Grandpa Zobrist

I've been trying to come up with the perfect blog for my grandpa and I can't seem to put anything into words. I feel like I do need to talk about it though. So, I'll start from the beginning...

Last Tuesday I felt really sick all day and didn't really want to do anything. So being a lazy day as it was, I didn't do anything except cook dinner.

Wednesday started out normal. I still didn't feel all that well, so I took my girls to school and when we came back I laid down in bed and asked Kenzi if she was going to be ok if I slept a little longer since I didn't feel very good. She asked if I was ok and I told her I felt like puking so my good little girl got me a trash can and put it by the bed. She said, "Just in case Mom." Thanks Kenzi, I've taught you well. So she decided to put on a movie and let me sleep a little longer. I got up probably around 10 or 11, just before lunch. Of course still feeling really sick. I came and sat at the computer and checked emails and facebook and stuff like that. Then I got a call from my sister. She said that grandpa just died. I had no idea what to say. She said he went into the hospital Tuesday and the doctors ran some tests and thought they found pneumonia in his lungs. But also said everything would be fine and he'd recover. Wednesday morning he just died. All of a sudden was gone. After I had gotten off the phone with my sister I called Matt to let him know. He was working at the time with someone so he couldn't really talk but he said he'd talk to me when he got home.

When my grandma died, I was 12 maybe 13 so I didn't quite get the concept of death yet. (At least didn't want to accept it) I didn't cry right away and I didn't really understand yet. I kept thinking about it and just saying to myself, "I won't be able to see her again." It was really hard to accept for me. At her viewing, I went into the building and sat down on the couch. I didn't want to see her. I was too scared that reality would hit me all at once and I wouldn't be able to handle it. Finally my Uncle David sat with me and convinced me to go see her. Just like I was afraid, reality hit me. It hit me HARD! It was weird seeing her how she was. It somehow didn't feel like it was her anymore.

Anyway, back to grandpa. Thursday through Sunday afternoon was just a waiting game. I didn't know where or when the funeral was and we couldn't find my Uncle David or couldn't get a hold of him. So then Saturday night my mom calls and lets me know when the funeral and everything was going to be. Sunday night was the viewing and then Monday was the funeral.

Sunday night when I arrived, I was almost tempted to do the same thing at my grandma's viewing and just sit on the couch. I couldn't do that. Not this time. I walked with my mom inside and there he was. Grandpa was there up front looking so peaceful. He looked so good. But just like my grandma, you could tell it was just his body there. An empty shell. But I knew, from the moment I saw him laying there, I knew he was home with my grandma. After 12 long, painful years he was were he needed and wanted to be.

Monday was just as hard. Some of the most amazing people in my grandpa's life spoke and said nothing but great things about him. There really was nothing bad to say about my grandpa. He was such an amazing person. After that we went to the grave site and buried him right next to grandma. We stayed until they had lowered him into the ground.

The day I heard he had died I was sad but also happy since I knew he was with grandma. He wasn't in any pain anymore and he is happy. He will always watch over me just like I know my grandma has been. I know I can be happy now since both of them are together again. But I will miss them both so much.

I love you Grandma and Grandpa!

It's an old picture but I don't have an recent pictures of them. So this one will have to do until I get some from my mom.

First day of school...

This year the first day of school happened to land right on my birthday. The reason for it? All Clark County schools switched to 9 month. I was especially excited about this. For Natalie's Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grades we experienced year round schools. Not fun! At least not for me. The breaks were nice but Natalie would forget a lot of the things she learned. So switching to 9 month will be especially good for her. Kylie really didn't have as much of an issue as Natalie did. Kylie picked up on reading a lot faster than Natalie and loves it more than Natalie does.

This year Natalie started 3rd grade. Can you believe that?? I can't! It's still a shock to have them all grown up.

