Mantequilla Por Favor

This is the obituary for my grandpa:

Raymond John Meyer, 85, of Fort Collins, passed away April 13, 2015 at Spring Creek Health Care.  He was born January 15, 1930 in Chambers, Nebraska to John and Emma (Thede) Meyer.  He was raised in Palmer, Nebraska and attended Zion Lutheran School in Worms, Nebraska. Raymond married Helen Mickelsen in 1949 in South Dakota.    

As a young man, Raymond farmed on his parent’s farm and worked at a dairy.  Raymond and Helen built the first bowling alley in St. Paul, Nebraska.  They were members of St. John’s Lutheran Church.   

Raymond enjoyed boating, fishing and golfing.  He even got a hole in one at the golf course in Wellton, Arizona.  Raymond and Helen were snowbirds, traveling to Wellton every winter for 12 years.  Raymond also liked to fly and at one time owned his own plane.

Raymond worked as an engineer for Dorsey McComb and was able to travel the world, providing for his wife and 7 children.  After his retirement, Raymond and Helen enjoyed traveling together. 

Raymond is survived by his wife Helen, daughters Diana and Dan Carlson of Ft. Collins, Judy and Jim Lay of North Carolina, Barbara and Larry Rowland of Tennessee, Bonita and Pete Vitt of Dacono; sons John and Patty Meyer of Brighton, Donald and Peggy Meyer of Johnstown and Gary and Betty Meyer of Northglenn; sisters Ada Pederson and Don Georing, Ann Meyer, Louise and Jack McIntyre, June Wadas and Dorothy and Larry Jones; 19 grandchildren and 42 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister; six grandchildren and one great grandson.  

Fishing in New Mexico

 I missed my grandpa long before he passed away.  Most of my extended family lives in Colorado and I am not able to see them as often as I would like.  It's different though knowing that I go home to Colorado, grandpa won't be there.  Grandpa had been in the nursing home for a while due to Alzheimer's.  I don't remember most of the stuff in his obituary.  I remember that my grandpa was smiling more than not.  Grandpa and Grandma recycled and let me help crush cans and take them to the recycling center.  I remember the red shag carpet that was in the basement where me and my cousins played lava monster.  Grandpa was the first to teach me completely useless Spanish phrases like "mantequilla por favor".  I have so many great childhood memories that center around my grandparents and the home that I remember them being in when I was young.  Some summers we would spend time with my grandparents at their lake house in Nebraska.  Grandpa would let me help with the garden, he taught me how to play horseshoes, how to shoot pool, and we fed the birds and scared the squirrels.  I am thankful for the memories filled with love and childhood wonder that I have of my grandpa, and I am thankful that he is no longer suffering.

Family Reunion 

 Life is so short when you think about it and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  The older I get the more I realize that soaking up the now moments is important.  Participating in the moments and enjoying the people that are around us is the only way to really live life.  We tend to get caught up in the past or worry about the future and miss what is right in front of us.

Family Time in Gatlinberg

Love you grandpa.

How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?

                                  -Dr. Seuss

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Stoddard Funeral Home, 3205 W 28^th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80634.

Please visit www.stoddardsunset.com to sign an online guestbook.

My Little Ladies

We are raising backyard chickens!!!  Steve mentioned raising chickens in passing one day and I really gave it a lot of thought.  That would be pretty cool.  Fresh eggs, compost for the garden, nifty new pet that creates its own worth.

Then the obsession started.  I did about a week's worth of Internet research.  I found books on my Kindle to read about raising chickens.  What do they need, how do I get this started, what would be best with kids, what about the dogs...

Steve went and picked up some chicks at tractor supply and when I got home from class I got to set up the brooder and put the chicks in.  SO MUCH CUTENESS.

I had to give one of them a bath because she was having an issue with pasting up.  So cute. She hated it though.

I am way more excited about this than I should be.  It's not like I have a lot of extra time.  I know they won't stay all cute and little like they are right now.  I even started calling them "my little ladies".  This will definitely be a new adventure for me.  The kids are excited too.  They have been picking them up and petting them and helping me take care of the little chicks.  We got some great advise from a good friend that the chickens would be tamer if we raised them from chicks.  So here we are with little chicks in the house for at least 2 months, when we can then let them live in their coop full-time.


I'll let you know how it goes.

Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, But why it crossed, I've not been told! -Dr. Seuss-