Remembering Grandma

 Sorry for the length of my post and sorry in advance Mom, because I know you will cry when you read this.

Lately I have been thinking about my Grandma Dee. She died about 11 years ago. I think she was one of the sweetest women you would ever have the privilege of meeting. I only have good memories of my Grandma Dee. I remember her making me "popcorn and ba" when I was little. She made the best popcorn. Instead of using just normal salt she used Lawry's seasoning salt and of course the "ba" was a bottle until I grew up. But for some reason we still called it "popcorn and ba" my whole life.

I remember spending the night with her and I got really sick. She gave me some medicine, but I threw it up. Even in the middle of the night she stayed out on the couch with me and called my mom so that I could go home.

I remember the loft she had upstairs where she kept her paints and her sewing machine. I remember sitting upstairs one day watching her paint. She had a window right by where her easel was and I distinctly remember seeing the sun shine in as she painted. I can't remember what she was painting, but I remember her curly hair and the look on her face while she did it. She also had a phone up in her loft area and my sister and I would play with it. I would go upstairs and my sister would stay downstairs on the phone and we would talk to each other. It was far more entertaining than talking to each other face to face. I remember looking at her sewing machine one day and secretly hoping that she would surprise me with a dress that looked just like Lucy's on Charlie Brown. Much to my dismay that never happened.

I remember visiting her at the Goodwill where she worked and anxiously waiting for her to walk down that hallway and punch her time card.

I remember the way her poor arthritic fingers looked and how I would give anything to rub them for her.I also remember how long her finger nails were.

I remember her babysitting me while my mom was at work and she would clean the house for her.

I remember her special nachos. She would take round corn chips and put refried beans and cheese on them, cook them and then top them with tomatoes and lettuce. I think she always put extra salt on them because I distinctly remember the salt on them, and that made them extra yummy. I have always been a salt freak.

I remember how she always had Halls cough drops because she smoked for many years and had Emphysema, which she later died from. I remember my sister and I always begging for one. She would always give them same warning of how nasty they were, but we would insist. Eventually she would give in, hand one over and we would always spit them out after only a minute or so because they were so gross. It made me feel special that even though she knew we would spit them out she still gave them to us.

I remember going to a Kenny G concert with her and my mom. Of course my sister and I slept most of the concert.My mom was so offended that we slept through it after she paid for those tickets. But what did she expect, it was the same music she would put on to help us sleep at night.I remember I had a horrible ear ache when we went that night and Grandma want to the back of the arena and sat with me. I think she felt really special when Kenny G walked by us as he entered for a number. I think that was her blessing for sitting with me.

I remember visiting her int he hospital shortly before she died and listening to her joke about how all she needed was bandaids for a bra because her boobs were so small. Unfortunately I inherited the same problem.

I remember playing with her eyebrow brushes in her bathroom and looking at all of her pictures in her room while she and my mom would talk at her table.

I remember her mouse traps that she had in her house.

I remember how she tried to teach me to play cards, but I always felt guilty because my mom taught me that Mormons didn't play with face cards, lol.

I remember how I cried at her surprise 70th (I think) Birthday Party. My mom and my aunt and been planning it for months. They were able to get almost all of her siblings and many of her nieces and nephews together for a family reunion. We all waited in the garage for my aunt Kelli to bring her over to her house. She was so happy when she got out of that car. Seeing her so happy made me happy. She really deserved that.

Unfortunately I also remember how I cried at her funeral. I remember being able to take home flowers from her funeral. They were peach and there were 7 in a certain bouquet. This was highly significant to me as peach was my favorite color and 7 was my favorite number. I still have them actually and I think of her every time I look at them.

These are just a few of the memories that I have with my beloved Grandma. I have missed her a lot since having my boys and wished they would have had the opportunity to meet her. But when Levi asked me to paint some trains with him on Saturday, I jumped at the opportunity. As I painted with him I remember watching my Grandma paint and it was like I could feel her there with me. I really love my Grandma and miss being able to spend time with her. But hopefully someday we will meet again and have many more memories. I love you Grandma Dee!

Here are some pictures of our painting adventure this weekend.

 This was mine. I do not claim to have inherited my Grandma's ability to paint. :)

 Levi was so proud of his finished product. I love my little man!