It is, however, quite nice that they can get their own breakfasts and can get themselves ready on their own. When Kenzi starts school I'm afraid I'm going to be the one getting her ready. That will change though. =)

Kylie started 1st grade! I can't believe that either. They are growing up so quick. She seems to love school. Which I'm happy for. I don't think Natalie likes it as much as Kylie does.

I just have a feeling that Kenzi will be just like me when it comes to school. If you know how I was than you know what I'm talking about. I hated school. From the first moment I went, I hated it. But I am trying to get Kenzi to like it. We do worksheets almost everyday. She knows how to do a lot but after a while she doesn't want to do them anymore. I especially like the days when she brings her work pages to me and says we have to do school now.

The rest of us are doing great. Although this past weekend one of our toilets decided to explode. So we went down to Home Depot and picked out a new toilet. It is one of those duel flush technology ones. It took us at least half the day to put it in, and at least 5 trips back to Home Depot for something we forgot. Let me tell you....NOT fun! But we finally got everything together and we didn't need to go anywhere else...or so I thought.

It was getting close to dinner so I started to cook the meat and all I had were the instant potatoes (which are pretty good) but I needed milk for them. I had just run out of milk that morning and I was thinking, "I can do without it." Rolling my eyes I said to myself, "It's gonna taste so much better with it, FINE! I'll go to the store." So, yet another trip to the store. Luckily it wasn't to Home Depot. When I got home from getting milk I told Matt, "I am not going anywhere else tonight. Anything else we need will have to wait for tomorrow!!"

Other than the many trips to Home Depot and the one trip to Smiths, it was a pretty good day. Unfortunately it wasn't relaxing like I was hoping it'd be. But we got what we needed done.

Slip 'n Slide Fun...

I had gone to Target a few times to try and get a Slip 'N Slide, but had no such luck. I just told myself that I would wait. I am sure glad I did wait since I got it for only $6!! Amazing deal and everyone has had their fun on it so far.

Even Jared had his fun!

Carter Boy tried it...

...and didn't like it. Poor Carter Boy!

Vance ran right into the tunnel and knocked it over.

Sometimes he'd even run the entire thing instead of sliding.

Carter Boy loved the squirt guns I brought much better than the slide.

Vance had an issue with getting as far as he wanted to. So Grandma helped him get all the way to the end. He was having such a blast with it too.

If you can't tell who this is...It's Kenzi. She's had the same issue as Vance and couldn't quite get as far as she wanted. She still had the best time trying.

I never once got a picture of Natalie with her eyes open. But she always got to the end.

Kylie was the funniest to take pictures of. She would always turn her head away from the water so she wouldn't get water in her eyes.

Vance just being Vance.

I think this was the perfect gift for my kids and my sister's kids. Next time I go to my mom's house to swim I will be bringing the Slip 'N Slide. Thanks mom for letting us soak your grass. =)

Updates...

There has been a lot of stuff going on around here. First off, Natalie is going to be playing soccer this year. She is SO excited. I'm still waiting for a call from her coach letting me know when her practices are. All I know right now is her first game is September 11th. Natalie and Kylie will finally get out of school on August 5th. I cannot wait for that day. They will probably have about 2 weeks off and then have to go back. The awesome thing is that Pat Diskin, and all Clark County schools, are switching to nine month!!! YAY!!!! I think I'm more excited about this than the kids are. I am still waiting for a list of school supplies I'll need to get them for next year.

Kenzi is absolutely ready for school. She knows how to write her name, numbers, alphabet, and some words. She is way ahead of some kids that are in Kylie's class. Fortunately for me, Kenzi is with me another year before she goes to school. I asked her whether she wanted to eat lunch at school or eat lunch at home with me and I tell you there was no hesitation, "AT SCHOOL!!!" She is so excited to get to eat at school, just like her sisters. It's going to be so awesome when she does get to go to school. I think she'll like it a lot.

