Grandpa Metcalf

This last Thursday we went to Kade's Grandpa's Funeral.  Although, I didn't know him well, he was always so funny and entertaining.  He always made it a point, when we would hug goodbye, to whistle through his teeth.  He then would say, I only whistle at the pretty girls!  Which always made me feel good/special.  I am sure many of his grandkids heard him say that once or twice.  :)

There was one story they told at his funeral which made me laugh.  There were so many neat things they talked about.  A neighbor saw him walking his dog, which I guess he often did.  The way he would walk his dog was by driving his truck slow enough for the dog to follow.  When the neighbor asked why he didn't get out and walk?  He replied, "I haven't yet taught my dog how to drive!"  They also talked about how positive he was even after his wife passed away, he believed life was more enjoyable with a smile on.


I brought my camera in hopes that I would use it, I just felt so awkward taking pictures at the burial site that we just did it away from everyone else.  Here are the kids with the flowers they got.  They soon destroyed them in the car.

Those were the only pictures that I dared to take, me and my weirdness.  

This one was taken at his 90th birthday party.

Below is a copy of the obituary of Grandpa Lynn.

Lynn Jay Metcalf

1922 - 2014 

Lynn Jay Metcalf, 91, of Leslie, Idaho, passed away Wednesday, February 19, 2014, in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

He was the fourth of seven children born to Jesse Earl Metcalf and Alice Lucinda Freeman Metcalf. He was born July 17, 1922, in the family farmhouse south of Ucon, Bonneville County, Idaho. Their family moved to the Lost River Valley in 1939.

Lynn married Shirley Dean Hobley in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple on April 24, 1946, and they had five daughters.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and filled various callings in the Leslie Ward. He was set apart as Second Counselor in the Leslie Ward Bishopric on May 20, 1956, and was ordained a High Priest by Sterling W. Sill. Through the years, he faithfully served in various callings in the Leslie Ward (Sunday School Superintendency, Moore Stake Single Adult Leader and Moore Stake Mission Leader, etc.).

Lynn was a successful farmer and rancher in the Lost River Valley and has been an asset to both the community and valley for many years. He enjoyed farming and raised hay, grain, potatoes, pigs, chickens and cattle. The farm was transformed through the years from dikes and dirt ditches, cement ditches and siphon tubes to hand lines, wheel lines and pivot sprinkler systems.He was a knowledgeable mechanic and made his farm machinery and tractors last as long as he could. He was a member of the Mackay School Board, representing his district for six years and served as Chairman for the Agriculture Stabilization Committee (ASC) for several years. He also served on the Farmers Home Administration (FHA) committee. When televisions first came out, he became a distributor and sold approximately 200 black and white televisions. If people in the community had problems with them, he re-paired them in the evenings after he had worked on the farm all day. When the television industry changed from tubes to transistors and color televisions, he decided he either needed to go to school to learn about the new advances in technology or quit. He took great pleasure in farming so he gave up this sideline business, but added others as he sold Frantz Oil Filters, Amsoil, Mainline Garden Tillers, magnets, commercial fertilizers, and even installed a large scale for weighing hay and grain in Leslie that he believed would benefit the community. At one time he did custom baling for eight farms using a Freeman Bailer. He welcomed new technology and enjoyed learning new things. He actively served his neighbors and would plow snow from their driveways and began a tradition of giving them a jar of honey every year for Christmas. He enjoyed picnics, hunting and fishing. He had a great sense of humor and love of life.

His first wife, Shirley, died in a semi-truck and pickup collision on July 25, 1980. He later met and married Velma Rasmussen Christensen, mother of one daughter and seven sons, on July 11, 1981, in Idaho Falls. Together Lynn and Velma served as missionaries in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission for 13 months in 1984-1985. He retired from farming in 2011 and leased the farm to Gary Wight, a grandson of his brother, Dale Metcalf. He and Velma restored and improved the old family farmhouse and barn in Leslie and moved into it in 2012 and enjoyed the memories associated with it.

