The Larsons

The Graham Mountains

2010-09-06T08:41:00.002-04:00

I've been telling my kids bedtime stories about the Graham Mountains and the LadyBug Tower since they were little. All about the ice caves, my grandma feeding the bears pancakes, and the tower covered in ladybugs where all the men threw candy and money down to the kids. Our ancestors used to go there and the tradition has carried on since then. We used to go to the Graham Mountains every summer for our family reunion on dad's side of the family and I had over 80 first cousins to entertain me. I have so many memories up there.

This year we debated whether or not to go or not. The weather forecast said 60% chance of rain all weekend. If you have ever camped in the rain you know how much fun that is. We finally decided we would rather have an adventure, whether good or bad, than no adventure at all. Our home base was a tiny cabin that belonged to a family friends. It slept 8...AND we all opted to sleep outside instead. It was that scary...and dirty. It had been invaded by moths so every time you lit a lantern you were attacked by 1,434 moths.

Dad...at one with the Grahams.

Coloring contest just like when we were little.

Brent wins the most prepared camper award. In 2012, we will be knocking at his door. He was digging a trench around his tent here in the pouring rain. Mom was holding the umbrella...

Since it was muddy, Wes had to be held the whole time. A nightmare for me and my biceps. Mark gave me a break here.

So it rained and rained and rained. When there finally was a break we bolted to the Ladybug Tower. It's a good hike up there and it was drizzling along the way. I was so worried that there wouldn't be any ladybugs and my poor boys would be so sad. But there were tons! We literally were at the tower for less than five minutes when it started HAILING! I mean really HAILING! Lucky (or maybe unlucky) for us there was a little shed next to the tower that happened to be open. This shed was straight out of a scary movie. It had a mattress in it that had been shredded by mice and mice poop and feathers everywhere. I was just trying to make sure my kids didn't touch anything so that they didn't get sick. Half the group bolted during the next break in the weather and they got pounded by hail and drenched in their clothes. We waited it out and hiked back down later.

John put together an elaborate treasure hunt for the kids and even whittled a key out of wood to open up the treasure box

Was it ideal conditions...absolutely not. Did my kids think it was the best thing ever...yes! Aren't adventures what happen when things don't go according to plan? I've never felt so dirty in my life and my kids wore the same pair of clothes the whole time because it was the only warm thing we packed. The highlights were the Ladybug tower, staying up late telling stories, hiking in the dark down to the old church cabin which happens to be right next to the Friday the 13th cabin, and the treasure hunt. Dad told us when we got home that they had seen bears right where we were the week before when the whole time he was telling us there were no bears.

Horseshoes

John put glow sticks on the kids so that we could keep track of them at night.

Arizona

2010-09-06T08:38:00.001-04:00

While we were in Arizona it seemed like we were going the whole time. Keith took us out to the lake on his boat. John tried skurfing and even took Brock, Austin, and Saige.

Mark and his family were visiting the same time which was fun because Mark is always instigating something fun. For family night he organized a huge water balloon fight. Saige and my boys spent all day filling up over 300 balloons.

Susan telling us the rules to the relay. I would have got more pictures but I was trying not to get me or my camera wet. At the end we all were trying to get John on the trampoline.
Hey Susan, Paris Hilton wants her dog back.

I caught Julie and Caleb taking a nap.

Mom and Brock trying to find bugs in the backyard.

The cousins...or 2nd cousins once removed. Heck I don't know...they're related somehow.

How cute is Jewels? I caught her picking peaches in the backyard.

2 years

2010-06-27T15:53:00.000-04:00

Can you guys believe it's been 2 years since Sandra left us. Today brings up a lot of emotions. I still can't believe she's gone. I know that when she left so suddenly it made me realize time is short. We need to support and be there for each other. We have an awesome loving family. Sorry I'm not feeling very talkative today.

Everyone make sure to call Kyle who's birthday is today and unfortunately I don't think I will ever forget it again.

Caleb Nathan Haws

2010-06-27T15:49:00.000-04:00

Caleb Nathan Haws made his debut on May 28th. He weighed 6 pounds and 15 ounces. Here are some pics of all that beautiful sandy blond hair.

Julie's Baby Shower

2010-04-16T07:57:00.000-04:00

Julie's getting closer to having baby Caleb. Susan, Shelly, and Janece did a great job of decorating. We ordered salads from Oreganos and were a little peeved when they gave them to us with no dressing. Mark rushed back to fix the problem. Thanks.

The belly shot

The girls

Nick - The Baseball Superstar

2010-04-15T22:14:00.001-04:00

Nick has been enjoying his first season of baseball. There are a lot of practices and games which keeps him super busy. We are so proud of Nick. He's getting better everyday!

