{Teach A Man to Fish}

When Grandma and Grandpa D were here during spring break, Grandpa was teaching Bailey how to fish.  She thought that was pretty fun stuff.  Grandpa taught me how to fish when I was younger too.  In fact, when Grandpa got a fish finder for his birthday one year {the real one, not the cardboard one I remember making and sending to him in the mail}, I was the first one to catch a fish with it!  Fishing is definitely on of Grandpas many talents, whether in the living room with his great-granddaughter or in an actual boat on the lake.

{80/60 Surprise}

For my Grandma's 80th Birthday and their 60th Wedding Anniversary, we planned a surprise party/weekend. Every member of the family went to St. George to surprise them {all 32 of us!}! And surprise Grandma is exactly what we did!

This is her surprised face:


My cousins made party hats and grandma modeled them for us!




Lexy in her hat:


Friday night we had cake and just talked and visited as everyone arrived. Then Saturday, we had a barbecue, family pictures, games and visited more!







Dean watching the game:


Cousins being goofy!:


Wayne and Chad:


Kelsi:


Ashley:


Baby Jason:


Uncle Donnie {Dad's Bro}:


Bradley {My Bro}:


Aunt Cindy {Dad's Sister}:


My Dad and Grandma:


Kylee and Grandma Beth:


Me and Grandma:


It was the fastest weekend trip {and the most miserable drive}, but totally worth it! It was fun to surprise Grandma and Grandpa with all of their family and fun to see those I haven't seen in years. We are lucky to have such a fun family!

{Farar Family}

A few weeks ago, we had the entire Farar clan in town, except D3 and family. Us girls had gone on our retreat and D4 was blessing their baby that Sunday. Since it had been awhile since we had pictures taken with {almost} everyone we decided {okay---more like I decided-but everyone cooperated nicely!} to do them right after the blessing. Our friend brought his wide angle lens and snapped away!





Currently there are 23 grand-kids with one on the way! {That's 15 boys and 9 girls} And just think there are 7 people missing from the picture above and several of us are not done having kids yet! It will be interesting to see how our family changes and grows in the years to come!

{Memorial Day}

We had a fun-family filled Memorial Day. Dean is determined to have a patriotic family {which I support completely!} We started the morning {dressed in or red, white and blue} with a pancake breakfast at D4's house.

We then headed to the cemetery to put flowers on the graves of Grandma Mary Alice and Grandpa Clyde Farar. It was neat to see all the people at the cemetery participating in the Memorial Day Service they had there and be able to explain to Lauren what everyone was doing and why. As well as see all the crosses and flags that were out for those who had served in the military. We also learned that around the time of Grandpa Farar's death, the Angel Moroni was approved to be used on Veteran Headstones as an emblem of belief, rather than the cross. Grandpa Farar, was the first person to have the Angel Moroni on a Veteran headstone.

A few of Clyde and Mary Alice's Great Grandchildren!:


We then headed to the Brown's house for barbecue and swimming! The water was freezing, but everyone had fun!



Yummy:


Practicing Aba Dabas:


Next we headed to my parent's house for another barbecue and to hang out. We tried getting a picture of the kids outside, but as you can tell, we were not very successful!


Isn't he just adorable?!?!:


Being silly with Aunt Ashley:


It was a wonderful weekend, with wonderful family!

{Important}

One day back in November, I came home to this:


And it reminded me of this*:


And it made me happy.

{So why did it take me so long to post it you ask? Because Dean threatened me with my life if that picture ever found it's way to the Internet. But I couldn't resist. I had to post it. Someday our little girls will look back at this picture and see a Daddy that loved them. A Daddy that thought they were special. A Daddy that cared enough about them to take time to play Barbies with them. (Or get covered with bows.) Regardless of how embarrassing or un-manly it was. Because to their Daddy, nothing was more important. And they will know it!}

*Circa 1984: Me, Dad and Bradley

{The Bear}

Esther Clark is my Great Grandma. She is my Mom's-Mom's-Mom.
{Did you get that?}

This is her in 1974 at my Mom and Dad's Wedding:


Here are 4 generations: Esther, Georgie, Beth and Bradley in 1981.

{I obviously wasn't born yet, but doesn't he look adorable in that hat!}



Then here she is again with the Great Grandchildren around 1986:
{In case you couldn't tell, I am the cute one in yellow sportin' the mullet, bottom-left}



Although I was young when she was alive and have very few memories of her, I know that she was an amazing, talented, beautiful person. Her life was not easy, but she made the best of it. I know that the legacy she has left behind is a treasure to all her family.

She made all the great grandchildren teddy bears. This bear is the one physical memento I have of her. Whenever I see it, I think of her. I think of her life, her sheep, her smile, her roses, her ranch. I think of her daughter Georgie, who raised my mom, who raised me; and I am grateful.

On occasion, I will bring it down from it's spot on the top shelf for the girls to see; to hold, to play with. I tell Lauren about Grandma Clark about how special she is and that she is in Heaven and that she made me this special bear and that she loves us.



Doesn't He look happy there, playing with my girls.
A permanent smile on his face!



I like to think that it would make Grandma quite happy to see her great-great granddaughters still enjoying the bear today!