In Remembrance......

Four years today since my dad took his last breath after suffering from esophagus cancer. He passed at 6:55a June 29th 2005 with his family gathered around his bed. I don't want to have this be depressing so I've decided to post some fun pictures and tell a few stories.

My dad loved Mountain Dew! Who doesn't really! We would always go down to the Walkers in draper and get a big mug drink. I loved it when my dad told me to get him a mug...and one for me too! Even during his last days when he was on a feeding tube, we would give him Mountain Dew through a straw he would say "MMmmmm, this is sooo good." We would always laugh about that. Antoher memory, going to Macy's grocery and getting those King Kong ice cream cones, man those were huge! Loved them!

My dad was a prankster! I'm sure some of you remember every Halloween when my dad would have his hand on the door knob, turned, and ready to jump out and scare the next kids coming to the door. He would always try to jump out and scare you around the corner or when your quietly, peacefully doing you hair in the bathroom. Most times I would jump out of my skin, and other times I would say "duh, you didn't scare me".....and go back down stairs to change my peed pants. (no.....I really didn't pee, well maybe a little)

Every night he would come home exhausted from work and would have us take off his boots and socks.....man it stunk! Then he would so sweetly ask if you'd rub his feet. Of course we were always suckered into it. I hated that, yet would do it in a heart beat for him now. I just rub my hubby's feet now......eeewww jk!

A couple of his pranks at work:

~He knew this guy who was not the smartest-ok, he was a real airhead. My dad thought it would be funny to play a joke on him while he was at his job site. He never had that much air in his tires, so my dad decided to let all the air out. Well the airhead drove off not knowing that his tires were flat. They drove a long time till they finally caught up with him. They asked him when they caught him, "don't you know you don't have any air in your tires" ...... 'well uh no." -That's what happens when your an airhead.

~One day my dad's worker took my dads hammer when he wasn't lookin' and put nails all around it so he couldn't get it off the floor. He told his buddy, don't worry I'll get him back. One day that worker took his shoes off. Well he put about 40 nails into the shoes straight through the floor. His shoes were never right again.

Every time my mom would get mad she would call my dad in and he'd come into the room "What's going on here"....of course we would always blame it on the other. Well one day he was worked up and mad at us and said, "I don't care who it was, it takes to to tangle"! We busted up laughing and he got even more mad, but we couldn't help it. "Tangle dad?.... you mean tango"...... "you know what I mean". He was so flustered. It was a fun laugh!

My dads motto in life: hurry, fast, quick! He was always building something, being quick, and very good at whatever he did!

One day we decided to have a water slipping slide in the kitchen. We were running into cabinets and the fridge sliding all over the floor with our swimming suits. Well my parents came home and caught us. My dad said "well I hope you're all going to clean this up". He always would let us play.....I couldn't believe that we didnt get in trouble.

One night my dad came in holding Shelby and was walking past the fridge. One of us left some water there and his feet slipped out from underneath him and BOOM!!!! He landed right on his back and Shelby on his chest. It was so sad, yet it was the funniest thing to watch. He was kinda mad, but it took everything we had not to laugh. Oh boy!

My dad was always the life of the party........

On night I talked Ash into playing a trick on my dad cause he fell asleep with his head propped up against the couch and his mouth wide open. Well the plan was to sneak up on him and toss a hot tamale in it. She snuck ever so quietly, leaned over and tossed it in his mouth. He woke up so fast, spit the candy out and yelled, “for hell sakes”! I can still see the look of terrror on Ash's face. She ran away as fast as her little legs could carry her. In the other room we laughed our heads off. He was mad, but went right back to sleep!

Last and Best of all, my dad had the strongest testimony of this gospel. He really loves his friends and family, was a hard worker, and would do anything for us. He truly is a remarkable man and I miss him very much. That's that great thing about this gospel, is we know that we will be reunited again and will live together forever. That to me is one of the most precious gift of all......eternal families! I can't wait to see him again, to talk to him, hug him, and laugh with him again. I love you Dad!!!