Thursday, December 23, 2010

Charles DeLee Pennington, my hero

I miss him already.
Today I said goodbye to my wonderful Papa, Charles DeLee Pennington.
Tomorrow he will return to Heavenly Father.
Charles DeLee Pennington has been known by many names. Yesterday, I learned my grandma first knew him as "Chuckypoo," the handsome air force stud that all the girls lined up to kiss. My mom and her siblings knew him as Dad, the always smiling, happy-go-lucky guy that loved them all so much. Some people knew him as a handy-man, always willing to put in ceiling fans or electrical outlets, Brother Pennington, a silly man from the ward, or a McDonalds manager, keeping the work environment enjoyable and spoiling his kids with happy meals.

I know him as Papa.
Everyone should be jealous of me and my cousins. We have had the best Papa any grandkids could ever have.
My Papa has a bald head. We always teased him about his bald head. I don't think I can count the number of times I kissed him on top of that head or asked him "Papa, do you use soap or shampoo?" He wore a cowboy hat and a southern drawl, and wore them well-- A Texas boy all the way through. My papa would make friends with anybody and everybody. Some of my fondest memories of Papa's visits set me at Home Depot, playing in the doors and with the faucets while Papa picked up stuff for a new project. I remember when he installed ceiling fans in almost every room of our house.
Usually when we'd go on these trips, we'd stop and McDonalds on the way home and pick up a Happy Meal.
I remember one time Papa decided to take Aubrey and I to the movies for a day. We went to three movies in a row, all at the movie theater. I can't remember what time we started, but can remember falling asleep during the midnight premiere of the movie Dodgeball.
I remember Papa and Grandma had a jar of coins in their Cedar City House and we would always have to ask Papa for a coin if we wanted candy from the gumball machine.
I also remember when Papa redid the backyard and put in a swingset for us grandkids.
My most recent memory of Papa was made this week. I had the chance to spend all of this week with Papa in the hospital. My Papa is a flirt. He loves to make people laugh. This week he told all of us how pretty the nurses at the hospital were and how he already had proposed to four of them!
Today I said goodbye to my Papa. I told him how much I loved him, hugged him and held his hand, and planted one final kiss on top of his head. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to have Charles DeLee Pennington in my life as my grandpa. I will always cherish the memories I have of him and be grateful for the wonderful example he has set for me of living the gospel and loving everyone around him. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the knowledge that I will get to see him again. I am thankful to know that Papa will be greeted by his family on the other side when he passes.
Papa, I love you.

Monday, December 6, 2010

110 Loves

This is one of those dumb Facebook notes people write that I did a while ago, but I actually kind of like this one! So I'm posting it here!!

1. I love honesty.
2. I love friendship.
3. I love eternal families.
4. I love good hair days.
5. I love good face days.
6. I love learning.
7. I love challenges.
8. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.
9. I love the Book of Mormon.
10. I love adrenaline.
11. I love sleeping.
12. I love cuddling.
13. I love hugs and kisses.
14. I love music.
15. I love watching sports.
17. I love summertime.
18. I love Christmas music in November.
19. I love Andrea Boccelli.
20. I love being barefoot.
21. I love eating.
22. I love school.
23. I love being outside.
24. I love my saxophone.
25. I love dogs.
26. I love living in the United States.
27. I love facebook.
28. I love girl talks.
29. I love rough housing.
30. I love reading.
31. I love How To Train Your Dragon.
32. I love my phone.
33. I love sarcasm.
34. I love water.
35. I love singing.
36. I love procrastinating.
37. I love chocolate.
38. I love burping.
39. I love hot showers.
40. I love star gazing.
41. I love old memories.
42. I love sneezing.
43. I love board games.
44. I love driving.
45. I love napping.
46. I love the internet.
47. I love acoustic guitar.
48. I love piano.
49. I love life.
50. I love new clothes.
51. I love makeup.
52. I love Montana.
53. I love bonfires.
54. I love hiking.
55. I love folf.
56. I love relationships.
57. I love apple pie.
58. I love new shampoo.
59. I love clean teeth.
60. I love my bed.
61. I love my future husband.
62. I love optimism.
63. I love parks.
64. I love free music.
65. I love Google.
66. I love texting.
67. I love the smell of sagebrush.
68. I love jewelry.
69. I love unique art.
70. I love my High School band director.
71. I love pizza.
72. I love sunshine.
73. I love floor hockey.
74. I love sledding.
75. I love siblings.
76. I love parents.
77. I love flowers.
78. I love technology.
79. I love gym memberships.
80. I love jigsaw puzzles.
81. I love crossword puzzles.
82. I love dry humor.
83. I love dance parties.
84. I love the United States.
85. I love freedom.
86. I love movies.
87. I love new friends.
88. I love nail polish.
89. I love blogging.
90. I love camping.
91. I love Thai food.
92. I love air conditioning.
93. I love jeans.
94. I love sweats.
95. I love trail mix.
96. I love Super Mario Brothers.
97. I love yellow.
98. I love new socks.
99. I love awkward situations.
100. I love best friends.


