Summertime is over. The kids are all in school, and it's just plain...I don't know..it's depressing! The wave runners haven't even come out of the tent this summer...SaD!! I have always hated saying goodbye to summer! I have so much to catch up on..so many thoughts and activities with Rick & I and the kids. I feel like I lost the whole month of July! What happened, where did it go?? Next goal, make up some blogging...so many pictures, so many things, but it's time to say goodnight!

Hayden Tate was born on August 3, 2010. What an entrance. After giving us stress about when he was going to arrive, before the funeral, during the funeral, or maybe at the cemetery when Mick fell...he came just a few days later. And he took his time! Wonder what those great grandpa's and grandma's were telling him about! I felt like my Dad was holding him up there, I could hear him say..."those girls have been through enough" let's just wait a spell!" And he did. Mick was in labor all day long after they started her. She arrived at the hospital around 9 am and she didn't deliver him until 730 ish pm. When he was layed on her tummy, I knew that he had just left my Dad. That made me cry! It caught me off guard how emotional I was about it. I had to really swallow hard! What a comfort it has been to hold him! If only he could talk and tell us about heaven. How cool would that be! Mick & Brandyn have their little hands full. It's been a blessing in disguise to have Brandyn home to help Mick through this. I know that Heavenly Father has something in store for them as far as work goes. I just pray it's not miles and miles away!!!

It's been a month ago today that Dad passed away. Seems like yesterday, or just a few days ago anyway. What a whirlwind of stuff to do, gathering of most of our loved ones, and honoring my perfect Dad! So much I want to journal about that time...so many tender things, but not here, I think I'll do a book for all of us...in my spare time! Dad died on Friday, and we didn't have his memorial until the following Saturday. This was to allow as many to come as wanted to. Karen & Dale arrived at Linda's (the gathering place) on Sunday afternoon. We met with Jared Fairbanks the mortician that evening. That's when it all began I guess and it didn't stop until the Wednesday following Dad's funeral! Brent & Linda arrived on Wednesday early afternoon, and Janell & Bo with their little one arrived later that day. Aunt Bonnie, Mom's sister and son Tommy arrived on Friday afternoon. We really didn't stop all week! And they all stayed at Linda's! I even slept over from Thursday-Saturday. Felt like I was missing out on some party or something, and well the drive...it stinks!
My most favorite part about the whole ordeal was the gathering of our family. Aunt Bonnie & Tommy being here was beyond cool! To have Aunt Bonnie sit and tell us not only who was in pictures, but the story about them was the coolest story time I have ever had! I so wish we had a recorder going! Our children would gather at night for eats, and visits, that was so nice. We just don't do that enough! Dad was surely smilin down on all of that! It brought us 4 siblings together to plan something honorable and memorable for a man we love so much. It was sweet. The care of Dad has forced (not sure I like that word but don't know what else to call it) Linda & I to communicate, talk, share, and even vent many times over for the past 2 1/2 years. It's brought us closer as we shared not only the care of Dad, but many of our own heart aches and joys with our own family! It makes me sad to think that we don't have that any more. Mick says, well, what are you going to do about it Mom? It will take effort, just like any friendship does!
Of course emotions were all over the place this week. Still are at times. Find myself missing Dad so much on Sundays. Driving to Mom's yesterday brought tears to my eyes as I remembered how very tender he was with her each and every week!
The hardest time for me was driving home Sunday night after most everything was over. I cried like a baby! I felt like I was driving away from something that I will NEVER have again. What will happen to our family now that our Dad is gone. How will we come together. Only time and efforts will tell!

My Dad.....

Yesterday, July 23rd, 2010, I had the sweet experience to hold my Dad's hand, rub his forehead, and tell him that it's finally okay to let go and cross the veil. He fought it for many months, and his body was worn and tired, full of many pains. He showed us the true character of who he was, the caretaker, the patriarch, the leader of our family that he took full responsibility to care for each of us, and he needed to feel secure that we all would be ok, but especially his sweet wife. He wanted so much to care for her and see to her needs. I promise Daddy, we will!
I prayed for many months for the Lord to take him, his suffering was just too much. I hurt today, I miss him so already, I wasn't prepared for how much this hurts even when I know he is in a better place. My brother put it best on his facebook status:

My family and I, along with many friends say good bye to my dad, George L. Allgood. He was known by many as Slug or Slugger, a knickname he picked up many years ago. It is a passing that is regretted in some ways yet peaceful and deserving. He was a strong and competetive man with high morals and one I am very proud to call my dad. His rest is long deserved and he will be missed by us all. His love for life and family are unexplainable.......... I Love You Dad!

Rain or shine...I'm celebrating the coming of summer!

