Rubber Band Man

I've been collecting these pictures for several months now...Kelley's strangeness must be documented.

Last night at the Relief Society party they wanted us to all get to know each other so they had a list of several questions  and we would go around the table and answer the questions...then change tables and do the same with a new group of ladies. 

Well one of the questions was  to tell something personal  and unusual about yourself.  I told about my unusual husband.

I guess I should tell how this started....For as long as I can remember, Kelley has been taking the rubber band off the newspaper in the morning and just flinging it anywhere.  I would find them all over the  place.  What does he think?  That they just disappear or disintegrate or something?...It must have a connection to his thinking that the clothes he throws on the floor next to the hamper somehow magically just jump in the hamper while he is at work.

Anyway, one day a while back, I had finally had it.  I said "Can't you think of something better to do with those rubber bands"?...Do you think I like picking them up every day?"

Well from then on, this is what I wake up to.

And these are only a few of his rubber band-plastic bag...(don't forget about the rainy day newspaper)

creations. 

Sometimes they don't even have anything to do with the rubber band.  He will just fill my purse with random items....yarn, cans of soup, bananas, you get the idea.

The worst is when I don't notice what he's done till I get to the store and go to get out my wallet and find it securely bound with several rubber bands to my lotion, sunglasses and drink mix.  I've got some pretty strange looks from the clerks.  I try to explain about Kelley, but then they look at me like I'm even stranger.

 Ok this was a good one...the contents of my purse, in newspaper bag, wrapped with duct tape.....one day he got my cafe rio left overs ( that I adore) and wrapped them so tightly with duct tape, I had to cut it open with scissors.   He is creative...I gotta hand that to him.

The other night I stayed up pretty late so when I went to bed, I was about half asleep.  I laid down and thought my pillow felt pretty hard, but was too tired to do anything about it.  I woke up in the middle of the night ( as usual) and was like..what is wrong with my pillow???   So I turn it over and inside the pillowcase were Kelley's dress shoes.  Really dear?

I thought he would lose interest in this whole thing, but that doesn't seem to be happening...it's more like a challenge to come up with even more strange things to do with rubber bands now. 

He never fails to amaze me (or make me smile.)

Love my grand kids!

I got to skype with my little sweeties last night.  Oh my gosh, I just want to reach through the computer and squeeze them!  Missing them so much right now.

Camille keeps me going though with several pictures every day of what they are up to.

It seriously makes my day!

Apparently, Sam is a climber.

I had planned on being in Arizona for Sam's birthday, but due to some really lame planning on my part, it didn't work out.

So I sent Sam his birthday present in the mail.  I had been working on this doggie ( and I have to say, taking quite a bit of grief because  of the looks of his yet un-attached appendages) for quite a while.  I thought he turned out pretty cute.  Hope Sam likes him too!

When I was getting the package ready, I was talking to Camille and she was telling me how much Liv liked the movie Puss n boots.  Since seeing the movie, she has decided she wants to be a cat.

Camille was telling her about the kitty costume I made when the girls were little, and wondered if we still had it.  So I went out and rummaged through the Halloween boxes till I found it.

It was in kind of sad shape...losing it's tail stuffing  and parts falling off...so I fixed it up and put it in the box with the other things.

The package got there really fast...only two days, so I was surprised when Camille sent me these pictures.  Then Liv called and thanked me for sending it.  " I loooooooove it grandma!" 

Camille says she hasn't taken if off.

Why wouldn't you wear it to Costco?

So anyway, back to the skyping...we had a bad connection, so they kept breaking up, but we had a few great moments of Liv singing Santa Clause is coming to town, and Sam clapping his hands and waving at me.

Gosh I just want to be with them so much.  At church Denise Cox asked me if I had any big plans for Christmas.  I seriously just started to cry when I told her how excited I was to have all my family coming home for Christmas. ( I know, I am kind of an emotional wreck right now...also cried when I was talking to Deby about the sister missionaries talks and during the musical number and sacrament hymn...thats not cool when your conducting) 

Denise said, Oh do they have to take turns coming to your house for the holidays?  and I told her yes...plus my daughter with my grand kids lives in Arizona, so I have sure been missing them all! I miss seeing the joy of Christmas  through their eyes....I mean, that's what makes Christmas so wonderful...seeing the wonder and excitement in their faces.  I long so much to share these grandma moments with them!  She was like "okay psycho..it will be alright".  no, she was very kind and gave me a hug and said she understood.

I know someday they will come back to Utah, but for now, well this stinks.

 I have been trying to fill that void with other things and reaching out to others surely makes me happy.  Maybe the circumstances in my life right now are supposed to be teaching me something...I know I have a lot to learn...( another meltdown moment in Sunday school a few weeks ago when we were reading in Hebrews...This scripture jumped out at me and I knew it was Heavenly Father trying to comfort and instruct me...It says in Hebrews 12:1..."Let us run with patience the race that is set before us."  That spoke to me in a way that touched my very soul and shifted my way of thinking.  

