San Diego

On February 6th we got to tag along on another of Jon's business trips. This time to San Diego! And by San Diego I mean Sea World... It was perfect. Lydia was off track and Jon's boss was more interested in giving him and our family a vacation than having him actually do more than represent JUB at a few meetings. Jon's the best though, and he put in his time for JUB, but still got to party with the rest of us during the week.

 Who wouldn't want to have a slumber party with these ladies?!

 We didn't spend a ton of time in our hotel room, but when we were in it, good times were had by all!

I should probably mention the plane ride though. Yup, we flew! A first for Soph, and something she's been wanting to do since Mia joined me on our sisters retreat in November. In fact, Sophie requested that she and I take a trip to California for her birthday. How fun would that be?! But having us all go together. To California, no less. Was certainly better than the hopes and dreams that Sophie had initially imagined.

And the girls got to watch movies on the way. Lyds sat by Jon and watched Storks while Sophie sat by me and watched Zootopia. Mia clawed me pretty good on the way there. Not thrilled to be up in the air and not terribly interested in the movie. Take off took a little longer than we'd anticipated, but the girls were pretty cool about it all. Lydia hadn't flown since she was five months and was a little disappointed, but Soph loved it! Oh, and remember how the Desitin got us as we were leaving Long Beach back in November? Well, this time I was stopped in SL before we boarded the plane and given a pat down for carrying that diaper rash ointment. And what's worse was that it tested positive for explosive materials. WHAT??!!!! Yeah. That was less cool. I told the TSA guy that we'd be happy to toss the tubes in the trash when he told us he needed to bring someone else in to test them further. No thanks. Lets toss those puppies and be done with them. And then be on our way. So. Not. Worth. Keeping.

And then we made it! And we got ourselves a lovely rental car (more on that later) that fit us just fine despite the salesman's encouragement that we upgrade to a larger vehicle. We were fine. And once we had loaded ourselves and our luggage (I'm sure we were quite the spectacle) into our car we were on our way to the hotel!

Right away we went to Sea World (in the hotel shuttle) to confirm that the passes we had purchased really were good for more than one day. And though we didn't stay long we were excited about what the week would bring.

I packed inappropriately for the weather though. I probably should mention that. California doesn't always equate to sunshine. And the temperature in sunny Cali when we arrived was almost the same as the temperature we'd left behind in Utah. Go figure. Utah wasn't experiencing a heatwave at the moment, in case you were wondering. But we made due. The girls each had a sweater and they wore it daily until the second to last day when I couldn't handle it. We made a quick stop at Old Navy and the girls were still warm and both Jon and I felt much better about life and the fact that the number of growing bacteria was much less on the new sweaters than they were on the ones we'd brought with us.

Aunt Sarah made the trip from South Pasadena to Escondido, where her in-laws live, so that we could play with her and Milo and Elora as much as possible! Uncle Paul joined us on Thursday and Jon was able to be with us for most of that afternoon and evening that day too which was awesome.

So many favorites this trip! The girls LOVED the Beluga whales. We literally watched them for hours over the course of the week.

Lydia got to go with Aunt Sarah and Milo on a virtual flight. She loved that! The penguins were cool (Sophie's new favorite animal), she also loved the dolphins and Shamu and the otters. Oh, and the rides! And Mia LOVED the birds. She's a duck/bird girl for sure. Lydia loved the polar bears too. One of them spooked the girls quite a bit. We were walking up to where they were and didn't see them, but as we got closer we realized this one was right next to the glass!!

We went to the Sea Lion show three different days. The girls talked constantly about the Barracuda. We were told he was "dangerous" and it certainly caught the girls' attention. They loved the tricks the sea lions did and the actors/actresses did a great job too. We really enjoyed all the shows, actually.

The Dolphins was probably my favorite. What amazing animals!!

And it was cool to see what the Killer Whales could do too.

