Remembering Dalan's Grandpa

Dean Lewis Sweat Family Patriarch Dean Lewis Sweat, age 91, of Center Creek, Utah, died May 12, 2009, at the Heber Valley Hospital. He was born January 4, 1918, in Midway, Utah, to Lewis Sweat Jr. and Ora Galli Sweat. Dean was the fourth of 10 children, and one of two boys. Dean graduated from Wasatch High School. Dean served in the army throughout World War II. Upon his honorable discharge, he married LaRene Reed November 14, 1945, in the Salt Lake Temple. They purchased Dean's family home in Center Creek where they lived for the rest of their married life. Dean and LaRene remained inseparable for over 62 years. LaRene preceded Dean in death on July 5, 2008. They were extremely happy in life as they will be throughout eternity. Dean was an active member of the LDS church and throughout his life served faithfully in many church callings. In 1984, Dean and LaRene served in the Milwaukee Wisconsin Mission for the LDS church. Dean had a very strong work ethic and in addition to farming, was employed by Geneva Steel for 30 years. Dean was a very kind and gentle man. He was a great example and was respected by all he came in contact with. Dean had a great sense of humor. Dean greatly enjoyed all sports and loved participating, listening to, and/or attending sporting events. His favorite pastime was spending time with his family. He was the patriarch to his children, grandchildren, and he and LaRene's siblings and their families. Dean leaves his daughters LaDene (Ron) Sellers, and Mary Lou (David) Long both of Salt Lake City; and his sons, Dennis, and Kevin (Joby) Sweat both of Center Creek; his grandchildren, Dalan (Jessi) Sellers, VaRonica Sellers (Nathan) Little, Rob (Jenn) Long, Randy (Mindy) Long, and Jamaica, Whitney (deceased), McCall, and Parker Sweat (currently serving an LDS mission in Paraguay), and his great-grandson Morgan Long. He is also survived by his devoted sisters Nelda Watkins, Alta Meeks, and Delvene Bronson. He also leaves over 75 nieces and nephews and their spouses. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, 12 Noon, in the Heber East Stake Center, 2400 South 1200 East, Heber, Utah. Friends may call Friday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Olpin-Hoopes Funeral Home, 288 North Main Street, in Heber City, and Saturday from 10:30-11:30 at the church. Interment Heber City Cemetery. Arrangements in care of Olpin-Hoopes Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent online at www.olpinhoopes.com

An old dog can learn new tricks

My six year old dog, who takes a twice daily medication that is suppose to make her drowsy and lethargic, has taught herself a new trick! She has now figured out three or four ways to destroy the garbage in the last two months or so.

First of all, she used to occasionally steal an item or two from the garbage if it was really good smelling and we had neglected to take the garbage out. You can't totally blame a dog for doing that. However, the garbage can was as tall as she is on her hind legs, so it was a semi-feat to get things out of the trash.

Then, she started doing it all the time, and getting as many items as humanly possible out of it. At the time, we had a garbage can with a swing top, so could just push the top in and get some garbage out. No good, so we bought a new trash can with a flat lid that has to be opened with a foot pedal. Problem solved? Not so much.

Next, Dalan forgot to take out a bag of trash with him one afternoon, so this story is partially his fault, but he was gone for less than an hour, and came home to find that Piper had dragged the trash bag that was five times her size from the kitchen to the front room and DESTROYED it! He found garbage in every corner, and it took him forever to clean up.

Finally, last night I go to the grocery store for about an hour. I come home to find garbage on her bed in the front room, in the hallway, and all over the garbage. That naughty little 20 pound doggie had figured out how to tip over the 50 gallon garbage can and then eat all the goodness that came spilling out. I guess we need to find some rocks to keep at the bottom, and hopefully make it too heavy for her increasing need to eat trash! I mean, what dog develops more bad habits the older they get, isn't it suppose to be the opposite?

