2 Utah Adventure Series: Memorial Day in Idaho

It has been a long planned and anticipated trip for me to go up to Malad and Samaria with my grandparents for Memorial Day this year. I hadn't been since 2011. With my extended family growing older and farther apart each year, these family get togethers are ever more important to preserve what really matters: family. It's a day to gather to remember those who have come before our lifetimes, those who we have known and lost in our lifetimes, and to get to know those who we yet have around us in our lifetimes. My sentimental nature is no secret ~ I come by it quite naturally for those of you who know my family, and especially for those of you who know my Grandpa. The Memorial Day tradition and its importance is one I have learned from watching him. Every year, I watch as he labors to gather emails and addresses, sends out emails and letters, makes phone calls and assignments, all to encourage the Thomas clan (his mother's family) to stay close. It isn't easy with an increasingly growing family. We live in different states so there are often long distances to travel, we have multiple family gatherings to juggle, many of us, the younger generations, don't even know each other, and among many other things there are those struggling with health. With all of that considered, I was so happy to see the great turnout we had this year.

I must add a short note here before I proceed, and I now wish we would have taken a photo of it as proof we succeeded, but we managed to fit Grandpa, Grammy, Mom, me, Olivia, Will, almost 30 flower arrangements, a large cooler, 5 loaves of braided bread, 3 purses, a toy bag for the kids, a smaller cooler, diapers/wipes, extra clothes, blankets, sweatshirts, and my camera bag all inside my little Hyundai Veracruz. Now, it's not such a little car - it has the ability to seat 7 (third row in the trunk space, two of those smaller seats), though it only has 4 doors. Grandpa drove, Grammy rode shotgun, Mom and I sat in the middle row with Will, and Olivia rode in the back with the flowers and large cooler. Mom and I had whatever didn't fit in the trunk by our feet. Suffice it to say, we were packed to the limit. Aaron was spending Memorial Day with his Mom and sisters visiting Debbie's parents' graves in Annabelle, otherwise we would have been forced to take 2 cars to Idaho.

Grandpa was a trooper and drove the whole day (which was probably the smarter choice considering how not happy Will was to be stuck in the car another day). We stopped first at the Malad cemetary, then it was off to the Samaria cemetary where we met up with lots of family. From there we headed to the Blue Goose for our Thomas potluck picnic. Lots of great food and visiting. We even managed to get a picture of everyone (minus the photographer). :) I realized that with 2 little ones running around, I wasn't able to visit or snap as many photos as I have in the past - but it was still a great day. Beautiful weather, the best I remember ever having. I even got to play a little baseball with a couple of the boys - I really missed playing with the big kids though. Next time we need a bat, more mitts and more participation! :) Only Abby came ready to play.

I love how sweet and protective she is of her little brother.

3 generations of William

Classic Abby and Laurie :)

Cousin Glenn and Grandpa

My Grandpa and his brother - my Uncle Mike

Blue eyed brothers

Following our goodbyes, we headed to Preston to visit Grammy's parents' graves. I hadn't been there since Grandma Helen passed away. We weren't there long, just long enough to place flowers, and let Will stretch his legs a little. It was probably best ~ I love my Grandma Helen so very much and miss her dearly. I think of her often, and it's still hard for me to think back to how my little family was too sick to make it to her funeral. So, in a way, this little visit was my goodbye to her.

Also on our trek home we stopped by the Brigham City Temple. Talk about beautiful. I was absolutely in awe of this temple. My sweet Olivia loves the temple, and to say that is an understatement. She ranks visits to the temple grounds right up there with Disneyland. She loved this temple, and was so sad the gates were closed so we couldn't touch the doors - which is her favorite part of going to the Los Angeles Temple.

It was a long but wonderful day - and one I hope to repeat with my children in the years to come.

Looking back, this was such a poignant way to end Memorial Day - a reminder that because of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, families can be sealed, or bound together, for eternity by ordinances performed in our sacred temples.

Though not on Memorial Day, it was on our drive home, I was so grateful to stop to remember my sweet Grandma Phelps.