April

Can I just recap the entire month in one post?  I think yes.

To start, we planted the garden.  Avery helped me plant and Ben was pretty much only interested in watering.  I am really a lazy gardener and don't mess with starting seeds inside or anything like that.  We put down some green onion, cucumber, and carrot seeds and planted some pepper and tomato plants.  The strawberries came back from last year and even spread.  We've already been getting strawberries off of them.

We took the kids to Natural Falls State Park for some hiking.  The big waterfall wasn't actually falling at that time but there were some very pretty hiking trails.  I was surprised by how much the kids actually liked and kept up with hiking.


We also had the kids' and Rob's first trip to the drive-in!  We saw the new Jungle Book.  The kids loved it and I could see us coming back more often this summer!  Avery and Stella begged to stay for the second movie, which didn't start until 10:30, and insisted they weren't tired.  We definitely didn't do that, and of course Avery passed out on the way home.



Avery had another couple soccer games, and a couple were canceled due to weather.  She is learning a lot about soccer and really seeming to enjoy it.  She continues to be most excited about the post-game snacks.



Coen's skating party was a hit.  It was Ben's first time to skate and he was determined.  He fell so many times but he told me "I don't need you, Mom."


Avery had Oklahoma Day at her school.  She learned that "things were really bad back then."  They learned how to make butter and even experimented with various forms of old-fashioned punishment including the dunce hat and putting you nose on the wall.


The kiddos also got to go to their first crawfish boil.   Avery, who loves all things that come from the water, liked them but didn't like that she saw them all in the cooler while they were still alive.  She didn't eat too many, I think because of that, but none of the other kids would even try them (they all enjoyed hot dogs).



Avery had a day out of school so Mom and I took the kids to Beaver's Bend State Park in Broken Bow.  It was beautiful.  We probably hiked 10 miles over the 2 days we were there and the kids did so well (Ben only had to be carried a couple times).  Avery's favorite part was crossing the streams, I think.  They got to roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire.  The weather was incredible and the state park was so pretty.  I don't think we saw everything there is to do there by any means.  Definitely a place we would return to!


To finish out the month, we took the kids by the Touch-a-Truck event at the local library.  Of course Ben loved all the different vehicles and couldn't figure out where to look or go first.  Avery loved climbing through the cars and trucks, too.  Hats off to all the people that bring the vehicles out for the kids to see, including police, fire, storm trackers, city vehicles, and lots more.


I think that's the highlights of the past month!!  I'm going to try to get back to more frequent blogging so I don't have to do massive recaps!

Easter Weekend

The weekend started with a birthday party a Build a Bear.


And a Saturday morning soccer game.  It was freezing!  Ben and I watched from underneath a blanket.


Dynamite won and Avery even got her feet on the ball a few times and she most importantly had fun!


Ben gave a little more attention to dyeing eggs than he did last year.  He wanted to do 3 eggs at a time then would disappear for 5 minutes.




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Gramper

Gramper passed away on March 8th.  We are all lucky to have known him and appreciate the time spent together.  Family was his number 1 priority (with safety coming in a close second).  He always wanted to know how your car was running and what kind of tires you had on it.  He was crazy about Avery and Ben and he always seemed to get a kick of out Ben's spirit.  He and Grammar got the kids their first piggy banks, and he always had some coins for them to put in them (even after a 1 year old Avery tried to put some in her mouth instead of the bank, nearly scaring the pants off him).  His presence will be greatly missed within our family.

Being the first grandchild of the family comes with special privileges.  One of which is getting the first crack at nick-naming grandparents.  I am told that Curtis Dement received the nickname “Gramper” from a young me.  When I spent time with Gramper I knew I was in for man-time.  He taught me important things that every man should know but some are not fortunate enough to be taught.  He recognized the importance of maintaining a sharp mower blade, engine maintenance, driving a 5-speed, etc.  The first time he paid me for mowing his lawn he told me to save 10% of everything I earned.  I wish I would have listened.  He also explained that mowing in flip-flops was unacceptable.  Following this advice wasn’t optional, at least at his house.

