Melba Elizabeth Richardson Anderson Beemus

My Grandma Beemus. I loved her. She represents sides of me I don't always like to admit I have and some I am extremely proud to claim. I loved how she would give us gifts and watch our faces light up when she saw us love them. She was a strong woman.

I wrote a Facebook Post the day after she passed that, I feel, was very descriptive of who she was.

"The world lost a strong sparkle last night. My Grandma Melba Elizabeth Beemus died at the age of 82. She was one of the toughest, craziest ladies I knew. I loved her. She was strong-willed, strongly-opinionated, and strong loving. She was fiercely loyal to her beliefs and her family. My Grandmother truly lived the saying, "Go Big or go home". I remember visiting or staying the night. She would make us everything possible in the kitchen that was edible. Eggs, French toast, waf...fles, cereal, toast, hashbrowns, sausage, bacon, fruit, and whatever else you could think of. And this was for just me or just me and my brothers sleeping over. lol. She also always had some kind of gum on her. No matter what day or time, there was always room for gum. She had a big heart and was a softie for her grandkids. She liked travel and sun and getting her nails done. We would do girly pamper sessions sometimes and lunch. She came from an old school way of life with old fashioned values and good old fashioned home cooking. She loved football and having us over to watch it on the big screen with pizza. She loved her roses and her trees in the backyard. I remember dancing in her living room while my dad played her organ. She loved music and laughter and giving us the kind of hugs that just about cracked your bones. I will love and miss you Grandma B. Your boisterous laugh is a sound I can't wait to hear again someday."

I loved her with all my heart. She will always be my Grandma B.

The services were nice. Everyone played a part. Mindee and I sang Be Still My Soul. My dad gave a beautiful talk about the life of my grandma and the plan of salvation.

Thanksgiving 2014

Short Post. I'm very excited to report, we have officially done, the First Thanksgiving! :) It was the first for Elan with our Family, for Amber (Amy's new baby girl) and for me doing this at my house. I thought it was going to be more stressful, but thankfully, it turned out extremely well. I loved it! We got the table and chairs from the church, everyone pitched in on the food and my mom walked me through how to successfully stuff a turkey :)

It was nice to have everyone so close. Nathan and Lyndsey couldn't make it with their kids because of Wesley not being able to leave home for very long. We all understood. Vanessa and Josh are still out of state. Kansas currently. But my Grandma Beemus just passed away. The funeral was beautiful, but it really helped me put in perspective how much I love being with my mother and my family. It's so important to love family through life. Don't let petty anger take you over so you forget your blood. I love my family. And I was so thankful to share Thanksgiving with them.

Back in the Saddle Again

Oh Blogging. Did you know I think about blogging in the middle of an actual event? Like I start thinking of how to describe the event via my blog and I get all excited. Then my phone gets full of pictures, the time passes and eventually I clear the pics off my phone and put them on our family server and suddenly it feels so hard to go back and recap multiple events via blogger. So….I don’t. Then I get all kinds of bummed that I haven’t updated. I don’t honestly believe anyone really reads these right now. I keep it private because of past mishaps with Owen’s ex-wife. I think it unhealthy for anyone to read blogs or Facebook posts from past lovers who have moved on. I used to log on and read David’s (his wife kept a blog). I thought it would just be interesting but it always left me with feelings of strangeness, like I was judging him and his life when I had no right to. He is entitled to his happiness. She is entitled to her freedom of speech, yet I would get all weird and “judgy”. So to keep from that happening against us, I made my blog private. I don’t think I’ll keep it that way anymore though. Our lives are our lives. Judge if you want, but I am proud of who we are.

I do want to free write a little more though. People do it on Facebook all the time and I get jealous. I feel envious they have the uncaring characteristic in their minds and hearts that anyone will argue with them. I don’t like when I express my feeling in this kind of forum and someone feels they must fight me. I feel like it doesn’t make sense. If I say it in a group setting which is obviously asking for conversation back, then yes, I can understand arguing a point with someone. But written as a blog or a post out of your own personal feelings on your own personal page? If you disagree, put it on your own page. Attacking someone else’s makes me feel like they are bullying you. There are books written on topics I don’t agree with. I don’t go write the author a big “well let me tell you what I think!” letter. Why would I subject myself to propaganda I don’t agree with? So then why does the world feel so inclined to rip apart someone’s opinion on a blog? It’s like a short story brain journal. If I ask a question, ok, answering it makes sense. If you think I am uneducated on an issue that it bothers you terribly, then private message me and we can have a discussion if I choose to with you, but otherwise, keep your opinions and your judgments to your own screens.  Crazy? I think not…mainly because I give that respect right back. I may read something you write and I think, “Where the crap did that come from or WOW, if they only knew THIS!” but because it is their page, their blog, their personal space, I don’t pop that barrier or bubble. I respect it. If I am bothered too much by it, I will private message for a discussion unless they don’t want to have one. Then I kindly step out and say, “Ok, it’s not my page, it’s not my right to control their freedom of speech.”