But the girls have talked more about the pet show than any other show we saw. I wasn't super excited to go watch a bunch of pets when we were at Sea World (after all) and there were some seriously amazing animals to observe. But that didn't stop us, and once we were seated I didn't regret the show one bit. Sophie loved how these black and brown cats jumped into a "jug of milk" and when they jumped back out they were white. She also loved watching this cat go across a rope twenty or thirty feet in the air UPSIDE DOWN. So cool! And Lydia loved watching the dog prep for his "girlfriend" by cleaning up the yard and giving her flowers when she showed up for their date at the front door before sitting down together for a fancy dinner. She also loved meeting the pets afterward. Mia loved the exotic birds that flew up stage from behind the bleachers and the kangaroo and porcupine were entertaining too. Oh! And the pig! This pig went through an obstacle course that a few dogs had raced through previously. And he literally went through it. Totally busted through the bricks he was supposed to jump over. Lydia thought that was hysterical. Lots of cool tricks from the pets and encouragement from the employees to treat animals well and that some of the ones in the show were rescues who'd come from homes where the owners thought they were too high energy or just couldn't be trained. Everyone should own a pet! And Lydia would be the first to agree with that. So glad we saw the shows. I imagine we would have enjoyed them just as much had we gotten to stay another day and watch them all again.

In mentioning favorites I'd be in trouble if I neglected to mention Milo and Elora. Sophie LOVES Elora. LOVES LOVES LOVES her! "She's just so cute!" So when Sarah took a few pics of her with those two cuties it was perfect. Absolutely needed to be documented. And Mia still lights up when I mention Milo and Elora. I love Milo and Mia. Buddies for life.

The kids played well together and loved the cousin time. It was super entertaining watching them bounce around on this gigantic bubble and crash into each other. A great find in the park after all the walking around. We got to rest and the kids got to go crazy. A win for all of us.

There was a play area a million miles off the ground, surrounded by nets that was super cool too. And I love that these three cuties just loved being in cahoots with each other. No crazy shenanigans. No bossing each other around. Just pure giggly energy.

Watching Aunt Sarah ride some rides with them was awesome too. I was fine watching them in the boat and way more than fine passing my kids on to her and Milo while they rode the tea cups. Mia and I could barely stand to watch them spin. What's wrong with me?? I must be old. Yep. I'm old.

The Sea Turtles were a highlight too. And we learned that the star fish aren't doing too well which was why they couldn't be seen.

I also loved that Lyds enjoyed pushing Mia around the park so much. Mia wasn't into much of anything (besides the birds), but she did love riding in her stroller! It's a good thing we stopped at Target after the first day. I'm certain I couldn't have held her every day. All day long. Such a great purchase.

The girls loved the cleaner fish that nibbled at their dead skin (once they got up the courage to let the fish near enough to touch them) and Lydia was very proud of herself for finally touching the spotted leopard sharks after being "almost brave" enough to do it the previous two days leading up to that.

We were by the sea lions and there were tons of these white birds. I thought they looked like they belonged on the scene, but we soon discovered that they were there to nab whatever food visitors tossed to the sea lions. And they weren't terribly welcome. I love that Jon snapped this pic. They aren't bad looking birds, and Mia loved them, but apparently they are everywhere in San Diego. And therefore not as unique as I originally thought them to be.

I loved watching Milo with the bat rays. He was totally into it and it took Lydia and Sophie much longer to reach in and touch those creatures. Aunt Sarah also took the kids on a sky ride overlooking the park. They had a blast! In fact, the girls preferred the company of Aunty Sarah whenever they were given the option.

Oh! And the flamingos. Jon is the coolest and got some food for everyone so that we could feed the flamingos. The kids had fun throwing food in their general direction. Not sure any flamingo actually found their gifts, but it sure was fun to watch!

And I absolutely need to mention the Asians and our babies. After the first pet show Sarah was accosted by several Asian women wanting pictures with her kids. Elora was a super star and her picture was definitely going home with these friendly women we couldn't understand. And then Mia was a rock star. We were sitting down waiting for the Sea Lion show to start when Jon and I were asked if it was okay with us if they took her picture. Must be the blue eyes and blonde hair. After we gave this one woman permission several cameras went off. Wish I knew what their plans with her picture were...but really, who could blame them??

One of the Sea World employees recommended we eat at the Corvette Diner one night during our stay. So we did! It was fun. The waitress threw a bunch of red straws on our table. We assumed we were supposed to drink with them, but we were wrong. After looking around a bit we realized that everyone had them in their hair. They were connected into these humongous bows and not meant to be sipped with. A magician came by and did some magic tricks. I wrote my name on a card that ended up inside a balloon. How did it get there? I confess. I have no idea! He made some objects disappear with some cups too. The girls were half interested, half terrified. The fun for them came after dinner when we went to the arcade.