I've been having the biggest pity party for myself as I look around to see every other grandma enjoying going to see Santa with the grand kids...going to see the Christmas lights... making sugar cookies, decorating the tree and having family get togethers. I'm a good grandma and dang it  I want that too!  But I think Heavenly Father was telling me to be patient with the race I'm running right now... It gives me hope and a feeling of peace if I  think of that scripture  when I get to feeling jealous and sad.

 So for now...I'm trying to be patient....So grateful for the sweet pictures Camille sends me...(I appreciate them more than she could know!...helps me feel like I'm still connected and kind of there with them)...  being able to talk to them on the phone,  and skype.  I'm looking forward to Christmas time when we can be together!

He set me free...

Last Friday, we decided to meet again at mums.  Brenda talked to Boyd and he wanted to meet with us  and have us sign the final sale documents.  He came over about noon with his friend ( who is the one who helped Boyd see the possibilities with this home...he has remodeled and restored several older homes)

It was once again a heart wrenching experience for all of us.

After they left, we decided to pick up where we left off in daddy's room. 

We took each drawer of the big chest out to the kitchen table so we could clean it out.

Daddy was really very organized and had a place for everything.

This was where he kept any inside tools and replacement parts and batteries and flashlights, extension cords,  and stuff like that.  We didn't really know what to do with a lot of this stuff...soooooo we set it aside for the men to go through next time.  Ha!  Once again, we're moving things from one pile to another!

We did make some progress though....got rid of some junk and divided up some other cool stuff.

These stamps were cool...I think they are french.  We found some cool old coins too. 

Then we cleaned off daddy's desk.  He had lots of cool desky things... Old quill pens, paper weights, letter openers, and envelopes.   Stirred up a lot of memories of sitting there in the big chair ( it seemed big back then)  by his desk and watching daddy plunk away on the old smith corola typewriter.

 We found some real treasures in one of the drawers to his desk...besides these fabulous cuff links ( surely a gift from someone who didn't know daddy very well) we found all of his and mum's old watches.  Several of them still worked...cause they were the windie kind! I scored on a neat magnifier that lights up...I've been using it about every night since then to read with!  Ha!   Dang, we even found some electric socks...still in the package.  I thought KC would like those!

We were going along pretty well till we found this poem daddy had typed and put in a frame.  I had never noticed it there before.  Had a small melt down as Brenda read it to us.  It sounds just like something daddy would say.  Kind of felt like maybe this was a gift mum and daddy were giving us from the other side of the veil to let us know that they are happy and hoping we will be too.

Happy Birthday Grampa!

I just have a few (not very good) pictures I took at his party.  I'm so glad Suzie will open up her beautiful home to throw a party for him every year.  It's a time when we get to honor this special man and also see all the Jensen family...and that's quite a treat! 

What a diverse bunch of people!  Each one has a unique story that has led them on their own  path of life.  Many years of shared life's experiences... joys and sorrows have brought us close to each other. I feel blessed to be a part of this family.

So grateful for these two and how they put family first. I love how all the kids support and love each other...making the extra effort to stay close and aware of what is going on in each others lives,  even through they are so far apart.

Oh I wish this one would have turned out!  Getting all these brothers together doesn't happen very often!

I can hardly believe he is 92 years old!  He is still very active...can get around really well and serves in the temple every week.  He was out doing yard work until the ground was covered with snow.  Now he spends time reading and making all kinds of things on his knitting looms.  He's done lots of hats, scarves and place mats for all the family.

We didn't get to visit with him very much at the party, so we went over to visit him last night.  He is always so happy and grateful for a visit.  He is positive and doesn't complain.... but is  also very down to earth and honest.   I love to talk to him.  He always has a good story about something that has happened...either yesterday, or 30 years ago.  It amazes me that he can remember events and details so well.  Kelley is like that too.  I  sure wish I was!

Sure am glad that he is still with us....It's just comforting to know that he is there...I know he is ready and longs to be with Maxine again though...

Not yet...please?

Happy Birthday Sam!

I can hardly believe it's been one year since this sweet little boy became a very special part of our family.

When Camille was pregnant with Sam, she worried that she wouldn't ever be able to love a new baby as much as she loved Olivia.

I told her not to worry...that God fills a mothers heart with so much love, there is more than enough for each little soul He trusts us with to watch over while we are here on earth...You will see!

I think it took her about two seconds to realized this was true!  As soon as he was placed in her arms, the love affair began, and just grows deeper  and sweeter every day. 

 Even when he is eating dirt, he is about the most lovable little guy ever!

Plus...he's just happy and pleasant to be around most all the time!

Olivia has adored him since day one.  She never tires of playing with him...even when he was real little and just laid there, she would sing to him and dance around him, trying to make him happy...and he would respond to her like no one else.  She could make him laugh before anyone else. All she has to do is walk in the room and he lights up.

He doesn't even mind when she plays dress up with him....well, he tolerates it.

Kelley is such a cute grampa...always wants to hang out with him when ever he can!  We can't get enough of this sweet little guy!
I thought being grandma to Livvy was heaven...I don't know where to go from heaven but having Sam too...well, it's even better!
He came into our life and filled up our hearts...

Wish we could be together to celebrate the special day with you.

Sending Birthday hugs and kisses and all my love to you!