less effective parents!

I have heard you are officially a terrible parent when you have forgotten one of your children and left them stranded somewhere. Well, we can now say we have arrived! Yesterday we accidentally left Kyle at our new home construction site. Story-Melanie and I arrived in seperate vehicles. Kyle apparently went to play on the dirthill behind the house while Melanie and I went insdie to check the progress. After checking things over,I had to leave earlier than she did to go pick up Brianna from gymnastics. So I left Melanie inside the house and assumed she would bring Kyle with her when she came. Melanie eventually got in her car to leave and noted that Kyle was not there and assumed I had taken him with me. (He was actually still playing, but was behind the dirthill where we couldn't see him). Melanie and I eventually both arrived home and Brianna said, "Where's Kyle?" We both realized we had left him. Right about that same time my phone rang. It was one of our friends out by our new house. She informed us that someone in the subdivision noticed Kyle walking, he was crying and in distress. She asked who his parents were and she knew our friend and took him to her house until we could get there. Our friend took good care of him, letting him watch tv and eat a brownie.

Upon arriving I gave Kyle a big hug and told him it was all his mom's fault and that I would never do something like that. Of course I was joking and just hugged him for a bit and told him we were sorry. What a terrible feeling leaving child. At any rate we are very thankful to our friend in our subdivision and the lady that picked him up (who is also in our new ward). Things could have been much much worse as he was intent on walking home which is about 4-5 miles away on some busy roads.

It also made me reflect on other times I or my siblings got left behind. Dan got lost at disneyland and as a result had to wear a leash-lol, hilarious.

Mark informs me he got left at a mccdonalds in Pocatello but only walked a block or two until mom and dad picked him up. This is actually amazing if this was the only time as Mark was prone to wandering off.

I got left at Caesar's Palace, but don't remember it much. I think my parents figured it out really fast.

Anyway, we are glad Kyle was ok and loved our kids a lot, just don't rely on us to remember to bring you home.

Jason did you ever get left or lost?

We Love Grandpa Brown

Here's some memories from the kids.

Kyle- Grandpa Brown, plays with me and he doesn't care if I ask him for treats. He had my favorite peanuts in his car. When I go camping with our family, it reminds me that we went camping with him. I loved it when he would take us to garage sales. I miss buck cause he wouldn't run away when I petted him. I remember grandpa letting me cut his fingernails in church.

Brianna- Sometimes he had licorice in his kitchen; garage sales; he would take us camping; he bought a motorhome, but then it was to big, and so he bought a little camp trailer just to be comfortable for grandma. (Dave says that was hillarious he went through 3 camp trailers that summer.) He would usually fix bike tires, cars,etc.
He would take us to Rex's and buy us slim jims. He would take us to Thornton Merc and make sure I got a milkshake along with hamburgers and fries. One time they took me on a trip somewhere. I remember grandpa cutting his fingernails in church. I liked going to their house cause they always had good food.

Kameron-I like when he played with me. I liked going in the wagon visit grandpa and riding the lawnmower.