Most of our time was spent playing air hockey with these ladies. Jon did win each of them a little rubber ducky at the claw machine though...

And Mia LOVES her little blue ducky. She talks about blue ducky all the time! And she's found a yellow one here at home that she calls orange ducky and has added white and pink duckies to the family.

One morning we piled in Sarah's minivan and went to the Mormon Battalion Church History site. So cool! We got to see people talking in their picture frames and then watched them actually walk out of them! The whole tour was so well done. The kids dressed up like soldiers in the Battalion and it took Sophie completely by surprise when it started raining and it seemed so real! Panning for gold afterward was exciting and memorable for the girls. They loved playing in the water. In fact, Sophie got so wet that Jon had to bring her a change of clothes when he met us for lunch afterward.

The only bummer of this outing was when I tripped over the cannon on display in the building and nearly threw Mia in my shocked and pained state. It hurt. A little. But it was more humiliating than anything. The sweet sister missionary who took us on the tour was super nice. I wish she hadn't been so nice. I'm pretty sure I would have cried less had she been less caring and attentive. We did get a fun picture to remember our visit though. And suggestions for places to dine at later.

Now that I'm writing about my trip and fall at the Mormon Battalion site I'm remembering the late afternoon chat Sarah and I had when we brought ice cream back to the hotel and locked ourselves in the bathroom while Jon was our hero and watched Winnie the Pooh with the kids. Yep, That happened. And it was awesome!! It was so good to talk to Sarah! Amazing that we spent as much time together as we did that week and it still wasn't enough. A million unfinished conversations and a million more we wish we'd had.

Thursday night Jon and Lyds and Soph went to the beach while I stayed with Mia in the car so she could nap. I'm glad they went. We flew all that way. It would have been a shame not to see the ocean. And we got to eat pizza with the Israelsens afterward at a little pizza joint near the beach. Good food, great company. Nothing better than that!

The girls were really great eaters this trip! That's almost always a concern, but they weren't picky and I didn't feel like we wasted much food either. It was weird asking for keys to unlock the bathrooms at each restaurant though. I get it, but when your kids gotta go, they really gotta go! We ate at The Firefly restaurant the night before we left. The food was good there too and it was nice to go somewhere a little more fancy with nice dishes and a cool ambiance. This place was perfect.

And then it was time to go. We were a lot worried about getting all of us up and to the rental place and then on to the airport on time so we woke up crazy early Saturday morning so that we wouldn't miss our flight. And though we had way more time than necessary, I'm so glad we did! I'd much rather be three hours early than late by a minute or two. Jon's doing, of course. Always prepared. Love that Boy Scout of mine! The girls made tons of friends at the airport. We were told how well behaved they were several times. Nobody once mentioned anything about our three girls at Sea World, but I'm pretty sure at the airport it was no less than five people who wanted to know if we were going to try for a boy. Go figure. The return trip was a little disappointing for Lydia in particular. There was no Wi-Fi. It wasn't working. And she was sitting by me this time. Not Jon. So Sophie got a movie, but Lyds didn't. Also, due to "rough air" the snack service was cancelled. I was really looking forward to those cookies. But that was nothing to the disappointment Lyds felt when no snacks was added to her not watching a movie. Total bummer. But she made it! We all did. And she really did have a good attitude about it. Mia slept more on the return trip than she did the flight out there. I think she was still pretty relieved to be back on the ground once we landed.

And we later found out that our rental car had a dent in it. Actually, we saw it when we shut the back of the car up and assumed that it was known to Enterprise. Apparently not. Jon knew he should have gone back and talked to them, but we didn't and not long after we were home they sent us word that we needed to file a claim with our insurance. Awesome. Not our fault. But cool. So Jon was told to submit it through JUB. Not sure how that's going to work out, but definitely unfortunate.

On a happier note, the girls loved their souvenirs! Jon used to collect shot glasses on trips when he was a kid. His sisters collected little spoons. And this trip Lydia brought home a polar bear (she's fascinated with the Arctic at the moment), Sophie brought home an otter (Otterina is her name) and Mia brought home a killer whale. She calls it Whaley. Such a fun trip! So many awesome memories!!

