Memories...

We went to my stepdad's funeral today. It was sad, but good at the same time. A lot of memories were shared while we were there, so I thought I would share a few of my memories on here.

*Mike LOVED popcorn! When I was little I remember we had this old school popcorn maker that you poured the kernels in and had to put a bowl under it to catch the popcorn as it came out. I swear that thing was one of the most used appliances in our house!

*Mike would always let me drive his car. When I was little he would sit me on his lap starting at the bottom of our road, and he would control the gas and brakes and I would control the steering wheel. One time when I got older he let me drive on my own while he was in the passenger seat, and I backed over our neighbors sprinkler so he had to replace it. I think I was in maybe 4th grade.

*Mike would always pay attention to whatever new thing I was into or name brand clothing, and he would surprise me at random times by bringing it home for me. He bought me a scooter when I was little, and put it in our bathroom then made some excuse that he needed me to get something out of the bathroom so I would go see it. One time he gave me batteries, and then when I was reading the note he said that maybe I could put them in this (and when I turned around he had a new discman for me). He was always very giving.

*Mike's family spends their summers in Montana at Seely Lake, and we had lots of fun trips up there. Mike taught me how to water ski when I was just little during one of our trips there.

*Mike was an avid Neil Diamond fan, and to this day I can't hear a Neil Diamond song without thinking of him.

*Mike probably to this day has an 8 track player in his basement. He hated to have to upgrade to new things when his old things were still working, but when he could no longer find his Neil Diamond on 8 track or cassette he didn't have much of a choice but to upgrade. He used the same theory with his cars. He used the same cars until his 2 older kids ended up wrecking them, and he had no choice but to get a new one.

*Mike was also very supportive. He was constantly driving me to and from dance classes, and he would sit for hours through my millions of performances.

*Mike liked to take us to movies or waterparks. He continued that tradition with his grandkids. When I was little it was Classic Waterpark or Raging Waters that we went to. The first time I went anywhere with Mike by myself (I was 3) he took me to a movie. My mom had the little talk about having manners. I wasn't suppose to ask for anything and I was suppose to make sure to say please and thank you for things he did buy me. Me being the clever little child that I was told him when he picked me up, "My mom says I'm not suppose to ask you for anything, but if you want to buy me something that would be ok."

...There are many more memories I have about Mike considering we lived with him for 11 years, but I will stop right there so I can go relax and spend some time with my family :)