Gramper was always concerned about the safety of everyone in the family.  So concerned that he was often the target of jokes or pranks that were usually intended to concern him further.  Most of the time he was a good sport but sometimes I’m not sure that he saw the humor.  He genuinely cared for our family's well-being.

Gramper taught me how to play pool.  We would sometimes go to Ernie’s pool hall in Claremore.  Other times we would go to Tulsa and play a few games at Slick Willies.  He shared the rules, provided tips, and won most games.  The same is true for poker, however, I remember Gramper being unbeatable.  In the summer we would go to Braums and he would buy me my own banana split because every young man needs his own.

Gramper was a huge fan of milk.  I doubt that his refrigerator ever ran out of it.  I remember mowing his lawn on a very hot summer day.  He came outside and insisted that I take a break and have a cold drink.  There he had sat a tall glass of milk.  Not exactly what I craved when I was hot and sweaty but I did appreciate the thought.  As the summer went on I introduced Gramper to Gatorade.  He also felt that it was a good refresher for hot summer days and began to keep it on hand.  We were both pleased.    

Gramper worked in Norman at the same time that I also attended college at OU.  I remember going to the store for groceries one day and running into him.  He offered to pay for my groceries and I was happy to accept.  A couple of months later I was at the store again for groceries and saw Gramper across the store.  Hoping for the same offer, I may have filled my cart a little more than I usually did before “bumping” into him.  Just as before, he again offered to get my groceries.  That was just how he was. 

He was a gentle man that seemed larger than life.  His deep laugh was always a welcomed sound.  It was clear that he loved being around his family and spending time together.  He was proud of his family and worked hard to ensure that they were taken care of.  He knew what was most important in life.  I am fortunate to have the memories and experiences that we shared with him as well as the life lessons, big and small, that he passed on to me.  If I could say one last thing to Gramper I would thank him for all of those things and tell him that I hope to pass the same values and memories to my children and grandchildren.  He will be greatly missed by us all.       

-Rob

Curtis Wayne Dement was born May 5, 1934 in Madisonville, Kentucky to Ollie and Claudia (Winstead) Dement. He spent his early childhood in Madisonville, moving to Beaver Dam, KY around the age of 11. It was in Beaver Dam that he attended and graduated high school. It was also there that a young schoolmate caught his attention, that of Ms. Alice Baugh. The two married on July 23, 1954 in the local Methodist Church.

Following high school, Curtis began a career with Peabody Coal Company. He retired after 26 years of service as a Superintendent. This career took the Dement family all around the country, spending time in multiple states including Kentucky, Illinois, Arizona and Oklahoma to name a few. Curtis later retired from the Mine Safety and Health Administration as an Inspector. 

1970 was the first time the Dement family called Claremore home and although they moved away a couple of times, they were happy to return to and settle in Claremore.

Even though Oklahoma became home for Curtis, one cannot take the Wildcat out of a Kentucky boy. Thus, he always enjoyed keeping up with his Kentucky Wildcat Basketball.  In addition he enjoyed NASCAR racing and “tolerated” OU Football. He had been a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Claremore. 

More than anything, Curtis enjoyed his family. He was devoted husband, father and “Gramper” and his presence will certainly be missed by those he loved and leaves to cherish his memory. 

He is survived by: his wife, Alice Dement of the home; daughter, Terri Thomas and husband, Bob of Owasso, OK; son, Tom Dement and wife, Laurie of Trophy Club, Texas; grandchildren: Rob Thomas and wife, Monique of Owasso, Kristi Garcia and husband, Daniel of San Diego, CA and Kari Anne Dement of San Francisco, CA. He is also survived by two great-grandchildren: Avery and Ben Thomas of Owasso along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters: Ann Adams and Pat Vandiver and a brother, James Dement. 

Courtesy of Rice Funeral Service