Remembering Grandpa Andrus

January 16th was rather unforgettable. Jon and I were sitting in bed. We were just discussing our next temple trip and were a little frustrated about some of the details of how we were going to work that out. Finding a time that worked with our sitters was part of our discussion. As we were going to bed Jon felt prompted to check KSL. The first article that appeared was one about an elderly man who had been hit by a car while walking along Main Street in Spanish Fork. Jon didn't want to upset me (after our little argument) and though he was immediately worried about Grandpa he took a minute before mentioning the article. I texted Jarom, "Have you seen Grandpa today? We just read about an elderly man who was hit by a car near you guys  in Spanish Fork. They haven't identified the body yet." Looking back at that I'm sure it came across horribly. Jar went right to work trying to find Grandpa and realized pretty quickly that he wasn't home. He got to the hospital just about the same time Aunt Cali did. A police officer showed up at her house late that night. She thought he might be coming to tell her that something had happened to Uncle Steve. He wasn't at home at the time. The officer told her that he thought it was her dad at the hospital. Grandpa had no identification on him and it was his pace maker that finally revealed who he was. Brittany called me and told me it was indeed Grandpa who had been hit. It was shocking and devastating to hear that, though not entirely surprising. Grandpa was always out walking. But things didn't look good. Jar gave me an update later about his broken ribs and shoulder (injuries he's sustained during CPR) and the texts went out quickly to all the siblings to pray for Grandpa initially, and then just to update everyone on his status. They wouldn't perform surgery on him. Ultimately it would do him no good. We knew Grandpa was ready to move on, but that didn't make things any less painful. Mom and Dad didn't answer their phones despite several of us calling (Sarah, Jess, Amber and Jon and I) and Amber finally sent Elder Groberg a text to go knock on their door. That was the same time that Dad woke up to check Mom's phone and about the same time that Isaac and Amber showed up at their house. I drove as fast as I could from Layton and carpooled with Isaac and Amber down to Provo. Nate walked over to the hospital and was with Jarom and Aunt Cali until Mom, Dad and Isaac, and Amber and I arrived. It was so good to be texting with the sisters in Grandpa's final moments. We all love him so much! I have so many great memories of him and Grandma and I wrote several of them down shortly after Grandpa died. It's hard to capture what he means to me in just a few words, but this is what I've come up with.

When I was living with Grandma and Grandpa while teaching 2^nd grade at Canyon Elementary school I loved going on walks with them. Sometimes I’d run while they walked. They’d point out their favorite trees; Charlie, Barney and Gnarly. They loved being outdoors and knew so many people. I loved Grandma’s and Grandpa’s house. Especially their front room, with the red carpet and beautiful piano. Lizzie and I got to go to a sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa when we were little. We looked at the picture of the family hanging on the Wall in their front room and memorized it “Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Ruth, Cali, Fatchie, Crista, Mary Anne” and Grandpa and Grandma would time us to see how fast we could say their names.  Grandma made us her delicious boy cookies too. I remember going over there with Shelley and Laura (my two best friends from high school) and Grandpa was amazed at how tall they were. They were 5’11” and 6’ tall. We drove around Spanish Fork and played in their awesome back yard. The swings were the best.  I loved the outhouse. Sleigh rides were my favorite in the winter.

Before I left for school in the mornings, Grandma would make me a nice breakfast (I especially loved the bacon and eggs on toast. Must have been made with extra love because it tasted so so good!!)  and I’d join her and Grandpa and tell them stories about my students. I’d often eat dinner with them too. Each night Grandma would tell me the story of how they met, and at first Grandpa would remind her that I’d already heard it. But as time went on he stopped. I like to think that he could tell that it didn’t matter to me how many times I heard her tell their love story. I loved it. Grandpa would joke about how Grandma wouldn’t ever let him air the bed out. She’d insist that he make it each morning. Not long before Grandma passed away they got a washer and dryer in their basement. Up until then they’d been taking their laundry to the laundromat. And Grandma would scrub the kitchen floor on her hands and knees each week. They were both such hard workers. One night I came home and started going inside when I heard Grandma and Grandpa kissing. I was so embarrassed and felt like a little kid who’d stayed out too late. I froze on the porch and stayed there until Grandpa welcomed me home and made sure I was safe inside. I was living there when Sarah got in her car accident. I told Grandpa about it and he said, “you tell that young lady to get right back on that horse.” I loved that about him. No fear. Move on. Don’t let anything hold you back.