Getting mentally ready for the big game.

Dallin's Mission Call...

2010-03-22T22:07:00.001-04:00

Dallin opened up his mission call last night. He is going to the Armenia Yerevan mission. It's going to be an adventure Dallin!

Celeste, Dallin, Ashlie, and McKenzie

Baby boy Caleb...

2010-03-22T22:02:00.000-04:00

Nate and Julie are getting closer to welcoming their baby boy Caleb. Julie is 30 weeks and has had some complications and has been on modified bed rest. She just had a baby shower at work. For those of you who haven't seen Julie, here is here latest belly shot.

Susan: Lord of the Dance

2010-01-29T22:53:00.006-05:00

Mark said this was his favorite moment of the week: Susan doing a jig while Cameron played the banjo. I'd have to agree!

Kids at Heart

2009-11-19T22:52:00.000-05:00

Mom and Dad celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary November 8th. They visited us out in Florida in the middle of October. Here are some pictures that I took without them knowing of them truly being kids. I honestly CAUGHT them doing all these things without my kids even in the same room!

Mom reading dad the "Pirates don't change Diapers" book.

Mom and Dad looking for alligators in the backyard.

Mom and Dad playing catch a fish game.

Mom and Dad taking a nap!

Halloween

2009-11-01T08:23:00.000-05:00

Halloween at Mom and Dads...

Jewels, the most decked out fairy you've ever seen.

Boston, Charli, and Dylan

Radiation is over!

2009-07-18T22:45:00.002-04:00

Dad finished radiation last week. YAY! Although he has been a little tired the doctor said if all his patients were like Dad he would be in good shape. We love you dad!

Julie and Nathan's Wedding

2009-04-02T08:14:00.011-04:00

It all kicked off with a family party the night before to celebrate Julie finally getting married! We all had a chance to ask question's about them and to razz her a little bit.

Susan doing her happy dance.

Showing off the ring!

All the grandkids.

The groom's cake.

Happily Ever After!

Prayers for Dad

2009-02-22T22:38:00.004-05:00

I'm sure all of you heard that Dad has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. They think that is in the early stages which is good. He goes in for surgery Wednesday. Dad has always been blessed with good health. In fact this is his first surgery ever which is pretty amazing for being 75 years old. Everyone remember to keep dad in your prayers.

We love you dad. Good luck.

Julie's Engaged

2008-11-05T15:01:00.002-05:00

In case you haven't heard Julie got engaged to Nathan Haws on Halloween night. We are so excited for her and also to have Nathan in the family. They are planning on March so be there to support Julie. We have been waiting for this day forever!

Peanut Butter and Julie

2008-10-01T21:20:00.006-04:00

While I was in Arizona Julie came over to make organic peanut butter cookies for Nathan. She got the kids really involved. I'm too much of a germ freak to let the kids REALLY help but Julie had them doing everything.

Here she is about to sprinkle Austin with sugar.
He did NOT appreciate it.
Julie looks like shes making out with Austin but she's just trying to get the sugar off his face.

He might hold a grudge forever...

Manchester, England

2008-09-05T02:11:00.006-04:00

Hey everyone it's Celeste here updating the family on Blake. He left last thursday morning Aug. 28th and entered the MTC in England on Friday morning. We are so proud of him and can't wait to hear about the great work he'll be doing out there for the next two years. Here's a few pics

Sandra's Funeral

2008-07-06T21:09:00.014-04:00

Brent spoke about all of Sandra's qualities and read the following verse which really struck me:

Moroni 7:45
And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

This verse describes Sandra so well. How many of us could say that? Sandra taught us quietly how to be Christlike.

We will miss...

a loving...

wife...
daughter...

sister...

aunt...

...and mother.

Nicholas Sapore College/Mission Fund

2008-07-02T19:05:00.004-04:00

Thank you to all of our friends and family who have been so supportive during this time while we are mourning the loss of Sandra. Sandra left behind her 12 year old son Nicholas. Many of you have asked if you could contribute to a fund for Nick in lieu of flowers. We have set up the Nicholas Sapore College/Mission Fund for him at Wells Fargo. If you have an account with Wells Fargo you can contribute to Nick by going online to http://www.wellsfargo.com/ , log in to your account, click on the "Transfers" tab and then the "To Another Customer" tab. The savings account # in his name is 9015530927. If you are not a Wells Fargo Customer then your next option is to go into a local Wells Fargo branch and make a donation using the same account # above. Unfortunately making a donation over the phone is not possible. The last way to make a donation is to mail a check to Nicholas Sapore at 715 N. 25th Street, Mesa, AZ 85213 and it will be deposited for you.

