My Grandpa's Passing

My Grandpa had been sick with cancer since approximately June of 2008.  He put up a fight, but lost his battle at 3:06 a.m. on Friday, December 17, 2010.  My Grandpa was more than just a "grandpa" to me.  He was very much a father figure to me.  I grew up right across the street from my grandparents and because of this, we had an amazing bond.  Because my cousin was so awesome at writing an eulogy for him, I wanted to share:


Grandpa was a wonderful man to everyone he knew and anyone who was lucky enough to have him in their life were truly blessed. He was an amazing example to everyone as a husband, Dad, grandfather, brother, uncle, & friend. He treated anyone welcomed into the family, as his own. We are gifted with thousands of wonderful memories to remember him by - the best thing will always be his love to his family - especially his love to Grandma, his wife of 61 years. There is no stronger love, than the love, he showed to her.

I can still hear his "hey sis" as any of us girls walked into their living room.
As a child I remember never wanting to tell him that I had a loose tooth because he always had his own suggestions on how to get that loose tooth out and he was always more than willing to help with it - I think thats the only time I ever ran from my Grandpa. He often checked on us while we were sledding down their hill - I would frequently look up and there stood him & Grandma staring out the window, normally shaking their heads at us. We always loved helping him style his hair- sometimes he would even pay us - those were some fun days.

If we didn't find him in his recliner we often found him outside in his garden. He loved his garden. Then, of course he had his squirrel & bird feeders. His constant drives to go "find" deer.  His frequent fishing trips.  Even his bowling in his earlier years - maybe Grandpa did and loved just about everything.

He often lectured us on making sure we had the correct essentials in our car for the winter months. He always had his own choice of words to prove to us that he wanted what was best for his entire family & showed his pride in all of our accomplishments.

Holidays, especially Christmas Eve will never be the same again - good thing you trained those boys on how to carve the turkey & ham.

I miss your "eeews"  while giving you your kiss & hugs more than anything - you proved to us in your final days that you were ready because we heard "I love you" back from you - thank you Grandpa, but we all always knew that you "eeews" and your "uh huhs" meant "I love you too."

I know you were scared to leave Grandma - but you gifted her with a huge family as well as a fair share of some life long friends - we will take care of her & we will take care of each other just as you have always done for us.

The morning God called you home - you didn't go along - a part of us went with you and you will always be with us.  You will be the brightest star shining every night, the loudest bird chirping every morning, the biggest deer in the field, the best hand of cards in the game, and the best fish catch of the day. You have given us enough memories that we will think of you daily.

You were always suppose to live past 100,  81 was just too early to lose you...
Rest in peace Grandpa - and thank you more than words can say for everything you have always done for all of us.
We love you Grandpa and will miss you more than you know.

so cute!

Found this picture while stumbling ... so cute I had to share!

Animal Crossbreeds

These are too cute not to share!

Worth 1000 did a photo contest making an "animal crossbreed" by mating to (just two) creatures.  There were 178 entries.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The Turtlehopper:

 The Frogodile:

The Fropig:

 The Frippo:

To check out the other entries CLICK HERE!

 

Benjaman Kyle

This was a very interesting find today while stumbling on the internet ~

(taken from Wikipedia)

Around 6AM on August 31, 2004, a man now living under the name Benjaman Kyle was discovered behind a Burger King at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Highway 17 in Richmond Hill, Georgia. He was found by the managers of the restaurant, lying on the ground inside the stone wall enclosing the Burger King dumpsters, in a space between the dumpsters that is accessed by a walk-through used for trash disposal. The dumpster enclosure was behind the Burger King in an area hidden from view from all directions except from the restaurant parking lot. Prolonged exposure to the sun had left him sunburned.  He was assumed homeless and taken to a hospital for treatment. Officers who searched the scene found no clothes or wallet to identify the man. According to the manager of the Burger King, there were no weapons found at the scene. Paramedics reported that there were three depressions in his head, that may indicate blows by a blunt object. When found, he had no memory of who he was, and did not even recognize his own face.  He was legally blind with cataracts, indicating he may have been without medical care for some time before he was assaulted. Initially, he was known as BK because he was discovered on the premises of a Burger King. Since then, he has chosen to live under the name Benjaman Kyle and insists that his real first name is Benjaman.