I’d only been driving my car for about a year when I was living in their basement. One evening I was pulled over while driving home to Grandma and Grandpa’s. I’d been driving cautiously and couldn’t imagine what I’d done to attract this kind of attention. When the lady officer asked me why I thought she’d pulled me over I asked if it was because I had a burned out tail light?? I had no idea. She then let me know that my plates had expired and gave me a fix it ticket. When I let Grandpa know he was so sorry that he hadn’t noticed that my plates had expired and that if he’d seen that they had he could have helped me avoid that embarrassing/uncomfortable situation. It wasn’t his fault!! I was new to owning and a car and simply didn’t realize that I was neglecting to do something very important. Grandpa told me right where to go and everything was fine in the end. Another time I locked my keys in my car after teaching school in the Macy’s parking lot and called Isaac to let him know and see if he’d be willing to drive from Provo and bring me my spare set. I think I called Grandpa too just to let him know what was going on. He came right over with a police officer (one of his friends, no doubt) and they took care of everything in just a few minutes. I let Isaac know he no longer needed to rescue me and Grandpa was my hero once again.

When I went on dates Grandma was always so excited for me and told me that I ought to find a boy who would give me one of these (as she’d point to her wedding ring). When I got engaged she and Grandpa were so happy for me. Grandma liked Jon’s last name and said that she used to be a Frazier (Facer) too. I made some peanut butter cups to take to Grandma and Grandpa when I introduced them to Jon and during that visit Grandma was hilarious and just so cute! She kept saying how excited she was about the treats and that “they’re all mine” and she wasn’t going to share them with anyone. She was so sweet and grateful and always made me feel so good. I loved her laugh! We were sitting in the basement next to the fire and the chocolate on top of the peanut butter cups actually started to melt. I know Grandpa didn’t mind the cold but he wanted to make sure that Grandma was plenty warm and comfortable. I’m pretty sure I was sweating, but I loved how he took care of her.

I loved that Grandma and Grandpa and I were all teachers. I loved that Grandpa and I both served in the Philippines, specifically on the island Leyte; he as a WWII soldier and I as a missionary. I loved all his stories. He’d often tell me about our ancestors. I remember thinking how great it will be to meet Uncle Les and Uncle Len one day. He loved people and it was very apparent in the way he’d take care of them. Driving Reid Christmas up the canyon when he was mostly bed ridden at the end. Visiting the widows and anyone who stood in need. He was an incredible example of service and love. I remember lots of the things he said, but more importantly I remember how he made me feel. Like I was important. That I mattered. That I could make a difference.

Family parties at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s were the best. He’d grow his beard out and when he shaved again Grandma would brag about “her new boyfriend.”  The year Grandpa brought Sabby inside was especially fun and memorable. I loved their boy cookies and girl cookies and special drinks (OJ and root beer) they used to make. They’d have KFC, pizza hut (or two jacks pizza or Papa Murpheys- I always think of Grandpa when I think of the Cowboy pizza) or 6’ long subway sandwiches. And ice cream cones. Always ice cream cones. Somehow knowing that Grandpa had dished them up made them taste better. Oh, and the homemade bread. Pepperoni bread, sour dough bread. In addition to a treat at Halloween Grandpa would pass out apples. “They’re much better for you, you know.”

He loved his animals. Mac and Ted, the oxen (Charlie and Barney), Skip, Sabby. And Rosie. I loved the story of Grandpa bringing her home from the Philippines. And how when he proposed to Grandma he told her that if she didn’t take his ring he was going to give it to Rosie.

Some of the things Grandpa said that I love include: “good for us chickens” in response to how he was doing, “so good it’s scary”, him describing things as “cockeyed…(insert object)..” “those’ll keep the flies away” in reference to the wall with all the grandkids pictures on them. And when things were difficult or sad, “it’s all part of the program.” “Spanish Fark.” “If you’re not ten minutes early, you’re late.” “If you’re going to do it, do it right, do it now, and get it done.”