Many years ago, I used to get all sorts of tanked up over an issue someone wrote on Facebook. After years of watching family and friends tear each other apart so bad they actually disowned one another on issues they KNEW they didn’t agree upon in the first place, I decided I don’t care anymore to do it. However, I do find it healthy to have a place to share your experiences and feelings for others to see. While someone may want to fight you, another may bond to what you have said with passion. Someone may be able to relate enough that it helps them through an issue. Or maybe they can bond enough to an issue I am having and help guide me through it. The benefits are wide spread and I’m happy to have that experience in my life.

So, in conclusion, I wanted to explain, my blog is going to be a little more of “this and that”. I want to express my feelings on matters that come upon me. I will share family moments, cheesy pics of my kids, embarrassing pics of my dog, Pinterest wins and fails, topics like weight loss, music, entertainment, working full time, ex-wives, school projects, family pics, crafts, travel, habits, TV and much more. I am not simple enough to narrow my blog to one thing. So if you are ok with that, stick around J if not, I say to you, read if you dare, but please share in private if something I have said offends or bothers you. I will do my best to adjust the offense or explain my perspective respectfully.

Love you all!

Impromptu date night

Not every date is planned, and not every night is a date, but some nights, you just need to say "screw it, I'm tired of the schedules and the plans and making sure everything is strategically played out so that everything is always perfect." Then just go out with your best friend. In my case, it's Owen :-)

So we chose a tried and true that we love!! Calorie friendly? Nope! But yummy! (Hence the "screw it" mentality) Texas Road House! Good old fashioned country cookin. 

Both Owen and I love the awesome blossom!! 

It's not like we did anything crazy, highly memorable or controversial.... So why add it to the blog you ask? Because sometimes it's the little things in life that help us remain calm and soldier on. This night, was one of them. We could talk, relax, just be ourselves, eat whatever, think whatever. It was so refreshing. Seems like life can really push you to the limits sometimes with all the expectation involved. I'm glad I'm with someone that can appreciate the simple and beautiful things in life. He helps my mind calm. 

A Spoonfull of Memories!

Last night, Owen and I finally got around to seeing the movie Saving Mr. Banks. I've been wanting to see this movie since I've only heard amazing things about it. I have to say, it didn't dissapoint. After watching this movie, I was thinking to myself that it really feels as though this whole thing was put out there for my generation specifically. I know that it wasn't and that the movie Mary Poppins has been loved by all who knew it growing up for many decades, but to grow up with it as a child the way I did, then to see this movie right now as a parent/adult, is timed so perfectly. My children won't quite understand yet the magic behind it all.
I loved Mary Poppins. I used to try and clean my room by snapping my fingers. I loved singing the songs and thinking that Mary Poppins was so beautiful. It was one of the first movies that ever taught me that using my imagination while doing anything is always acceptable. :) I admit I never liked the parts where the kids were running in the alley way and the old woman tries to trick them. Or the bank song to be honest. Those parts were old crookedy people that freaked me out. But never a time that I watched it did I not feel happy inside when Mary Poppins sang to the children, when Bert and Mary dance and ride on the turtles or when the father decides to be a better father to his children and put them first. It's amazing that a film the same length as any other could have such an important impact on life. Some people like to judge and ridicule companies like Disney for being a money making factory machine. While yes I know there are parts of it that do this...I am still grateful for the meaningful and magical tales that I get to experience from their creations. I'm glad for Disney and for the beautiful imagination they inspired in me as a child.

The movie Saving Mr. Banks touched my heart. To see the writer's story was touching. I absolutely loved it and it makes the movie I love so much, that much more beautiful. Some things in life are just done right. I am going to jump right in and say, that this was one of those things.

Cuz Baby You're a Firework!!

First Off, Happy New Year!! 

This year we got the kids for New Years. They are finally at an age that is fun for midnight celebrations :-) we stayed up watching movies and playing games. At midnight, we went outside and banged pots and pans in celebration. Bella hated it lol!

Mitchell was super tired. He loved staying up like a big kid but when the time came to yell out happy new year to the world, he just wanted to lay on my shoulder. Haha, but that didn't stop him from waking up early this morning...

We decided to take the kids to City Creek Center for the afternoon :-) They made the absolute most of the time we had together.

We had fun on the bridge 

Signs for this year being fun and full of life are good :-) I'm excited to see how 2014 goes for us :-)