Kyle is Caucasian and appears to be in his 50s or 60s.  He is 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighs 240 pounds (110 kg).  He has graying hair with a receding hairline, and blue-green eyes. He is of above average intelligence. 

Kyle has memories of Indianapolis as a child, including the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, the Woolworth's on the Circle, and the Indiana Theater showing movies in Cinerama. He remembers Crown Hill Cemetery, though not its name; the Scottish Rite Cathedral; and the White River when "it was mostly just a dumping ground." He also remembers grilled cheese sandwiches for a quarter and glasses of milk for a nickel at the Indiana State Fair.

Kyle also has memories of the area around the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has detailed memories of the subscription the library has to Restaurants & Institutions. He also remembers the Round the Corner Restaurant on the Hill, and the Flatirons and The Fox Theater near the Boulder campus.^[8] This places Kyle in the Denver-Boulder area in the late 1970s to early 1980s.^[6] In an interview with Channel 7 News in Denver, 

Kyle reported having memories of the controversy surrounding the construction of mass transit in Denver, at a time when the city still had no financing to proceed. Although the mass transit system in Denver went into operation in 1994, public debate over the construction of the system dates back to about 1980, consistent with the time period of the other memories that Kyle has about Denver and Boulder.^[9]

During an October 16, 2008 interview on the television show of Dr. Phil McGraw, he recollected some minor memories he has, such as having brothers, being 10 years older than Michael Jackson (giving him a possible birth date of August 29, 1948), being around restaurant equipment, and that he attended a Catholic School.^[5] Through hypnosis, he has recalled a partial Social Security number 395-44-XXXX, consistent with the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Benjaman Kyle has an unusually detailed knowledge of restaurant operation and food preparation equipment, leading to the belief that he may have once worked in these industries.

Wikipedia

Some Life Lessons

No One is Perfect.

The quicker this is realized the faster you can get on with being excellent.  Start every morning ready to fight harder than you did the day before and run further than you ever imagine.

Avoid over explaining yourself.

Be confident with who you are.

Keep balance in your life.

Write down what’s most important to you and show up.  Sometimes we tend to do the things that are most important to us when it’s written down.

Play the hand you were dealt.

Have the courage to face challenges head on it builds character.  Start looking for a way through instead of a way out.

Be a student of life.

Learn something new every day.  The day you stop learning is the day you become obsolete so keep learning.

No Excuses.

Stop making excuses replace them with ways to do better.  Excuses are a waste of time and energy.

Let others know where you Stand.

Be uncompromising and be up front when someone steps on your core values.      

Never be afraid of a challenge. 

You put on your shoes like every other man.  Now it comes down to who wants it more.

Service to others.

Small, simple or important be a volunteer and give the very best of you.   

Work like hell.  

Everyone has a job to do so do it.  Cross every “T” and dot every “I”.  

Discover You.  

Find your passion, life purpose, and take action.

Don’t take it Personal.  

Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself self confidence shows that you’re comfortable in your own skin.

Manage your time. 

Our situation and environment is ever changing so be careful not to confuse the things that are urgent with the things that are important.  Look for time wasters and eliminate them.

Ask for help.  

Life can be tough remember you never have to do it alone. 

Do your homework.  

Know what you getting into before you start.  Doing your homework reduces uncertainty and fear.

Day Dream Often.  

On the weekend when you are relaxing embrace a day dream.  During the week take action to preserve your dreams. 

Be A HERO.  

Cultivate a healthy dose of forgiveness and set someone free.  Learn to forgive others and stop carrying those bags of hate, guilt or regret.     

Stay One Step Ahead.  

Be proactive, Take the initiative, Brainstorm with the big picture in mind.

Self Love.  

Become your own priority.  Strive to be the you, you want to be.  

Finish what you started.  

Avoid the urge to stray.

Happy Friday!

Hello Everyone and Happy Friday to you!

I am so excited for fall to be here.  Pumpkin flavored, stuff, caramel apples, the crunch of fallen leaves, the smell in the air ..... but please explain why it is still 90 degrees outside!