Last Wednesday, while I was at work, my good friend Carla called and asked if we were interested in joining them at Park City for the holiday week. I knew all my kids had plans, and well the weather was looking a little bleak so I told her thanks, but I'm betting not, but I would talk to Rick. I mentioned it to Rick and he just asked where the $$ were coming from....then the next day at work I got a text that said, ya want to run away for the weekend with me??? So I took that as a yes to pass along to Carla. They have a membership at the Mountain Side Resort and they can pick up side deals that are steals if rooms are available. We had a single room for $200 bucks from Friday through Friday...you just can't beat that! Even if we didn't use it the entire time, it's still a steal! So excited to get away. We decided to stretch it out the best we could and took Tuesday off as well! So much fun! Rick & I had it to ourselves until Monday, when the kids came up for a barbeque, then we asked Mick if the boys could spend the night. She made it a surprise for them they had to earn. Friday, we hurried and packed after work and headed up for dinner and our arrival. Saturday, we did nothing but lounge. It was cold and rainy so the pool wasn't that tempting. We shopped at the outlet stores, Rick's idea and just enjoyed spending time one on one again! It felt so good! We hadn't really done that for quite sometime. Life gets in the way too often and it felt so good to slow down and smell the roses again! We enjoyed the Sunshine on Sunday with a walk to Main street, a day at the pool, a walk down below the Resort and explored an old Cemetery where so many of Park City ol timer's are buried. Most having passed away in the early 1800's. Many young couples and small children. The graveyard is tucked away in a corner of the mountain just below the resort, you would never know it was there but we stumbled on it once when just farting around in the car. It was a reverent exploration, just wondering what their lives must have been in the mountains so many years ago!

Mick & Brandyn with their kids and Shawn & Angela joined us for the afternoon on Monday for a barbeque and just hang at the pool kind of night. It was fun to visit with them and how they also had the opportunity to gather with our good friends the Wright's. I love that family! I love my family. We missed Chris, Tahnie, and Kallie. Tahnie had to work and Chris wanted to join her for dinner at Texas Roadhouse. A little frustrating, but it is what it is I guess! Tahnie's schedule is demanding and she's rarely free, so when we plan things at the last minute, she rarely will join us. We missed them.

The boys were not excited to find out that the surprise was a sleep over, until later when they realized the sleep over was up there. They thought it was just another sleep over at our house! Their eyes lit up when that realization hit! They played us hard and wore us out fast! We swam in spite of the rain the next day, played pool, played ping pong, played and crafted in the play room and swam some more. It was hard to finally call it a day and clean up to head home! I wish we could have had the whole week up there...maybe another time. I enjoyed every minute of each day. Loved the getting to know my hubby again part! He's so good to me and I'm lucky to have him!

So after Uncle Frank's funeral, I was headed up to Logan to the burial, but something pulled hard at my heart strings. Payson had an end of the year program that afternoon, and we had just listened to Uncle Frank's tribute of family and priorities...I decided I needed to be with Pays that afternoon. The burial and dinner, just wasn't as big. Although it would have been fun to visit more with everyone, it just didn't feel right. Kind of like Uncle Frank, or someone was whispering in my ear...go to Payson...that's what counts right now...so...I was going to hug my little ones as Uncle Frank would have. So after reaching Farmington, I got off the freeway and headed south to Mick's. I'm so glad I did. The look on Payson's face was SOOO worth it. I tried to get some pictures of me hugging him and Mick's little family...but we kind of suck at pictures, so well..again, use your imagination!

A hug for Uncle Frank...who have you hugged today?

My sweet Uncle Frank Bradbury passed away on 05-16-2010. When I heard the news, I was of course sad, but my next reaction was truely...good for him! Yeah for him. He has endured to the end and all is well with him again! Oh how I hunger for him to come get Mom! Is that bad?!
I couldn't attend the viewing due to my work schedule, but I was able to have the day off for the funeral. I arrived early by myself as everyone else had to work or other obligations. Linda had taken Dad to the viewing the night before as we thought it would be easier on him not to have to sit for a period of time. I greeted my sweet Aunt Joy and gave her my love! She was so at peace as I had talked to her as soon as I heard. So thankful that he didn't have to suffer any longer and the sweet blessing of having him at home! How lucky! It was so fun to see all my loved ones who I spent so much of my childhood with. Aunt Joy is my Dad's sister, but Frank's side of the family adopted us into theirs when I was very young and we spent many camping and holiday celebrations with them. I was the adopted cousin and I felt at home with each of them. Oh, how I have missed them all!
Uncle Frank had a hug for EVERYONE! Anywhere we went, he was flirting and lovin on the people who waited on or met him. And they LOVED it. He was immediately loved by all who he came in contact with, he was a tease and a flirt, and had a laugh for everyone! He just made you smile by walking in the room!
Uncle Frank and Aunt Joy are so much of my memory as a child and young adult. Uncle Frank baptised and confirmed me and maybe even blessed me. He stood where my Dad chose not to! How I love them for not only that, but for loving me and including me in so much a part of their lives. It was a perfect sleep over place and to head out camping with them was an adventure. Many trucks and trailers-many times having close to 100 of us to gather. So many cousins strung out along several tarps. Oh how we laughed and played so hard until we dropped. They taught me to fish, to hunt, to play cards and games and eat and just love and enjoy one another as family! How I want that so with my own family!
One of Robert's girls put together the most beautiful book in honor of Uncle Frank and Aunt Joy. She states in the book how she wanted Frank to have a book of pictures to look at as his memory failed him with the dreadful disease! I cried as I looked over this book. So much a part of me was etched in there as well. So lucky to have been a part of his life! I will miss you my dear sweet uncle. But I know you are with your family who you have missed so much. Tell Doug and Jeanie Hi! And all your awesome brothers! What a reunion that must have happened when you crossed the veil, I'm almost jealous!