Family

My favorite part of going home to Utah is seeing family. They are what I miss most when we are in Kentucky. I love all of our grandparents. They are such good, loving, kind, wonderful, Christlike people and I am honored to be part of their heritage. They are a blessing to each of us.

On Sunday evening we went and visited my Grandma Nance in Springville and then saw Grandpa and Grandma Larsen in Mapleton. I can't wait until we live closer and can do this on a regular basis. Every time I go into their homes, a flood of memories wash over me. The smells, the toys, the clock chimes, the books, the furniture all make me feel like a child again.I have photos of me sitting on the stool eating Trix cereal and another sitting on the counter helping my Uncle Paul cut up worms to feed to his fish.The hockey game was a Christmas present my dad and his brothers got back in the 1960's. It's Josh's favorite game in the world. Grandma take special care of the pucks and keeps them above the kitchen sink so they won't get lost.Nearly all the toys are the same I played with- Fisher Price Castle, Sesame Street and all the old books (lots of Dr. Seuss) that we used to read.I love these dolls. I used to play with them as a child. To see my own baby girls care for them just makes my heart melt.Grandma always has treats. Trey loves it is she has Big Boy ice cream sandwichs. There are always peanuts, Swedish fish, cookies, M & M's and Hot Tamales in containers on the counter. Next to the back door is a Skittle dispenser and as we are packing up to leave the kids always get their little paper cup of candies for the drive home. For over ten years the Skittles were in a bubble gum machine and Grandma had a jar of pennies. This time she has a new little wooden toy you slide from side to side to retrieve the candy.My Uncle Dave, Aunt Stacy and some of their children were there visiting Grandma when we arrived. I love seeing other family members at Grandma's house.

Grandma and Grandpa Larsen: Mapleton, Utah. My Grandpa hadn't been feeling well this fall, but is doing wonderfully now. It was so wonderful to see them in person and be able to give them a big hug and kiss.I have the five generation photo of all women and girls on a shelf above my computer. My Grandma Larsen's mother, my Great Grandma Beardall passed away last December. I think about her often and I do miss her, especially when I drive by her home in Springville and know she is not there. One of first thing I thought about when I found out I was having girls was that I could have a photo with all girls. That was very exciting to me. I have my own five generation photo when I was a baby with my brother Greg, my mom, Grandma Larsen, Great-grandma Beardall and her father my Great-grandpa Warner. I cherish that. We lived with Grandpa Warner and Grandma Beardall in Grandpa's basement in Salt Lake when I was an infant and my dad was in medical school at the University of Utah. A few years ago my grandma spent hundreds of hours making these small pillows for each family member. (She has 13 children- so it was a monumental task!) When my girls were born, my grandma made a pillow for them as well. They sleep with them in their crib each night. When they saw a few pillows by the couch, they knew just what to do and were disappointed they couldn't take them home!I love my family!