Has it really been a year (sappy post a head)

I have reflected these last couple of days of the events of a year ago.

I have been an emotional wreck, and have thought to myself many times did this really happen? That was a very emotional spiritual time for my sibling , grandmother, mother and I. I am so thankful we were all there to share in my fathers last moments on earth.

I have also thought a lot about my mother and grandmother at this time. What must it feel like. To lose your spouse of 30 some odd years. To lose a child. If I ever lost a child I do not know what I would do. Those last few days of loved ones family and friends coming into to say there good byes, He knew. He knew what was coming and as each of these dear family and friends gathered around him and held his hand. They recalled special times with him and he held to them tightly. I remember the night of moms birthday I was leaving to go feed the baby, and remember him not wanting to let go of my hand. So I stayed, I stayed and held my dads hands. What I would give to have his tire stained black hands hugging me, or watching me play ball. He worked with his hands and worked so hard. I miss him so. But I am glad he is able to move and be healthy.
Our family has had a roller coaster of a year dealing with the new life we have. We have gone from mom taking care of almost his every need to free time that we don't know what to do with. I don't think we all realized what a task John was. But we wouldn't change it for a minute. The opportunity that we have to say we helped in taking care of our dad. that the tables were turned and we were able to give a little bit back after all that he had given to us in life. Porter is the one who really still is interested and likes to talk about Johns death. He is always asking me questions about it, and what he looked like. He makes little comments all the time. He almost daily tells me that he misses John. He also told me the other day that after wrestling I said that was really nice of your grandpa J.Dee to watch you wrestle. He then told me that his grandpa John watches him wrestle from heaven. I think that is so true. I also think that if my dad is watching over all these little grand kids. I think that they will be all right. Sorry about the long sappy post but wanted to let out some anger, sadness, happiness and all these millions of emotions that come with dealing with death. I do love and miss my dad so much.

My First Christmas

This will be my first Christmas with out my dad. I will admit the Holidays this year have been hard and a little on the disappointing depressing side. I have thought a lot about what the holidays were like with my dad. His twinkling blue eyes and smile. He smiled and grinned on Christmas each year , and I think it was because he was so happy and proud of my mom. She always does and has amazing Christmas gifts. Christmas eves consisted on laying on the couch and watching Christmas Vacation and eating soup. He used to tease us when we didn't get along during the season that he was going to shoot one of the reindeers. One year he even went as far as sitting a gun out in the kitchen. We stopped fighting right then. BUt I do miss him. I recieved a gift from a friend about him spending Christmas with Jesus. But to be honest I am a little jeolous of him. Getting to see my dad in his healthy ways. Laughing and teasing and smiling. But I guess that is how life goes. But I do miss him and am thankful for the family and legacy that he left and instilled in me.

But enough of the sob story the happy stuff. This christmas season like the rest of you has been busy filled with family parties and eating. Porter has seen Santa 3 times this year and each time asked for a skateboard. I think Santa will be able to handle it. Keller could care less about Santa but that is fine also. With Christmas comes the annual McBride family party. This year my cousin Brooke decided to have a dodgeball party. It was a blast. Yes we dominated. We are the biggest family. We had Jeremy's boys who are as competitive as they come so that helped. Jeremy showed up in a pair of daisey dukes and headbands, Jarret displayed the classic MULLET. He walked on the floor and Jeremy yelled where is Jarret, and he was like I am here. Jeremy said. Oh I thought you were Billy Ray Cyrus for a minute. But we had a blast. My cousin brooke and her family dressed up. Her husband charlie who is here in the front. Modeled a great pair of Spandex and tube socks. It was a classic. We had a blast we were all a little sore the next couple of days. My cousin dustin hit a few of us and left marks to show it.
Last but not least. With the passing of dad jami has stepped up and take his place as the buyer of gifts that you would never buy for your kids. She bought keller a PINK STROLLER and baby. He has not stopped bushing it around since she gave it to him. He loves it. I do not. But I told her PAY BACKS..
But in the end I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

P.S. Make sure you take time to tell the ones you love how you fell. Because some day they won't be here to tell, and it is something you do not want to regret.