10 Am's
1. I am Lacey.
2. I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
3. I am special sometimes.
4. I am a music connoisseur.
5. I am a college student.
6. I am American.
7. I am pale.
8. I am sarcastic.
9. I am a saxophone player.
10. I am a future band director.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

My Addiction

I have a problem.
A big one.
I love Christmas music.
I couldn't help but start listening to it the minute the first snowflake fell here in Rexburg. I think that was about two weeks before Thanksgiving...
Truth be told, I sneak Christmas music into my listening throughout the year. Don't tell.

There is just something about Christmas music that instantly brings me a feeling of joy. I recall reading the Christmas story with my family every Christmas Eve, shopping for presents for my friends or families, the Christmas my siblings and I all got sleds and headed out to the sledding hill as soon as all the presents were open, or Christmas mornings with my siblings where the clock seemed to be stuck on 6:59 a.m. for two hours (we weren't allowed to do presents until 7.)

Music is a big part of my life. It has been for very long time and I have this habit of associating memories with songs. Whenever I hear the hymn "Love at Home" I always think of my mom singing it when my siblings and I would either scream at or try to beat on each other . Or, when I hear anything by Bad Company I always think of the jam sessions I had during the opening shift at Wendys with my manager and my coworker at seven in the morning. My thing with Christmas music is that it can range from Frank Sinatra singing "Baby it's Cold Outside" to Whams "Last Christmas" to the hymn "With Wandering Awe" and all my Christmas memories surface and send me into Christmas euphoria. I love it. LOVE IT.

I think the main thing I love about Christmas is my family. My family is the best. THE BEST. I am thoroughly convinced that if every person had a family like mine, world peace would be obtainable (well...maybe worldwide love lol.) Anyways, enough bragging. My family has a lot of Christmas traditions. Every Christmas Eve we invite the missionaries over for dinner and to participate in the world-renowned Holyoak Christmas program to sing, read the Christmas story, watch the LDS short film Joy To The World or Mr. Krueger's Christmas, each open one present (yes of course we have awesome presents for the missionaries too), then head downstairs for some sweet pool action or a ping-pong tournament. We end the night by piling all the kids in the basement. In the olden days (before Aubrey had to go get married to Kenny, whom we all love) we would all pile into Aubrey's bed and stay up late listening for Santa then wake up super early and stare at the clock until 7 o'clock would come around so we could go open presents. Now us unmarried siblings pile into my room and generally pass out on my bed and wake up right on time (or a little after hehe) to open presents. I love it. After that we all head upstairs to search for the pickle ornament (whoever finds it gets a extra present. Bonus.) Then we spend all of Christmas day loafing and watching movies and eating delicious food...or candy. Whatever works.

Writing this is making me homesick. And I was just home last week. Wow.

I can't believe I just told you all my life story of Christmas (well actually not ALL of it, because I probably have a million more things I could say...) but that just proves my point. THIS is what Christmas music does to me. I flashback EVERY time! I think that is why I love it so much. I wish it could be Christmastime ALL THE TIME. Maybe that will be one of my New Year's Resolutions! To keep the feeling of love I get around Christmas with me throughout the year.