Saying Goodbye to Grandpa

I had to get closure and be near grandma, so we loaded up the car and all four kids and headed to California. This is the first time traveling with the babies so we didn't know what to expect, but we knew it wouldn't be easy.

The babies did really well the first two days. The first day they slept most of the way to Reno. It was harder getting a cheap hotel with 4 kids. Most of the hotels charge extra for more than 2 children, and for adding a crib. We found one that was reasonable in downtown Reno. My parents were in a car following us and got a room next to ours. That evening their car was broken into and their side window was smashed. They had to do a quick fix with cardboard and a garbage bag so we could hurry on to California. The kids did pretty well on Day 2 and we were surprised how well the drive went.

On Friday we had a nice memorial service for grandpa. He didn't want a funeral so we did a family memorial service on his ranch with a few of his close friends. This was the first time all of the cousins have been together in years.


below my mom is speaking at the memorial


Here is my family- minus Matt's wife and daughter



my parents and their grandchildren - below

And the whole family with grandma. 

After we said goodbye, we knew that grandpa wouldn't want us to be sad, so we enjoyed the rest of the visit. The kids had so much fun on the ranch, riding horses,climbing trees, finding cool bugs and animals, and just playing in the dirt!

 Smiling with Auntie Pam

Then we headed to the beach for some fish n chips and playing in the sand

Overall the trip went well and better than I expected. I was so glad that I got to see grandma and spend time with her on the ranch. The kids and I were enjoying it so much that we didn't want to go home. We headed back to Reno, then to Boise and luckily it was rather uneventful.

Grandpa Parsons, I love you

Today my Grandpa Parsons passed away unexpectedly. I am really close to my grandparents Parsons so it has hit me really hard. My grandpa was a great guy. He taught us all how to work hard. He was not a warm guy, but we always knew he loved and cared for us. He was stern and we respected him greatly. He helped me out many times that I cannot repay him for. I have so many fond memories of being with him on his ranch from when I was a kid to when I had kids and brought them over. I will miss him so much and it breaks my heart that he is gone, but I am grateful to know that we will be with him again someday.






Some of my fondest memories of grandpa are:

Riding his horses on his ranch from when I was little to my kids riding with him

When we were little, he would pay us to scratch his back. It started as $1 per 15 minutes, but when we were older $1 per 10 minutes. I would scratch his back 1-2 hours each evening to get as much money as I could.

When I was a teenager, I would go and stay at the ranch for a few days. When I was driving his jeep one day he got mad that I didn't use the blinker.....we were in the middle of nowhere and there were no other cars around!

He and Grandma came to Utah for Christmas when I was at BYU. I drove my car home and he followed to make sure I was safe. He bought all my gas and food and even gave my gambling money for stopped in Mesquite.

He bought me a fire escape ladder when I lived in Provo in an old home and my room was on the 2nd story. He was always making sure we were safe

He BBQ'd at my wedding reception. He brought over his huge BBQ and did all the meat. It was delicious and I was so glad he came.














Trent went to work on his ranch with him and got Poison Oak really bad. My grandpa NEVER got poison oak and the one time Trent went to help, it was terrible





He always had Zigfried above his front room wall for as long as I can remember

And was always very organized...from his ranch and barn to his cowboy hats and boots

 I Love you and will miss you Grandpa!!!!