Dennis Brown Loved by all

I really have to get myself geared up to be able to write about Dennis and Laurie, I was way to emotional to do it on January 14th but I am going to try to do it tonight through the tears and also the laughter while I think about Dennis. To say that I love Dennis and adored him is an understatment. He was one of the greatest men I ever knew. I looked forward almost daily to seeing him. He reminds me so much of my wonderful husband that I just adored him and thought he walked on water. I don't know were to start with stories so I will just start writing. Dennis had a respect for me that was really heart felt. I mean who else would move a wall, take a rocking chair upstairs in the paint shop to just see if it would fit in the apartment and then take it back to his house, put up with my side hugs when they where in his space and let us live with him 3 different times. His dry sense of humor and hummmmmm, always made me laugh. I want to share some things I remember the last year of his life though. In January Naomi was born and he would come over almost daily to see her. On some occasions he would just do a drive by because he did not want to have to come in while my sisters and mom was there. So I would call him and he would say I was just checking. But other times he did not care who was there he wanted to see and hold her. He took tons of pictures of her so he could show her off to everyone in the bank. It made me laugh. He would show up quite often at our house with a few bags of chips and throw them on the couch. It was usually around 8 in the morning so I was not dressed. I would go jumping acrost the kitchen like a deer in headlights and he would say just dropping off something I got on a good deal. It would make my day. After Laurie and him would go to Chemo I would find a half eaten pizza on my table or Laurie's left over steak from applebees. Because Dennis knew I loved steak. He would come over all of the time in the evening after the kids had been tucked in bed. They would hear his voice and come running up the stairs just to see there grandpa. He loved them so much, and they loved him. He would always come and get the boys when it was time to mow the lawn and return them after he had mowed his and then ours. One day my washer overflowed and I called Dennis at the bank. (Not expecting him to show up within 5 minutes) but he was there fixing the problem immediately. I think he even cut his finger that time and had to go get stitches. But he didn't complain he was just glad to help. When I fell out of love with my dog checkers. Dennis offered to take him which was very generous until we got him back. The thing that made me laugh though after Dennis took him is that he showed up to our house with a stove he had found that was a good deal ( because two of my burners weren't working). I remember him sitting outside of the house with the stove in the little trailer. He said I found you a stove, it is payment for checkers. I was like Dennis you do not need to pay us for checkers. He laughed and then opened the bottom drawer of the stove and said hey kids I think the owners left some cheetos in here. Dennis had filled the drawer with little bags of cheetos because he found out how much my kids loved them.It was so great and reminds me of how thoughtful and kind he was. He was so selfless, one night Dave's fishtanks had overflowed and we found out in the middle of the night, so we called him to see if we could pull the carpet up. We did not expect him to show up, but he was there in minutes. Another time was when Dave and I lived with him in Rexburg, we got an apartment and needed to move. So Dave, Dennis and I jumped in the van and went to moscow to move us over the weekend. I throw up most of the drive and he had a great time teasing me. He would not let me lift a box when we got up there, just pack the stuff because I was pregnant. He loved my kids so much and it is something that I will be eternally grateful for. Kyle and Kameron played hop on grandpop all the time. He was extremely patient with them and didn't seem to mind a bit that they were climbing all over him. In fact I think he liked it. He enjoyed feeding them things like mountain dew, chips, pickles, bacon and etc. He fixed bike tires and would come to the church parking lot often to watch the kids drive the go kart he found for them. We all loved to wake up some Saturday mornings and go garage saleing with him. Dennis was just an incredible man an has left us an amazing legacy to live up to. He cared for Laurie unconditionally, and would do anything in his power to keep her alive. He wanted to be her cargiver in the end, he would not let anyone else take her to doctor appointments, and so much more. He had a whole slew of vitamins and protein drinks that he would give her. I found out that the doctors did not proscribe to her. He loved her and she loved him. They were such a bueatiful couple. As I think back on about the last month he was alive some vivid images come to mind. One day Kyle was helping grandpa hook up a trailer and something happened. All I remember is that Dennis was so patient, and perfect in the way he handled things. I remember thinking wow I need to be more like Dennis with my kids. I almost felt like he was extra patient and understanding the last couple of months. There was something extra special about him the last little while that I have thought of often but can't explain. But overall I am so blessed to have known him and to be married to his posterity. I love him so much. He has always been nothing but wonderful, respectful, serviceful and kind to me. I miss our our talks in the back yard, and downstairs while he was eating lays and drinking pop with his feet up in the recliner. I am so glad he was born. I hope to be with him again someday. Love always Melanie

Awesomest mom ever!

We wanted to take today and write a little about grandma. We watched the video that was made for her funeral and asked the kids to share some thoughts about Grandma.

Brianna-misses having fun laughing moments with grandma, garage sales, she was very creative, and talking with her, buying her twisters, sleepovers, sewing pillowcases for my dad and grandpa, going to chemo with grandma (grandma would pack a bag for us to take with treats like mcdonalds cookies), bought me the fairybook series books and we read it together, go to her house and play computer.

Kyle-misses grandma because she used to give me thomas trains, and she would read to me, when she was in a wheelchair she used to let me push her around, I spy with the dragon, sleepovers

Kam-loves grandma because she gave me an awesome water toy

Dave-The last few days I have had an opportunity to reflect about mom. She was the greatest mom and woman ever. After I finished school in Moscow, I didn't have a job and Melanie and I struggled to figure out what our next move was. After prayer and all that good stuff we ended up moving into Melanie's parents home while they were on a mission. Then shortly after that, dad began talking about a house in Rigby that could be redone. Initially dad was going to make the house a rental but then began suggesting that Mel and I could live there. I remember one day I found out that had I passed the bar, got a job offer, and decided to do the house with dad all in the same day. With the way the last few years have gone, I have no doubt in my mind that it was the correct course for us. We got to do so much with mom and dad-I am grateful that things transpired the way they did so we were able to have that time. Of course selfishly I wish there would have been more time, but I am so thankful for the time we did have. Our family got so used to walking over pulling the wagon, going in the door by the garage and hear mom say "Who's comin?" They loved anytime we showed up no matter what they were doing. They always stopped and talked and played with us.

Although It was emotional is was also fun to watch the video that was made for her funeral. Yesterday which was one year since she passed, we were celebrating Kyle's birthday a little early because I have to work late on his real birthday, I couldn't help but think if mom were here she would be partying right there with us and I know she was smiling down on us.

A few of my favorite things-One of my favorite stories is the one I shared at her funeral-she collected baseball cards with me even though she didn't enjoy them just to find a connection with me. That meant so much to me.

When she kicked Dan in the butt when he used his sock to wipe spilled milk on the floor.

When she used to write me letters or call just for the heck of it. I have gone through my missionary years and now cherish her letters so much. They didn't seem like a special thing at the time, but they do now.

Her listening ear.

That she would buy me fish ornaments for the Christmas tree.

Her mashed potatoes.

Still amazing to me in all her pain when she was sick, she never ever complained-unbelievable.

I miss how dad would come home with a new car or purchase without discussing it with mom and mom saying "that's news to me." but never getting mad at dad for it.

Her huge homemade soup pan.

Her Christmas punch.

I miss how much she loved my kids.

There's so much more, but this will have to do for now. I love you mom and am glad you and dad are together even though I hurt sometimes and miss you both. Dave

Melanie-will be posting tonight or tomorrow this is all we had time for right now.