Halloween

It was so fun to be in Utah for Halloween.  We have never been in town to celebrate this holiday with our families and cousins and we had a blast!

We spent the morning with Camden and Amelia and then went out to lunch with the whole Murphy Family.

That evening we went trick or treating with our Clark cousins.  

The older kids had a blast going on their own!  They went to every house in the neighborhood.

And it was adorable to go with the younger kids.  They were so excited!

Grandma and Grandpas neighborhood sure knows how to celebrate Halloween!  This house had a donut truck passing out fresh donuts.  Most houses gave out kind sized candy!  And one house gave all the adults the most yummiest cinnamon rolls I've ever had.  I even tried to get the recipe, but apparently its a secret family recipe dang it.

Seriously these two were the cutest!!  Holding hands and saying it was the best night ever all night.

The loot!

To cap the night the kids watched the movie "Witches" and Mason slept over.  It was a fun day!

Grandma’s Funeral

Having a funeral in the time of covid is quite different.  It was so wonderful to have a close and intimate funeral for my grandma with just the Forysth family.  However I did miss the traditional talks and remembrance.  There was a beautiful violinist that played a wonderful arrangement and we listened to my grandmas sweet testimony that she recorded a few years ago and had requested it be listened to at her funeral.  We also had a luncheon where we watched a video made for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary.  It was a sweet time to be together and see my aunts, uncles, and cousins.   

Love them!

My mom with her sister, Sara

The Forsyth children

my girl cousins!

The Forysth Grandsons (missing Tim due to Covid and Jakob on his mission in Germany)

Together with Grandpa

 

My Antique Little Girl

~Elsie May Bender~ 

1933-2020

My dear sweet grandma passed away and with her went a piece of my childhood.  My Grandma had an awesome sense of humor and would surprise me all the time with her quick wit and sauciness.  I miss her terribly already although I knew it was time.  All she wanted was to be reunited with grandpa and I'm sure it was a glorious reunion.

Picture from our families last visit with Grandma this summer

The orchid that I gave her during my last visit.  She was amazed how long and beautiful they still were months after I gave them to her.  She had my mom send me this picture.

This summer on the 4th of July my grandma broke her hip and had surgery.  I was able to go visit her before I returned to Texas and I knew during that visit that it would be the last time I saw her.  On the drive down to see her I felt impressed to write her a letter.  You see after 3 funerals in 3 years with Brad and I's grandparents (grandma sadly made 4) in each of those funerals we sent memories of our grandparents to be read at the funeral.  Things that you wished you could have told them in person, so that's what I felt inspired to do.  Let my Grandma know how much I loved her, and all my wonderful sweet memories with her. So as I sat in her home for the last time, I wrote her this letter as she napped.

7/14/20

My Antique Little Girl, My Grandma Forsyth-

 

Oh, how I loved driving to Helena Montana when I was a girl. I knew we were getting close to Grandma’s house when we would see Our Lady of the Rockies in Butte. I love the smell of your home and playing dress up with you wigs and jewelry. Oh, how I loved looking through your fancy jewelry box at all your beautiful jewels.  At night, we would beg to hear stories of Little Black Sambo and always beg for a gumball from your infamous gumball machine.

 

Us Murphy girls loved getting in the hot tub.  I would always pretend I was the Little Mermaid since that was the big Disney Princess movie of my girlhood.  I probably drained half the tub with my “part of your world” scene/reenactment, I don’t think Grandpa appreciated it, but you never complained. I also loved picking raspberries with you and to this day fresh picked raspberries remind me of you.

 

My forever favorite meal is your German spaetzle.  No one makes it like you can.  I loved watching you build your little doll house and was so excited when you finished it and we could finally “play” with it.  We always tried to be super careful with it because we knew even as little girls it was special to you.

 

I loved it when you painted my nails in your little nail studio you would always paint my pinky finger fancy, usually something a palm tree or something fun!

 

When we were in Utah I loved getting your letters.  You would draw cute pictures on the envelopes and it was something I always looked too.

 

When you served your mission, we loved coming to see you over the Christmas Holidays in Los Angeles and I was so excited when we heard you would be moving to Utah, although I was heartbroken at the same time to be losing our Grandma’s house, but excited to have you closer.

 

We had fun in your Cedar Hills home.  Murder Mystery parties with Matt and Sherry, and of course going up to your second home, your little mini ranch in Duchesne.

 

You were the fun Grandma.  The Grandma we could have honest and heartfelt conversations with.  The Grandma who played dress up with us who would surprise us when she would swear or say a dirty joke, because you have the best sense of humor!  I love my Grandma forever and ever.

 

Love, Emily

It was an extremely emotional visit.  One that I don't think I stopped crying.  It's hard saying goodbye  and reading this letter now there's more I wished I would have said, but I’m glad I got the chance and I know she knew how much I loved her.  She's my German girl through and through. Auf Wiedersehen Grandma.  Until we meet again.

Cousins come to Texas

To say we were excited to have our cousins come to visit would be an understatement! We were beyond thrilled to hear that Sasha had a business trip in Dallas and that after she was done the whole family would travel to Houston to spend the weekend with us!

As soon as they got here we ditched the kids (except the baby) with the babysitter aka Carson and took them to a quintessential Texas restaurant with lovely outdoor patio seating to set the mood.  It was so lovely to have just a little alone time with just us adults to chat.

The kids loved playing with their cousins. Lots of trampoline fun to be had!

and of course everyone wanted to hold the baby.

 

Carson performed some of his songs for us on his cello

kitchen dance parties

We tried to take them to Brazos Bend to see the alligators, but due to covid they have to limit how many people are in the park and you need reservations, and they were already at capacity.  Oh well it was a nice scenic drive with good company.

We thought it would be fun to have a mini Thanksgiving while they were here, because why not?

 These kids are too cute!!

 it was so sad to say goodbye.  Luckily it was a tad easier knowing that we would see them in just a couple days when we would go to Utah for a funeral.

these two!

It was a blast having family come see and play with us! We always welcome visitors!  Please come back!