Summertime Week 2

Tate, Jonah, Ty at Perry Pool

We had another great summertime week.  Ty and  Wyatt  would  wake at 7:15AM, and since Perry High is hosting summer school, the federal free breakfast and lunch program is held there, so we  would leave for weight training a little early and grab breakfast.  Usually a donut, cereal, chocolate milk and  apples.  Ty's friend Jonah is doing weight training with him so after they would come to our house and  recover on our king size bed (yep still in the living room).  From there they would  go to Tate's, head back to Perry for lunch then to swim for 3 hours, then... Monday it was the movies, Men in Black, Tuesday it was Scouts, Thursday it was Tate's swim meet not home until 9:00PM or later, he is one tan fit boy playing the day away, I love it.

Wednesday we took it easy and didn't swim until 3:00 at Dyan's house.  They have a great pool, thanks for the invite.   We were really doing a two-for since it was the Goodman Girl Cousin Night Out.  Jodi put it together, Aunt Diane opened up her house, Karrie made the drive down from Prescott Valley Dyan, Rita, Kelli, Mom, Aunt Cindy, Afton, Barrett, Sierra and I got together.  Most brought a "favorite" gift to exchange, we all ate and we all laughed.  I laughed so hard I had  tears and had to catch my breath, those good  kind  of laughs, I love these people, I wish Laura and Katrina's girls (Kristi, Kim and Kathryn) could have made it.  All the while the boys swam, not home until 9:30 another perfect summer day.

Friday we took it easy, we swam with Durham, Raulin and  'Gregor, watched TV, went to Rubios and just recovered from the week.  Loren left for his California fishing trip on Thursday, hope he is catching lots.  The girls were off at girls camp, they just got home today.  It was Taylor's last time at girls camp, I am a little sad, she has loved it and  I have only heard  great things about her being a leader and including everyone.  Kyley was a 4th year (the best year) they are all off  by themselves  and she got to go horseback riding, repelling, canoeing, cliff jumping, shoot a gun, shower everyday, no 12 year old drama,  she came back loving  it.  Like I said another perfect summertime week.

Summertime

 Our first full week of summer was busy indeed. 

 I had a mini math training at ASU  from 

Wednesday to  Friday.  I hadn't been on the 

campus in 20 years.  I have been to the football 

stadium, but not walking around eating at the 

MU going into the math and engineering 

buildings, it felt strange but good.  Many

 memories came back and I am amazed how

 much has change and how much building is

going on. It was a good class, I am now

motivated to do some better teaching.

While I was expanding my mind the older kids were expanding their wallets. Taylor Kyley and Ty worked the concession stand for someone in our ward whose mother owns a dance studio and this weekend was  their recital at Queen Creek High School.   Taylor and Kyley had worked for them for a couple of years now but it was Ty's first year as he was finally old enough.  Ty was excited heck when you are 11 working concessions if fun.  Taylor was just going through the motions, she has had a little more life experience.  They worked from 2-10pm Thursday-Saturday and came home exhausted but all the richer for it.

Wyatt is now 8 so he had  cub scout day camp.  They met at 1:30 and were gone until 10:30pm.  It was his first time and he enjoyed swimming , shooting BB guns and bow and arrows,  but his favorite was the ongoing water balloon fight between the boys.  He told me Thursday night and that you can get 50 balloons for a $1 and his little mind was working out how much he could get for $10 or $20 etc... I said to stick to a dollars worth.  Well Friday I get a call from the leader, she said Wyatt just slapped down a $20 bill and said "give me 1000 balloons"  she stopped him in time and limited it to only a dollar.  It made me laugh, thank goodness for good attentive leaders.

What this meant for me was that when  I got home from my class at 4:30 the house was empty.  Loren was working and all the kids were gone, it was strange but I enjoyed my down time.  Watched a few TV shows, did a little cleaning and enjoyed the quiet.  Friday Loren and I went out to dinner and Saturday we ran some errands.  He needed to drop stuff off at his mom's house and since we were "in town" we stopped by my parents house too.  It was a quiet visit and we were talking about the photos that were gathered from Grandpa and Grandma Goodman's house, my parents showed us their wedding photo and how faded it had gotten and how it needed some "digitally remastering".  Loren said he'd take it and  scan it and play with it.
Well here it is don't they look great.  The before picture they looked to be wearing yellow dresses and you can't even tell that the flowers were pink. Their 44th year anniversary is coming us June 20th, they are still so happily married, I hope with dad's retirement they stay that way (JK)  They have always been an example to me on making a marriage work and I am thankful for them for that.

Groom Creek

What a wonderful wonderful weekend, I couldn't ask for more.  Friday we had Grandma Goodman's funeral and although I am sad for me I am sure,  as was stated several times, she is dancing in heaven with grandpa.  I learned a few things about grandma but my favorite story was from Uncle Jim  about  the one and only time he saw grandma ride a horse.  Now I knew she grew up in a farming family  (she was also the pool hall owners daughter - didn't know that) and I am sure she had to learn to ride but she was always so put together and always looked so nice I could never see her on a horse . Jim says he was out riding and grandma and grandpa pull up in the truck  and grandma says she wants to ride, Jim got off the horse and grandma got on, then Jim says grandma took off, not walking it, not even a trot, but a full on gallop, reared the horse up with his front feet pawing in the air, turned him around galloped back, hopped off  gave a little smile and never said a word.  I love it, there was  so much about grandma I did not know.

