Larsen Family Reunion 2009

I am falling a little bit behind on my blogging mostly because we have been out and about enjoying ourselves and I have not spent a lot of time on the computer. I did wanted to post about our Family Reunion that we had on the 27th of June.

This year we went to Spruces Campground up Big Cottonwood Canyon and rather than have a 3 day event this was just for the day. It turned out awesome. My Aunt Linda and her family did an amazing job and we had tons of fun. The weather was beautiful and it was so nice to spend the day with family. I took over 700 pictures of all the fun we had and I had a really hard time picking favorites to post on here. I have decided to post the link to my Picasa album instead and I am splitting them in to sections according to the activity that way it will be easier and less pictures to look through all at once.

This 1st part will be from our hike

We started the day off with a hike up Days Fork for a picnic lunch in the meadow. I am no hiker and extremely out of shape but step by step and inch by inch I made it to the meadow. I am glad that I went slow as it allowed me to really see the beauty and spend some time with some awesome people. I also was able to get pictures of other family members as they hiked. Without further ado here is the link to the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/happyhugger/Hike?authkey=Gv1sRgCMfamYON1or2Fw#

Aunt Jeanette if you read this I am sending you a disc of all the pictures. It might take a week or so but I will get it done.

Play Ball!

This summer Eryk started baseball and I have gotten to watch a few games. It really has been kind of fun and I look forward to many yeas of him playing. I am sure he is going to do well and it seems like he is really enjoying the game.

Hey Batter Batter!

Slide!

Hanging out in the outfield

Say home run!

To my Dad on Father's Day!

How well I do remember the special times we had

The times and season's of my life

With a very special dad.

How well I do remember

the day God called you home

You slipped into His loving arms, and I felt so alone.

Now my heart will carry memories

of the love you gave to me

until we meet in Heaven

where the best is yet to be.

Happy Father's Day in Heaven.

I LOVE YOU!

Cricut and Cruises

Way exciting. I really need the Stand and Salute cartridge and of course the Simply Sweet. Too bad I already bought the other two. I would love a Cricut Cruise and a vacation right now would just be wonderful. I guess I can send a request a day for a chance to win. Much cheaper than the cartridges when you factor in the price of a stamp.

Uintah High Class of 2009 Graduate: ~Gage Authnell Larsen~

The Class

Announcing Gage

Swtiching of the Tassle

The Happy Graduate

Proud Parents

Brother and Sisters are proud too!

Proud Grandma

Another of the Happy Graduate

The tassle was worth the hassle.....

Gage and Larissa

Congratulations Gage and much luck for a successful future. Jared and I love you and are very proud of the young man you have become.

Graduation party

So as not to overwhelm any one with pictures Gage's graduation will be done in two separate posting's. We had to go to Vernal for Graduation and we got there a little early. Because we figured once he had graduated he would want to hang out with his friends and besides we were leaving right after to come home we decided to have an impromptu party at Wingers. My mom and I arrived before Brian and Kollette so stopped at the dollar store for some balloons and then on to visit with some of her sisters.

My mom and I arrived before Brian and Kollette so we stopped at the dollar store for some balloons before going to visit her sisters.

Just catching up and getting ready to order

Then we all gave him our presents.

A quilt from mom and dad

As well as a tile of him and grandpa

Some moolah!

A pen made by his dad. It was made from an antler shed he had found. Very nice by the way. Brian does some great work with his hands

It's baaaaaaaack!

I am referring of course to the I-phone box. Jared and I gave it to him from Christmas in 2007 filled with rice and a gift card. He gave it back to Jared with the same rice and various coins. I then gave it back to him filled with.....................................
He was a little nervous of course so Grandma cut the tape off the box. It was taped good because the object inside did not fit well so I had to smoosh it. When the tape was cut the lid popped a bit and Gage jumped back

Of course all that was inside was this harmless stuffed dog money holder.

More money from Grandma!

Grandma also made him a quilt out of Grandpa's shirts, which of course she added the tie too

The card I made him. The car moves back and forth on the road

Cheyenne picked out some Graduation glasses for him! Go class of 2009!

Here is with his girlfriend who joined us for the occasion

We had a lot of fun in the hour or two that we got to spend with him before he had to go and get ready. I am sure the waitress was glad to see us leave. He really is a great kid, who isn't really a kid anymore.

Heaven, Tears and Rainbows

As I have mentioned in previous posts Gage graduated from Uintah High School on the 29th of May and Me and mom and Brian and Kollette and family went to Vernal to spend a few hours with him and then attend graduation. We had a great time and of course I took lots of pictures which I later accidentally deleted. I did get them all back eventually but I was really upset. Anyway before I share a lot of the pictures I wanted to share an experience or two we had that night.

Gage is the 1st of the grand kids to graduate so it was a very special experience. He was one of grandpa's boy and I know he would have love to have been there to help celebrate this event. Unfortunately he was called to heaven before Gage had a chance to walk across the stage. May 29th would have been my mom and dad's 44th wedding Anniversary. Okay, to get on with my story from the night. As we sat there in the bleachers listening to the speakers and musical numbers watching the graduate contemplate on what lay ahead the skies looked like at any moment they would break open and we would be rained out.

Although it looked ominous nary a drop of rain fell from the sky until Gages name was announced he began the walk across the field to get his diploma. At that moment just a few gentle drops fell from the sky like tears. I asked my mom if she felt that as a held out my hand. I told her Grandpa is so proud of Gage and wants us all to know and that even though we can't see him he is there now and forever watching over us. It reminded me of an old country song by Collin Raye that goes something like this: (though I changed the words a bit)

There's holes in the floor of Heaven, And his tears are pouring down. That's how I know he's watching, Wishing he could be here now. An' sometimes when I'm lonely,I remember he can see. There's holes in the floor of Heaven, And he's watching over you and me.

So after we hugged Gage a zillion times and I took a zillion more pictures we left to come home. Along the way my mom and I spotted a huge rainbow. It didn't curve like most rainbows do, it looked it came straight from heaven for us to see right at that very moment.

Of course that invoked memories of my primary and the story of the little boy whose mom was his best friend and she passed away leaving him with this song:

I'll build you a rainbow, way up high above. Send down a sunbeam, plumb full of love. Sprinkle down raindrops, teardrops of joy. I'll be happy in heaven, watchin' over my boy.

It was a very emotional night and we are so proud of Gage for the young man is has become.

I will share pictures of his graduation and the party we had for him at Wingers in the next couple of days