He loved seeing people’s reactions. I remember him showing off the money toilet seat and the barbed wire seat. I didn’t know what to make of them! And he was seriously the best story teller. He loved to laugh and joke, but cared deeply about people. He kept track of and knew how many of his buddies from the war were left. Or from high school. He encouraged us to keep in touch with friends. I think of love, concern and service when I think of Grandpa.

He didn’t talk about the war too much, but when he put together his museum in the basement we got to see the Japanese flag, the dental kit, the rifle he brought back and many other things. He loved Spanish Fork and talked about Strawberry Reservoir a lot. He loved taking people down Fifth Water and would often end up grilling burgers (church owned meat) and hot dogs afterward. Those hikes really were beautiful and I know he loved Spanish Fork more than anywhere else on earth. I love that he rode a horse on his 95^th birthday. The stories of him pushing cattle at age five and driving a car at age eight are legend. But also not super surprising as it’s Grandpa and he’s tough as nails. I loved how he continued going over to the Church Farm long past retirement and worked with Jesus.

I loved that they were both walking right up until the end. And that Grandpa could do 35 pushups up until they day he died. No wonder the doctors and nurses originally thought he was more than two decades younger than he actually was. His muscles threw them off, but the bone x-rays couldn’t lie. I’m so grateful that Jon saw the KSL article and thought to say something so I could check in with Jair and he could check on Grandpa. As much as it was awful to realize it was him it was so nice to be able to say goodbye. I felt like Grandpa was hanging around so we could say goodbye (not for his sake, but for ours) and laughing while we were all gathered (Mom and Dad, Aunt Cali, Isaac and Amber, Jarom, Nate and I) telling stories, joking around (thanks to Jarom. I think Grandpa would have encouraged the jokes) and sobbing uncontrollably as the pain of parting hit us. We got to sing Who’s on the Lord’s Side Who? Amber asked if Grandpa had a favorite hymn and Aunt Cali remembered that it was one of his favorites and he wanted it sung at his funeral. And he didn’t have long to wait once the accident happened before he was on his way home. I've really been blessed with incredible grandparents. It's been so hard to say goodbye to Grandpa who has been in such good health and I think we all took it for granted that he would live forever. I had the privilege of speaking at his funeral, which was held on January 23rd. Having the honor guard salute Grandpa and play Taps for him was beautiful. He left his mark in this world and was so good to everyone he met. So the opportunity to speak at his funeral absolutely overwhelmed me (how could I possibly say what this incredible man meant to me??!) but was also one that I will be forever grateful for.

And this is what I said:

I have so many wonderful memories of Grandpa. I loved that when he’d hear about the exciting things that were happening in our lives and note how smart or talented we were he’d always point out that it was because we took after our grandmother on our mother’s side. Recently as he, Nate and I were sitting around his kitchen table (with my girls running in and out) listening to his stories I remember thinking how grateful I was that he was still around and yet fully aware that he didn’t know why and that he was ready and eager to move on. He missed Grandma so much. He wanted to join her and had been ready to do so for a while. And yet he never gave up or slowed down as the years after her passing went on. Grandpa was a hard worker and a doer. And he enjoyed life. His jokes and stories testified of that. He may not have known why he was still around, but I do. It was because we (and so many others) needed him. Grandpa was funny and fearless, he loved animals, told the best stories, was so generous and what I’ll remember most is his kindness and compassion.   Here are a few memories of him from his grandkids.

Jon wrote: I remember one time Grandpa dropped the waist of his pants to low ride, saying, "Hey everyone, look at me: I'm a teenager!" Another time Grandpa took Banda (if I remember right) and me out to eat. There was an old-timey barber's chair in the lobby of the restaurant. When they walked in and saw it, Banda and Grandpa looked at each other, then darted for the chair. Banda got there first, but Grandpa shoved him out of the way to take a seat, grinning enormously.   –Jon Blackhurst

From Cori: I loved the impish look on his face when he showed off the penny toilet seat. His "wall of shame" with all the grandkid's graduation pictures. When he said "very gooder". Eating bread from his bread maker that always had a special surprise (a single Marichino cherry, maybe a chunk of pepperoni). When he was describing someone/something he thought was foolish and a bit funny he would say "I don't know" with a grin while rubbing his head.  Once, when I lived in the little White House with my brothers we filled my crappy Toyota Corolla top to bottom with inflatable furniture before squeezing in ourselves to go to Payson lakes. He watched the shenanigans from the driveway with his arms folded and a smile on his face.