This is a horrible picture, because at the time I only took one with my cell phone to send to Dalan, but it is better than nothing. That black rectangular thing in the back is the garbage can, and the rest of the stuff is some of the trash. There was a trail of trash down the hall and into the living room.

Word to your Mother

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and we had a great time. How could we not....mom's are the best! I, of course, forgot my camera, so you are going to have to imagine all the awesome events in your mind.

We went to the park with the whole gang....Dalan's family and my family. It was so much fun and I love doing the combined activities. Everyone brought some food to share, and we ate until we were stuffed. Then, we did some swinging....either the swings have been raised or the dirt was not as full as it should be, because I literally had to boost Ali into one of the swings. Ali and I also attempted to swing in the style of a spider (Ali on my lap while facing me), but that was a total bust. Ali and I have short little legs, and we are not tall enough to really get any momentum going, plus we are wider than we once were, so we didn't fit as well as one would have hoped.

Later the mama's got their gifts. It was totally the year of the plant, with EVERYONE giving everyone some sort of foliage. I even bought everyone Bonnie Plant brand herbs....hahahaha! If you don't know why this is funny, you don't even know me! However, if you want to get to know me better, send me a message and I will explain.

I have said it before, and I will say it again....Mom's are the best!

I just hit submit

I just submitted my final project for my ESL endorsement! I will soon be fully endorsed to teach English as a Second Language....

can I get a hip, hip hooray?

No more classes, no more papers, no more readings, and no more total disorganization and miscommunication between Weber State and the district. While I really enjoy being a student and learning new things, I am totally looking forward to being a person who just has a job, instead of being a person with a job who is taking six credit hours at a time on top of that.

I am so giddy after a long year of class after class...
no more classes!
No more classes!
No more classes!
No more classes!
No more classes!

If I was a Duggar....

I would dress like this.....

Talk DERBY to me

Dalan and I hosted the pilot year of our soon-to-be annual Kentucky Derby party on Saturday. We had some friends and family over to watch the race, but it was much, much more than just a horse race. We had some mint juleps, champagne, and other tasty beverages. I made two delicious derby pies, and my mother made a yummy millionaire pie. We also had a wide range of fun hats and outfits. My in-laws were by far the best dressed couple there. We also drew numbers for horses. The race was exciting, and unpredictable. Dalan's horse won, Julia's placed, Jenny's showed, and Scott's horse was a close fourth place. After the race, we did our own horse racing, with toy horses frozen into ice cubes and shot down a cookie sheet. Julia's horse won the horse luge, VaRonica's placed, and Nghia's showed.

My love of the horse races started about 5 or 6 years ago when I went to visit my friends Aubrey and Sam in Kentucky. Aubrey and I tried to go to the derby, but it was a downpour and the tunnels to get to the field were flooded, and after waiting and waiting in the monsoon-like rain storm, we returned home and watched the race on t.v. It was still a lot of fun to be in Kentucky for the race, and now I look forward to it, and the other triple crown races every year.

We will definitely be hosting another Kentucky Derby party next year, so start thinking about your hats now!

The couple-hood of the traveling pants

Last week, I had the embarrassing experience of someone having to tell me my zipper down. It was about two hours after I had used the restroom, so that meant I had taught that entire time with my fly down. I never leave my zipper down, but Dalan always does, so I made me chuckle about how I had "pulled a Dalan." At one point Dalan was leaving his zipper down all the time, it was hilariously out of control. In fact one day, it prompted me to ask him, "Can't you ever get it up?" True story, but probably not something you should say to your lover.

That night I took off my pants and laid them over the laundry hamper, so I could hang them up later. Dalan later noticed that they were his pants, not mine! We marveled over how in the world I wore his pants. How did they fit me in length? Or around the waist for that matter? However, it could explain why the zipper was down. Maybe the falling zipper is not Dalan's fault at all, maybe he just buys pants with faulty zippers? We decided that these were are magical "traveling pants" just like in the books and the movies by the same name, but instead of a sisterhood, we have a couple-hood. They are a special pair of pants that fit only us perfectly, or something like that!