Happy Birthday Grandma!

As the kids of 2nd St. NW, we were pretty lucky to grow up with our Grandma and Grandpa Kirkpatrick around all the time. The home we all grew up in was actually theirs, and we loved living all together. I consider myself very lucky to have been able to spend so much time with my Grandma Carol growing up! I can't remember a time in my growing-up life when Grandma wasn't around. She's always been there. She is one of my best friends, and today is her birthday!!! Not sure if she'll see this, but, Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Let's take  a walk down memory lane, shall we? :) (Most of these pictures are from my baby book or pictures I've taken. There are a bunch more in existence that the other kids have, but these are just the ones that I have).

When I was around 3 years old, I got to take a vacation with Grandma and Grandpa, just me! We went to Nauvoo, a big Noah's Ark display, and down to Alabama to see Aunt Stephanie and her family.

Grandma would let us kids pile up on her bed to read stories with her at night. But first we would all raid her closet and pick one of her funny/fancy hats to wear! This is such a great memory for me. :) When I was small I spent a lot of time exploring Grandma's closet. It was the biggest closet in the house, very long and very narrow. I thought that, just maybe, there would be a secret passageway at the very end where the wall should have been. I don't know if I ever did make it to the wall at the end of Grandma's closet. It was so big! In this picture with Grandma are Justin, Breanne, me and Sadee.

Here are Justin and I outside with Grandma in her pretty garden. She has always LOVED gardening! I hope that whenever I have a garden of my own she'll be here to give me pointers, since I don't have the slightest clue about anything when it comes to gardening.

I adore these pictures of Grandma and Grandpa!

This next picture is from one of the times I came home from BYU during a break. Whenever I'd fly home from school, it always seemed to be late at night. I'd chat and laugh with everyone in the kitchen for a while, and then I'd make my way up to see Grandma. We'd sit in her "leafy bower" and talk and talk and laugh and laugh. She listened and understood. She is a true gem. 

I remember coming home from my first semester at BYU, for Christmas, and Grandma and Grandpa had gotten home from their mission to Louisiana while I was away. During our late night visit that first evening I was home, she showed me the scrapbook that the members had made them as a goodbye present, and she encouraged me to go on a mission. While I didn't go on a mission, I know that if I had she would have been encouraging me and praying for me all along the way. She loves the Lord, and I can sense that in everything she does.

This picture is from one of the many times we've listened to "You're Pitiful" (a Weird Al song) with Grandma. She absolutely loves it and dies laughing every time we play it for her. It's about time I listened to this with her again!

Love her. :)

Grandma came to visit us once just a few months after we were married. It was so much fun to spend that time with her! She brought us all sorts of pretty rocks and shells from her trip to the ocean with Aunt Jeaner.

Grandma's first time meeting my little man. :) He's so lucky that she is his great-grandma.

Four generation picture. :) We need to get one of these with new little sister!

After the little man was born, Grandma came and spent a few months with us. How I treasure that time with her! As usual we shopped a lot, ate a good amount of Taco Bell (more specifically Enchiritos and Strawberry Mango Frutistas :), laughed, ran errands, watched a lot of movies, ate bags and bags of Raisinets, and played with this tiny baby. :) Such a sweet picture.

Here's Grandma looking radiant, as always, at Justin and Sydney's wedding reception. :)

Grandma is very good at giving meaningful and heartfelt advice. She isn't the type to force it on you, but when asked she has some pretty great things to say. :) Here she is giving advice for the newlyweds at their reception.

This is a few years old, but this is still my very favorite picture of my Grandma and me. :) I love her so incredibly much, and I think it comes down to her unconditional love, her care, and true compassion. We can talk about anything and we laugh about everything. I love laughing with Grandma! :) She's one of my very best friends.

Happy Birthday to our lovely Grandma Carol! :)

Ollie, the Best Toy Ever

Meet Ollie, one of our favorite toys growing up.

I'm not sure when Ollie showed up on the scene, if he was Jeremy's or Lindsay's first, or even mine. But I do remember scooting around on Ollie everywhere. Inside, outside, down the stairs, through mud puddles. Ollie went everywhere. :)

I have a few especially vivid memories of Ollie. Justin and I LOVED Sesame Street and we would watch it  every morning. When we would hear the Sesame Street theme song start playing, we'd carry Ollie to the top of the stairs and then ride him down. I can't remember if we took turns or if we both hopped onto Ollie at once, but I remember being SO excited to ride Ollie down the stairs every day to the Sesame Street theme song!

I love these fun pictures of Justin and I playing with Olllie, circa 1992.

And fast forward a few years, Ollie is still bringing good times to the gang...

Andrea could often be found riding Ollie. So cute!

Justin, a little big for Ollie, but having fun with him just the same!

Aaaaaaand Ollie did bring some tears and heartache apparently. LOL! Just look at Spencer's face! Hahaha this picture is so priceless. I can't stop laughing at it.

 

I don't know exactly what happened to our Ollie toy, just that he isn't around anymore. But he was, seriously, the best toy ever! :)

The Tragedy of the Barbie Bike

One time Jeremy was given the task of pumping up the white wheels on my Barbie bike for me. They were flat and I wanted to ride. I’ll venture a guess and say that I was probably 6, and he 12. He pumped and pumped away until, I’m sure on accident, one of the tires exploded, thus making my precious Barbie bike un-rideable. I was devastated. I remember later that day writing a vicious note and placing it passive-aggressively on the desk in his room. It read, “You’re meen!!!”  After this note was delivered I have no memory of ever worrying over the bike again. Ah, the wonders of passive-aggressive-note-giving. ;)