, one of his favorites.

Thanks Erin!

Here was our photo shoot...

Umm....Erin open your eyes.
oops....I was supposed to smile?
Nice nernin really nice....

sorry Erin did you want to be in the photo?

Ahhhh there it s!

That night we decided to have a jam session. ROCK BAND! Then we played Sing Star when Steve went off to bed...sorry Steve.
WE ROCK!





And here is the best performer...EVER!