Saturday we took off to the Prescott cabin in Groom Creek.  We hadn't been up in several years and I missed it.  Prescott is such a fun town, we walked around the court yard, bought some earrings and kettle corn popcorn.  When we drove up Mt. Vernon where all the Victorian style houses we discussed what house we would want to have.  We swung on the big swing, played in the meadow, had some mean games of wiffle ball, drove up to the old gold mine and explored, watched Jungle Book and Cinderella , read, visited and just enjoyed the beauty of the mountains.

The Platts live in Prescott Valley about 20 minutes away so they drove up on Sunday and hung with us.  We played a game of kick ball and my foot is bearing the scars.  Girls vs. Boys - the girls lost but we had fun.  Karrie, Jeremy, Loren and I went back to cabin and the kids started another game, well I guess some "big" kids started playing along and words were exchanged.  This is what happened  as told by Ty, Jake, Wyatt and Kyley...

• Well, those big kids didn't know how to play wiffle ball, they were saying that if you catch a foul ball in the air its not an out and they were trying to tell us if you swing and foul and the ball hits you then you get a base, then the worse of all  they were throwing fast balls to Hannah (6 year old).  Well the "big" kids called Jake an a**hole and started cussing so Wyatt steps in and says "you all need a bath 'cause you all stink.. at wiffle ball."  I guess they run to tell Kyley about it and those boys are glaring at them across the meadow so Kyley turns to them and waves with a cheesy smile and the "big" boys flipped them off.  So Ty raises his index finger and Kyley starts yelling "we're number one."  The big boys gasped and that was then end of it.  We heard the kids coming into the cabin discussing if they were going to tell us about it.  They didn't immediately but when I asked them a couple hours later they got all animated I  wish I could have recorded their telling because this does not do the story as told by Ty, Wyatt, Kyley and Jake justice.

 Good times good times.. I am glad they dealt with it on their own and they stood up for themselves and each other.  I wish they weren't exposed to cuss words and punk kids but we are all going to and it is stuff like this that binds the cousins, they will be talking about his incident for years and I am sure it will get bigger  and better each year.

We took off early Monday since Kyley has three finals tomorrow and Taylor has one, yes we have two more days of school.  It was a great weekend and I hope to make it back to Groom Creek often. We stopped at Freddy's burgers when we got into Gilbert and they were doing a fundraiser to help the WWII veterans since it is Memorial Day and all.  We got our food and Loren noticed a WWII vet wearing a Iwo Jima hat and he went over to talk to him since his grandpa Chesly's was on Iwo Jima.  The vet came over and visited with us and our children and I got a little teary as I thanked him and for his service to our great country, I hope my children know how lucky we are to live her and the cost many have paid to keep us free.  God Bless  America.   

My Dad's Retiring

After 20 years of teaching - molding the young minds of today my dad is calling it quits.  He opened Stapley Jr.High was there through my youngest brothers Matt and Joe, several of his nephews, his grandchildren, now great nieces and countless neighborhood kids.  I can only imagine how many kids were happy to see a familiar face one that they not only see in school but in church and around the neighborhood.  I am going to miss getting a daily e-mail from my father, a little tradition we started a couple years ago when I needed to get a hold of him, I am just sad we didn't start sooner and I am really sad that I will only get 4 more messages from dagoodman@mps.com.

We knocked around the idea of a party but as it took shape it became a surprise party and as Gomer Pyle would say it was a "Surprise Surprise Surprise."   All his children, and grand-kids (minus Ryan and  Austin) all his brothers and sister and a few nieces and  nephews crammed into the kitchen to surprise him as he walked  in the back door, it was priceless!  You could tell on his face that he really had no idea, then the festivities began.  I think it was a form of torture keeping all the kids in the house - we couldn't have him drive up and see all the kids out playing he would know something was up, we even parked  different places  - he really had no idea. I think it was better than Christmas, there was more day light for sure for the mean game of wiffle ball played between all the cousins, it was great.  The grown-ups sat on the porch and watched and visited, last night had to be a glimpse of heaven. It was a  fun excuse to get together.  I am so happy for my dad and his next phase of life.

Afton, Rowan, Jay, Friend, Ty, Jack, Raulin

Mcgregor ,Annie, Kate, Keelie, Hadlie, Ella

Grandma Goodman

My Grandma Rita Allred Goodman passed  away last night - she was 94.  She lost her husband my grandpa just10 months ago.  They were both retired teachers and grandpa passed away the first week of this school year and then grandma goes the last week of this school year, I told my dad that they should know better since they were both teachers and know how busy those weeks are :)  I think I get through grief with humor.  I am just sad I didn't get to see her one more time but I am sure the reunion with grandpa was sweet, I bet those last 10 months seemed like eternity when you have been married 72 years.  It is comforting to know that they now have eternity together and they will never be separated again. 