Matt has been doing really good. His job is going great. The people he works with are even trying to get him working directly for Southwest Gas. It will be so awesome for us. Of course, he is still exhausted when he gets home but I can see that it is a very satisfying feeling for him. Especially when the kids come running up to him giving him a huge hug to welcome him home. I'm glad I get to watch that happen every day. It's even a great feeling for me.

This past weekend Bailey had her 15th birthday!! Can you believe that?!?! In about 6 months she'll be able to get her permit. That's crazy! She can't be that old already. She is very excited though. I have let her drive around the block a few times and she's been doing a lot better. But other than the driving thing, she has a new boyfriend and he seems to be a really nice kid. When we were over at her house for her party he got along with everyone and was really nice to my girls and very respectful. I have not gotten the pictures off my camera yet of her birthday but those will come later.

Everyone is doing really well, enjoying life and couldn't be happier! Life is awesome! Oh!! I almost forgot. My friend Mike is back from the army for a while. He had to have surgery and is back for a month so he can recover. He seems like he's doing really good though. Hopefully we get to see him again today.

Mysterious Plant...

I have this random plant in my yard and have no idea what it is. I've tried looking it up and I get nothing.
It's leaves and stems have spikes on them. Then just a few days ago it got those yellow flowers on it. If anyone has any suggestions what this could be it would be very much appreciated. I've been searching everywhere and still can't find anything on it.

Other than this mysterious plant of ours, we've been doing great. Been doing a lot of swimming since my girls are on track break and they won't get a real summer until next year. We did get to go to my friend's little girls birthday party though. Natalie had fun but she was the oldest one there. She's been having this attitude lately that's been like..."I'm too good and too old to play with my sisters and anyone that is younger than me." It's been kind of funny to sit back and watch it...but when it gets way too out of hand...not fun to deal with.

We get to go to a family reunion on Saturday at my mom's house. Sunday should be fireworks at my aunts house but we got volunteered to host a party at my house. So, we will be doing fireworks at my house and bbqing Dr. Pepper ribs. I have not put in on the Zobrist family cookbook yet because I don't remember the log in info to get it on there. So when I find that email that Holly sent me, I will do that. Matt has Monday off and we aren't sure what to do yet. That may be the duck park day with the cousins. Hopefully Matt will want to get out of the house either way. Anyway, we must get going. There is a pool that is calling out to me. Oh yeah...and my brother is back from London so we get to see him. =) Love you Jared!!

Summer Heat....

Well, as most of you have noticed, Vegas is getting HOT! Of course naturally we do this all the time now...=)
It's been extremely fun to go swimming. Thanks Charlie for letting us use your pool.

My yard...

Unfortunately, I don't have a before picture of my yard because my stupid computer won't let me get to my pictures before we installed Windows 7.....So that will come later. I will, however show you the pictures I have.
So, I've been trying to make my front yard look better than what it looks like now. If you have ever been to my house you know that there was a HUGE dead pine tree in my front yard. It looked something like this...There were a lot more branches on it but I didn't take this til after we started taking it down.

I was very lucky to have friends that were really excited to get this ugly thing out of my yard. Or at least really excited to use the chainsaw. Vince had come over to help and at that time we only had a hand saw. It was a small saw but it was very useful.

I had called Mike to ask him to come help and to bring his bigger hand saw. Since we didn't have the chainsaw yet it was quite a project to get some of it down. But we at least got most of the little branches down. The funnest part of cutting down a tree is the cutting part. Not the cleaning up part. That wasn't so fun. =)

I think we did pretty good for now having a chainsaw. I know Vince and Mike won't read this but Thank you to both of you for helping me out with my huge ugly tree. I very much appreciate all your help.This is just some of the mess that was on the ground after we cut some of the tree down.

Almost done!
See even Matt helped! =)

The Root from that ugly tree.Done filling in the hole from the tree.

The somewhat finished product.

I want to put more flowers like the ones around the smaller palm tree. I've got some flowers under the window too. There is a flower bed going up the walkway to the door but I haven't planned anything there yet. I did have something there but they didn't do so good. So, I'm starting over.