Fall fun

Like I have stated many times all ready. This year started out pretty rough. Going through the hardest thing I have ever had to face. The year has not and just seems to not be getting better. So I have wished 2010 would start PDQ. But as I really think about it. I have wished this year away and not really taken anytime to cherish or enjoy it. Over conference weekend we made a quick long trip to bear world. We spent a ton of time in the car, but just enjoyed spending time together. This was a little stick your head through it fun thing. So today we took the Halloween pictures. It was one of the only days Jami doesn't have a million things planned. So we headed out.

I loved this one of keller he sure loves to force every one arms go out and leg up.
But this is my favorite he was forcing and as he was falling over I snapped a picture. The good news is jami was there. So there will be good pictures. I take my camera, same one she has. Mine look blurry and terrible, and hers look good. But here is our fall fun..

Thinking lately

Just been thinking a lot about my dad and how much he loved the fall. It brought hunting , and one ugly pheasant hunting hat. He loved to watch the boys play football, and Jami and I play volleyball. He loved his pine nuts, and of course this is where my love of NFL football came. I loved to watch with him. We would sit in the basement with the fire going and flip from game to game. It was always so much fun when our teams played each other. Jarret always claimed he had so many favorites so that at least one of his teams won each week.
The past few weekends I have been able to spend time with each of my siblings and their kids. I couldn't help but think how much my dad would have loved each one of them. How he would have treated each one with their unique personalities. One thing i have been OK about is having kids and getting birthday presents we never faced the wrath of John and gifts. His siblings and their kids got the best of that. I am sure we would all have many animals and drums and the most annoying toys you could imagine.
The family has really had some ups and downs. We have rallied together for each other. But we know that one key ingredient is missing. But like the seasons there is always change. Whether it is for better or for worse change happens and we deal with it.

Two Words

SWINE FLU

Smear the Mascots

Here is my favorite mascot Miles. He was a beast. Jana and I picked him to be our favorite, drey liked the Salt Lake Soccer Mascot because he could break dance. Porter loved them all, and Keller set in awe and cheered the entire night. But what a night it was..

Mom Just happened to be watching the news on Monday and saw that Lehi was having a charity football game. So I sent out an email to the family and we decided to go. What a great choice we made. We went at 5:30 and the parking lot and stands were all ready full. It started at 5:30 according to the news, but next year we know to go early. Oh what a night. I think I got the best ab workout I have had in years. The Whickers came and loved it. Ally loved the mascots. But when the gorilla got close she had some issues. But we had fun. Jarret and I got a good chuckle. Jarret thought that his first grade team could have given the Lehi teams a run. The quarter back for the mascots was a good old Millard boy. He was a Boone he knew my cousins the Cummings. So we had a little talk with him and he told porter he would score a lot of touch downs and they would win.The starting line up on the field. Those are all mascots they came from everywhere. There was swoop from the U, Miles from the Denver Bronco who was my favorite. He was pretty competitive. He came to win. He laid out a few of the little Lehi guys with some pretty mean stiff arms. Hoot and Holly who made out during the fire works. The Jazz bear, the Jazz dancers, The Ute cheerleaders. For you cougar fans they introduced Cosmo and he was a NO SHOW..
But mascots came from far and near to help. The New Jersey net Sly fox, The Gorilla of the Phoenix Suns, The Indiana pacer mascot and the Chicago Bull.
They signed autographs and T-shirts porter has on his mascot bowl t-shirt and had to wear it to school. This guy was the Salt Lake Thunder mascot and he was a jammer to the music.
Holly she couldn't play her head was to big to even walk..
We had a blast. So everyone put it on your calendar for next year. It is for charity and is a blast.

The Hamtastic four yes I said HAM

I forget when you upload they upload back wards so just enjoy the pictures. Porters friend Grant from schools mom asked if Porter and Dreyton would like to pig wrestle. So we said sure and it was an adventure. The team was named the HAMtastic 4. So cute.They dressed up like super heros. It was hilarious. They started with a plan that they all came up with. Tucker started out pretty aggressive, but one he picked the muddy pig up and it squealed he was not to excited. But Batman Grant as you can see was an animal he was tackling and taking control. They didn't follow their plan, but they had fun.
Porter and drey touched it a little bit, but once they saw how dirty it was they didn't really like it. They were funny. They had a ton of fans there cheering for them. Next year they want to do it again, and Jake is going to go with Jarret brett and Jeremy.
So here is the before pictures of the HAMtastic 4. We didn't get the pig in the barrel but we had a lot of fun anyways... We didn't win the 200 dollars, but we one the best costumes in the PEE WEE division as you saw with the trophy's above.