Grandma was a school teacher, she retired  when I was little and she gave our family much of her 1st grade materials.  I remember spending hours and hours in the summer playing "school" with all her old papers. Kelli and I were the teachers of course and  Dyan, Karrie and Jodi were our students - boy we were good teachers but only because we had tons of worksheets from Grandma Goodman. I come from a line of teachers and  I have always felt a special connection to grandma and grandpa - I can't believe my dad will retire from teaching this year and I am almost done with my 19th year I get to "play school" every day. 

 I remember grandma taking Kelli and I shopping before school one year and she actually bought us a shirt that said "kiss me" on it and whats worse is that we wore it, what were we thinking.  I remember trips to the cabin, I sure it was with Kelli and learning how to play Rook  - boy I thought I was  so good. 


Grandma always had perfectly manicured nails and just a few months ago when I went to visit I commented on them and she said "look at these sun spots"  I said "grandma you are 94 you are allowed sun spots."  I loved looking at her rings when I was little and it seemed for most Christmases Grandpa had bought her a new one. 

Her house was always immaculate, I sure she would be sorely disappointed if she saw the mess my house is right now.  

As I got older I appreciated her spunk - she graduated from college and began a career at a time when it was not the norm for women.  In order to marry grandpa she they had to elope and keep it a secret until the end of the school year because she was a woman.  She raised four children, traveled the world, served  a mission, lived a good life,  I am certain she heard the word when she returned home"well done my good and faithful servant."

Taylor, Tay, TT

As I said last post this is her week - Friday she turned 17 I can't believe, just about two weeks ago we were transferring all our videos from VHS to DVD and I was amazed at our first daughter and how much she has grown and how much she has stayed the same.  There was one video when she was 4 doing a little song and dance performance and she was told to go to your "x" well she stayed on her "x" and she even got after the girl next to her for getting off her "x", she still likes order and for things to be just so, everything needs to be on its "x".  She still had that same curly hair and that same smile and every now and then she will make a face that reminds me of when she was four.

We woke early to help her celebrate her day traditional Chesley style - 6AM opening presents and chocolate cake, love it.  She drove herself   since she had the AP US History (APUSH) exam that day and her zero hour teacher (which is APUSH)  told the students that he wasn't' taking attendance until 7:20 wink wink. I think nothing like a 4 hour test to celebrate your day of birth.  Her friends brought her cake, cards and presents, then she spend the night at Relay for Life a fund raiser for cancer that Perry NHS and Key Club were participating in.  Since I am the co-sponsor of Key Club and I knew Taylor would be there I singed up, we were walking for Loren's sister that is battling  a form of cancer now.  It was a neat experience.  Here she is with some of her friends.  The time between walking the track was spend playing "duck, duck, goose" " look up look down look at someone" (wonder where they learned that one) soccer, football, eating snacks just a good time. Probably not the funnest way to spend a birthday but Taylor made the best of it, look at that happy shining face.

Saturday was MoPro - Taylor's date, Brandon Perez and most of the guys in her group had a big time wrestler come down and had a camp that they had to go to so the "day date" was cut short, they hung by the pool and made homemade pizzas, then home again to get made into a princess.  She had Brandon's sister (a former student) and three friends help her with her hair, makeup and dress,  her dress laced up at least 20 times in the back - I know since I had to help her unlace it at 3:00am (I guess better me than a boy, we joked that chastity belts come in many forms) - any way I digress.  She looked absolutely beautiful, they went to the dance which was at Barney Sport's Complex so no heels were allowed, so she wore fancy "Toms", they danced and danced then hit the 11:20 showing of "The Avengers" still wearing their Prom attire, she didn't get home until late and she still manged to wake for 8:00am church (I might have quilted her a bit since it is mother's day)  Here she is so beautiful...man I am glad she was born into our family, she wrote me a sweet note for mother's day and she commented on how as she has gotten older our conversations have matured so true I am loving it.  Her former YW advisor and neighbor was over yesterday and said "Taylor is 17 I was 19 when I got married and had my twins less than a year later" crazy crazy crazy - she is growing up to fast

What do you do when...

What do you do when you find out that you just received the Perry High School Junior Female AP History Student of the Year Award?  Well if you are Taylor your go to Panda Express - I am so proud of her.  We got the invite to the awards assembly but we weren't sure what it was for probably just an "academic letter"  as Taylor says in her best nerd voice " I lettered in academics" - she does have a 4.4 GPA and she did also get a pin for her letter so not too shabby, but the history award was quite a surprise.  I was there presenting the math award and sat by her English teacher, I "had" to listen to her tell me how much she loves Taylor.  I could only reply that we love her too.  This will be Taylor week as Friday is her birthday and Saturday is MOPRO (Mormon Prom) - go Taylor you ROCK!