I am ready to get out all my fall decorations and decorate my home this year.  The kids will be spending Halloween with me this year also -- YAY!  Still no idea what costumes everyone will wearing this year.  -- What are you going to be?

What other (not so) exciting things are going on?  Did you know that today is the 267th day of the year   and there are 98 days remaining until the end of the year.  This year has gone by fast in my opinion.  Now if I can just get the individual work days to go by just as fast!

So with today being Friday, it is the start to the weekend ... and I have zero plans.  It will be delightful to have my honey home with me on Saturday though! (YAY!)  However, a bit said that they kids will not be home with me this weekend. OH... my future in-laws are coming over on Sunday -- bringing the trampoline :)

Well I just learned an interesting fact ~ Yesterday we had a full moon.  Not just any full moon, but the HARVEST MOON!  

On to the holidays .....

Friday September 24 ~ Love Note Day, Punctuation Day, Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving and Hug a Vegetarian Day

and since I am not around to post on the weekends ....

Saturday September 25 ~  Boys' and Girls' Club Day for Kids, Family Health & Fitness Day USA, Fish Amnesty Day, National One-Hit Wonder Day, National Public Lands Day, National Museum Day, National Hunting & Fishing Day, R.E.A.D. in America Day, and World Ataxia Awareness Day.

Sunday September 26 ~ Gold Star Mother's Day, Johnny Appleseed Day, National Good Neighbor Day, Hunting & Fishing Day, Shamu the Whale Day and Walk Like a Zombie Day.

Looks like we have a lot to celebrate guys!  

If you are celebrating one of the holidays are celebrating something of your own... please let me know!  Would love to hear from you.

Hello Hello!

Hey guys!  First, let me say I am sorry if you visited my page recently and got the horrible looking photobucket error in the background ~ got that fixed! 

Today is Wednesday and I normally (well when I get around to it), do Wordless Wednesday ~ not today!  You are in for special treat .... well, not really ... sorry!

Things new in my life ~ well, not much.  My daughter has started 3rd grade, my middle son has started kindergarten and my youngest just started preschool (wow I feel old!)  All kids seem to be having fun and doing good. Well, not all ... my middle son has hit a very rough patch when it comes to acting out and trying to get his way.   Hope this is a phase and will pass soon.  I am still working at the same place, still living in the new place and still have boxes to put away! LOL  Really, we have a lot done and I am so happy to be in our new  home.

My life is boring .... lets go see what is happening in the wacky world of holidays today shall we?

As I am sure most of you know (really?? you didn't know??), today is the Autumnal Equinox Day (a/k/a the first day of fall).  Today is the day when there is exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at the equator.  Today is also American Business Women's Day, Dear Diary Day, Elephant Appreciation Day, Hobbit Day, National Centenarian's Day, and National White Chocolate Day.

First, lets give a huge shot out to all of the American Business Women out there!  Also, lets all not forget to write in our diary tonight (do people still write in books??), be sure to go the zoo and see the elephants today (or maybe eat some peanut butter?)  .... MUST be something fun to celebrate Hobbit Day! hmmm.....  Centenarians, you guys rock also ~ congrats on living to be at least 100 (you knew that is what that meant right!)  and my favorite part of the day ... NATIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DAY!  that, we must do something to celebrate! 

Please share with me what is special about your day?  Does September 22 mean something to you?  Would love to hear about it.

I am bored at work, so I am going to continue with random things about today -- lets go see what birthdays I can find ~ off to go search the web ~

ROCK ON!  Today is Joan Jett's 52nd birthday!  Happy Birthday to you -- you my dear ROCK!  (LOVE HER!)

Also celebrating today ..... Tom Felton (23), Adam Lazzara (29), Bonnie Hunt (46), Scott Baio (49), Andrea Bocelli (52), Nick Cave (53), Johnette Napolitano (53), Debby Boone (54) Shari Belafonte (56) and Tony Lasorda (83).

I thought Tonya Lasorda was dead ?? just checked wiki ~ apparently not

Ta Ta Adorkable Readers ~ until next time  (which hopefully isn't so long away!)