Sandra's Funeral

2008-06-29T17:08:00.003-04:00

Sandra passed away Friday morning, June 27th from a blood clot in her lungs. We have lost a wonderful wife, mother, sister, and daughter. Sandra would love if you could be there.

Sandra Larson Sapore's funeral
The funeral is at 10:00 am on Wednesday July 2nd at the lds church.
1100 Cooper Road
Gilbert, AZ

The viewing will be held from 6-8 pm on Tuesday July 1st at Bunker's Garden Chapel.
Bunker's Garden Chapel
33 N. Centennial Way
Mesa, AZ

Loot

2008-06-07T14:14:00.001-04:00

Lance has always been inventing something or searching for treasure. He even hid mom's wedding ring in a hole somewhere in our backyard in Tucson, AZ.

A couple of years ago Lance told the family that he was headed off on a trip to the Philippines and Austria in search of buried treasure that two World War Veterans had told him they had hid over 60 years ago. A documentary a was made about his journey and it's in the L.A. film festival called "Loot". I was glad to see this since I've heard many stories about the trip and now Lance has proof that he wasn't actually on the beaches of Hawaii getting a tan when all this took place. Here's a link to the trailer:

http://www.lafilmfest.com/tixSYS/2008/filmguide/trailer.php?EventNumber=6693

P.S. I think your next treasure hunt should be to find mom's ring.

Blake's Mission Call

2008-05-22T14:00:00.001-04:00

I stole this picture from Celeste's blog. Blake got his mission call. He's going to...

Manchester, England

Mom's 70th Birthday Trip

2008-05-10T22:18:00.005-04:00

We started off our trip with a dinner at the famous Mandarin. So good. We then had cake and ice cream for Julie's 32nd birthday at Shelly's house.

Women's conference was chaotic but we were able to see John Bytheway speak and most importantly President Monson.

We stayed in the Mariott that night (thanks Shelly) and gave mom her mother's ring and shared some memories.

We all met for Aimee's shower at Macaroni Grill. We can't wait to see that baby girl!

Happy 70th Birthday Mom!

2008-04-11T15:31:00.006-04:00

Wasn't mom the cutest little girl!

All of you that know mom know that she's pretty close to a saint. She's one of the most selfless people I know. If you say you like something of hers she says, "Here...you have it." Like at a restaurant if you say, "Mom, that steak looks good," next thing you know half of it is literally being tossed on your plate. John once told her he like beef jerky and every since then when we visit mom has bags of it for him to eat. She knows I love butterscotch squares from Sees and when we visit there's always a box of them next to our bed. John always jokes that we should tell her we really like money!!

Having 10 kids she was pregnant for over 7 1/2 years! Let's not even talk about how many years she nursed. Mom, you've given us much more than your womb. Thanks for making us all feel like we were the most important child to you. Thanks for always taking the time to take interest in our lives when we call. You've been a great example of living the gospel and that's one of the most important things you could have done for us. We love you!

We wish we could be with you on your birthday but I can't wait to see you in a couple of weeks for our birthday bash with just the girls!

Happy Birthday to Corinne too. We are thinking about you!

Happy Birthday Dad!

2008-01-15T16:56:00.001-05:00

All of us kids wanted to wish you a happy birthday. You are a such a loving dad. You've shown us how to work hard and play hard. There's no way you are 74! You look so good! We love you,

The kids

Congratulations Chris and Celeste!

2007-12-02T22:27:00.000-05:00

Chris and Celeste were married in the Mesa temple on November 16. The Gossling family is really nice and they had a beautiful reception. We wish you the best!
Love,
Grandma and Grandpa

Our AnniversaryTime in Sedona and Anniversary Dinner at Susan's and Brent's Home

2007-12-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

Gary and I had a wonderful time celebrating our 50th anniversary from the first of October to the middle of November. We took off for Sedona, Arizona for a few days. We enjoyed the area where we went for our Honeymoon many moons ago. We hiked down to this spot by a stream where we took pictures and relaxed. The peaceful tranquil sounds of the small waterfall was so relaxing we spent sometime in this area and loved the time together. The few pictures you see here were taken in this spot.

Susan and Brent Had a Family Dinner in our Honor for our Anniversary at their home. It was nice. A delicious meal and a anniversary cake. Many family members were there. It was a great finale for our 50th Anniversary. Thanks to all that made this event a time to remember for Dad and I.

Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

2007-11-08T06:13:00.001-05:00

We've been celebrating this for the last month but the big day is finally here. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! All of us kids love you with all of our hearts! You have shown us the hard work, commitment, and love that it takes to get here. 50 years together is quite the accomplishment that few couples ever reach. We are proud of you! Love, The Kids

Hi family,
Your mom and dad are here in Sedona celebrating our actual anniversary date of November 8th. 50 years ago we spent our honeymoon in this exact location in fabulous Sedona, Arizona. We were so young and in love. 50 years later we are young at heart and still in love. We love you all. We have really been blessed with an awesome family.
Forever Young
Mom and Dad

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-02T15:54:00.000-04:00

Hope you all had a happy Halloween! Send me your pictures so I can add them to this slideshow!
Christy

More Nauvoo Pictures

2007-10-30T18:07:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Lance here are some more awesome pictures from Nauvoo. We would love to see Halloween pictures of all your kids too. Call me if you can't figure it out. Christy

Halloween Traditions

2007-10-18T21:46:00.000-04:00

Halloween is approaching and I am having a hard time getting into the spirit of things. Halloween has always been a big holiday in the Larson family and we always have a good time with pumpkin carving, dry ice apple juice, and of course, the Great Pumpkin (who John has never heard of). I am trying to incorporate the Larson traditions with my own and was wondering if anyone had any fun Halloween activities or ideas I could use. Please leave your comment with your ideas. To do that just click on "Comments" below and comment as "annonymous" or if you have a google account sign in to comment. We would love to see posts with pictures of everyones family in their costumes eventually!
Christy

Our Nauvoo Trip!

2007-10-10T14:24:00.000-04:00

We all had a great week in Nauvoo seeing all of the historical sites, eating a lot of food, playing Bunco, and the all too often trip to Walmart. We missed Keith and Sandra who couldn't be there! Nauvoo is such a small town that we hit up Hotel Nauvoo three times for their yummy buffet! Some of the highlights were visiting Joseph Smith's grave, Carthage Jail, and going to the temple. We all felt the Spirit so strongly there. Each night we had devotionals where we showed mom and dad the video Kyle made for them, the blog, and shared our favorite memories of them. Every night we stayed up talking and sharing stories. I love that each one of us is so different. Our family is made up of so much creativity, sensitivity, spontaneity, intelligence, and love. Mom and Dad we are so grateful for the amazing family you have created and for your love for one another. We had a great time...until we meet again!

P.S. Lance we can't wait to see the family pictures at the temple. Lance and anyone who has good pictures should post them. I will send CDs of mine soon. I didn't include all the pictures I had on the slide show because there were so many but they will be on the CDs.

Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary

2007-09-28T23:37:00.001-04:00

A little history...
Gary was born in Glenbar, Arizona on January 15, 1934. His parents were James Alma Larson and Grace McBride. He was born into a family of 13 kids. He played football and the tuba in the school band. He then went to Eastern Junior College where he participated in plays and drama. He volunteered for the navy along with his brothers when he was 18 and was in the Korean war. Gary attended Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ where he met Jeanine in 1956. Jeanine was a freshman, Gary was a senior. He graduated from ASU with a degree in accounting in 1957. On November 8, 1957, Gary and Jeanine were married in the Arizona temple. Gary later decided accounting wasn't his career and chose to pursue law. He packed 5 kids and all their belongings in a cotton truck and headed to Tuscon to go to law school. Gary enjoys family history, working outside in the yard, collecting coins, and participating adventurous investments.

Jeanine was born in Huntington, California in April 11, 1938. She was the first child born to Blanche Irene William and Wayne Leon Peterson. Wayne finished dental school and started his practice. He joined the army for World War II and moved his family to Oklahoma for three years before moving to Arizona. Jeanine attended school in Lehi and was the first class to graduate from Mesa Junior High. She was on the marching squad called the "Rabbetts" at Mesa High School. She attended ASU to be an elementary teacher and finished her freshmen year While at ASU, she participated in the dance club and was part of the LDS sorority, Lama Delta Sigma. She got married at 19 and had her first child Keith a year later. Gary and Jeanine had 10 kids: Keith, Brent, Shelly, Lance, Kyle, Mark, Susan, Sandra, Julie, and Christy. Jeanine enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her family.

All of us kids want to say how much we love you and are so grateful to be brought up in such a loving family. You both are truly good examples to us and have taught us so much. We couldn't ask for better parents to spend eternity with!

Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad! We love you!

The New Larson Blog

2007-08-22T22:52:00.001-04:00

This is the new blog we started so that all the Larsons can keep in touch. Feel free to leave comments and post eventful things in your life!