Bye Bye Blockbuster

Well ... it's over. The traditional "video" store where you walk in, browse the aisles and rent a title to take home. I can remember during my teen years, when we had to rent a VCR too, as we didn't own one yet. Even though we do love our streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayOn) we DID still have a Blockbuster Online account. We paid a set monthly fee and could have three rentals out at a time. We could keep them as long as we wanted, no due dates, which came in handy for us. We also got two free rentals in store each month (DVD or video games). We could exchange through the mail or in store, and yes, there was still a store fairly close (although we had been sad when two closer stores had closed a couple years ago).   I kept debating cancelling, but it was so convenient and gave us a way to watch new releases not yet available on our streaming services, and the kids enjoyed playing video games they wanted to try, but not buy.

I guess we will now need to convert to Redbox ... and hope we can get used to due dates and returning things on time. I think we had "Lincoln" sitting on our nightstand for months ... I had to return it unwatched.

Bye Bye Blockbuster ...

Sand Dune Days

In our ward, there is an annual Fathers&Sons outing to the sand dunes. It is always a favorite activity. Steal the flag, sand "surfing" and football keep the boys busy. As well as a little fun around the fire. Poor Colton got soot on his hands ... and all over his face!  

We were happy we had our doctor's appointment to get his cast off the day before the camp out. Sand down a cast would not have been fun.  Grayson, Callahan, Keaton and Colton attended. Landon wanted to go to a football game at his high school and Cooper ... well, Cooper is my homebody. He did have a basketball game Saturday morning that he didn't want to miss.  It was a little cool, and they didn't have as steep a hill as in past years, but they still had fun. Here's a little "muvee" to catch them in action. Grayson was trying out his new "Go Pro" camera!

Goodbye Grandma

I have a lot of fond memories of Grandma and Grandpa Norman. It was hard to see them aging through the years. Grandpa passed away a few years ago (Goodbye Grandpa) and I think everyone was surprised that he preceded Grandma, as her health had seemed a little more tenuous. She hung on for a few more years and passed away peacefully October 24. She was 95.  The funeral today, and it was nice to hear all the stories and history and see all the family that gathered to say their goodbyes.

I remember Grandma's cooking ... her homemade rolls, handmade candies and of course the pies. She tried to pass on her pie making to my sister and me. She had us over for a lesson, but I don't think I mastered it at all.

I remember playing "fast-ies and strong-ies" with my siblings and cousins at family gatherings at their home. Gathering raspberries from the bushes and fruits from the trees in the backyard. Running around the sideyard, down the steep slope.  The BBQ, permanently placed at the back porch where they would roast hot dogs ... Grandma would call them "weiners" and we kids would giggle behind our hands.

I remember Grandma's glass coffee table and miniature crystal statues. The old sewing machine with the foot pedal. Trying to slip through the laundry shoot and grabbing the pole to swing as we raced down the stairs. The little metal boat and fishing trips to Strawberry Reservoir.  Playing Rummycube and other games. Blowing bubbles with spools.

One more recent memory ... we had stopped by the house to say hello. Grandma asked if we were hungry, but we said no. She then mentioned she had some donuts. We again declined. A couple minutes later she got out the donuts and presented them to Grayson to eat. He said "Thank you Grandma, that's just what I wanted".   Now if I ever press Gray on something that he's already said no to, he will call me "Zada" ...