He is survived by his wife, Velma Lilly Rasmussen; and three daughters, Anita Lyn (Richard) Freeman of Arco, Idaho, Lona Joy (Paul) Engberson of Terreton, Idaho, and Patti Renae (Craig) Bingham of Terreton, Idaho; and Velma's children, Theodore Jay (Carol) Christensen of Blackfoot, Idaho, Joseph Ervin (Rhonda) Christensen of Mackay, Idaho, Velma Lenora (Steve) Newton of Rigby, Idaho, Paul Arnold (Dot) Christensen of Grangeville, Idaho, Scott Rolf Christensen of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Wayne Lorin (Isabel) Christensen of Pocatello, Idaho, and Daniel Carl (Stephanie) Christensen of Salt Lake City, Utah. They have 57 grandchildren, 127 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse Earl Metcalf (1895-1954) and Alice Lucinda Freeman Metcalf Wells (1897-1981); his first wife, Shirley Dean Hobley (1928-1980); his daughters, Cheryl Dean Metcalf (1958-1958) and Sally Ann (Cleve) Hymas (1953-2006); Velma's deceased son, Max Alden Christensen (1963-1968); and all of his siblings, Marvin Earl Metcalf (1916-1984), Verna Mary Moyer Knowlton (1917-1992), William Harold Metcalf (1920-1920), Dale Robert Metcalf (1924-2014), Alice Charmaine Anderson (1929-2007) and Gay Nelda Metcalf Owens Young Stott (1935-2013).

We will celebrate his life at a viewing in the evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Moore LDS Stake Center on Wednesday, February 26, 2014. Another viewing and a family prayer will be held the next morning, Thursday, February 27, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with the funeral service beginning at 11 a.m., at the Moore LDS Stake Center. Dedication of the grave and burial will be in Leslie Cemetery in Leslie, Idaho, under the direction of Anderson Family Funeral Home, 2555 N. Highway 93, Arco, Idaho.

Nayvie Colette

In all of life's craziness, I almost forgot to blog about this! :)  For some reason I always have such aunt pride when I have another niece or nephew.  My brother Wray and his wifie Cort, had another girl.  That makes 4 girls 1 boy.  I was seriously jealous of Cort in this pregnancy, she looked so amazing!  All she gained was a tiny, round, adorable tummy, she looked absolutely stellar.

I still have not met miss N, we have really bad colds and I'm getting grumpy and impatient.  But I am feeling stronger, so I hope to see her this week.  These are just FB pictures, but I hope to snuggle her soon, and update you all.

Born at 12:36 AM, 7 pounds 5 ounces, 19 inches long.  

Congrats you guys, I'm so excited for your cute family.

Craving Improvement

The kids eating chips and milk for lunch!  Super mom RIGHT?

Life has changed a little over here for us.  My kids are now being watched at least 2 times a week, most of the time they love it.  I travel to school at least 2 times a week, sometimes more, if I need extra help. In my mind I keep thinking how close I am to done, & then I kinda act like I am done, by doing nothing.  I am hindering my own growth, but that isn't anything new for me.  I read on a fitness blog today this little quote, and it totally fits my life in a number of ways.

Success doesn't mean you haven't made mistakes.  It just means you've made the effort to keep going after making them.  

  I am not only hindering my growth in school, but in all aspects in my life.  I feel like I have hit a dead end.  The only thing I can think to do is make an effort to be better....I really am trying.  Most days I feel like I am completely failing in EVERY department.  I know I am not the only one out there that struggles with these feelings.    But the last month I keep thinking of all the things I wish I would have done different.  But mistakes are going to happen, it is how you react, and live with them.  I hope that I am reacting in a positive way.  I hope that I am getting a little better in all areas of my life.

My neighbor and I have been trying to work out in the mornings.  When I say try, it is really a hit and miss.  But it gets me moving every once in a while.  Kade was so excited for me that he went and helped me pick out some new kicks.  He was so excited, it makes me wonder why he is so for me working out.  I love them and they are probably the nicest feeling shoes I have ever worn.

By just being more diligent in working out, the rest of my day normally goes better.  I sometimes am even in a better mood.  In YW last week we were talking about the word of wisdom and how health and fitness are a part of it, & people forget that.  We talked about how important it was to take care of our precious temples of God by being healthier.  This lesson has stuck with me and this week I really tried to be a little better!  

Sorry about my randomness, I feel like I am all over the place.
In other news

I happily filled out my graduation application today.  

I will soon have a degree that means pretty much nothing! HOORAY! 

On a side note, it looks like this week will be a busy one.  We have a funeral and lots of family coming in.  I sadly am not looking forward to this particular party, we love and miss you Grandpa Metcalf!