Mike remembered that at family parties he would shave his beard and Grandma would brag about her 'new boyfriend' –Mike Hillier

Michelle wrote: Grandpa never really spoke of the war with me, except to talk about the men he served with, like Peaches, or Rosie his beloved monkey. However, about a year ago, he was at my parents’ house, and we were having a casual chat. I don’t know what prompted him to discuss the war with me, but he told me about his first experience on a ship in battle. He said that the bombs were dropping, and the men were scared, some so much so that they were shaking and crying with fear. He told me that he stood on the deck, watching everything unfold, hearing the boom of the bombs and the sounds of guns firing. He said that it was strange because in that moment, he felt no fear at all. At first I was skeptical, and I said, “Really, Grandpa?” He assured me that he felt completely calm and safe. As time goes on, I realize more and more that it just makes sense to me that he wouldn’t have been afraid. That was Grandpa. He was happy, hopeful, cheerful, and I always remember him laughing. I don’t think I ever saw Grandpa when he didn’t have a smile on his face or something funny to tell us.    –Michelle Fish

Claire wrote about Grandpa’s Shetland pony, Sabby and how she loved following her around. She wrote, “I loved going to the farm with him. I loved Charlie and Barney the oxen and Ted and Mac his draft horses. I remember he took me to a neighboring farm and I got to hold a newborn baby piglet. He cuddled up in my arms and went to sleep. I loved listening to him tell his war stories, my favorite though was about Rosie! – Claire Walker

Todd referred to Grandpa as “The Smiling Storyteller”

My favorite memory of Grandpa is his smile. In my mind, Grandpa is one of the best storytellers that I know. Sitting on the floor, staring up at his face, the stories washed over me. Sometimes I wasn’t able to completely follow, but I knew to watch his face. You could tell that he had spun this yarn countless times, but his face would betray what was to come. A sly smile would creep over his face and you knew the punchline was coming. I will always cherish his storytelling smile. 

Leah shared this: When we told family we were moving back to Utah, Grandpa immediately told Cali that we could have a family plot at the cemetery for our son, Caleb. I remember meeting him at the cemetery to choose the plot and the sexton mentioned that it would be best to have a plot for Zeb and me so that we can be buried with Caleb one day. The sexton said to get it done as soon as possible. Grandpa didn't hesitate. In fact we went to the city offices that day and had the plots switched to our names. His generosity and kindness have left an impact on me. He was so ready and willing to give, and I will always remember that. Having Caleb buried near Grandma and soon Grandpa, brings peace to our hearts. We love him so much and are so grateful for his example.  -Leah Fish

I don’t know exactly how many of us were blessed to either live next door to Grandpa in the White House or in his basement at some point in our lives, but I believe many of us did. And I think we can all agree that he was the best landlord there is.

When I got home from my mission it was just in time for Lizzie and Micah’s wedding. I was so happy for her and yet so sad to be losing her at the same time. I remember being in the sealing room with everyone at the end of the wedding and couldn‘t hold back my tears. Grandpa saw that I was struggling, put his arm around me and teared up with me. He understood exactly how I was feeling and it meant so much to me to know that he cared and wanted to be of comfort. Four and a half years later he was comforting me again when Grandma was in the hospital after falling and breaking her hip. My heart was breaking for him knowing that Grandma didn’t have much more time and yet once again there he was, comforting me, telling me “it’s all part of the program” as he tried to get her to keep her oxygen mask on. Less than two weeks after Grandma passed away Grandpa was at my wedding. He understandably could have been absent (in fact some would say he had every reason not to come) and yet there he was, happy for me and as positive and upbeat as always. Later on when Jon and I opened his gift and read his card I burst into tears when I saw that he’d written it to “Scott and Marie” from both Grandma and Grandpa. It was so like Grandpa to use our middle names and for some reason his love for Grandma hit me so hard then.

His passing was so sudden but Abby shared a response to the KSL article on Grandpa’s accident that’s brought me a lot of peace. It said:

“Ralph Andrus was a remarkable man in so many ways- including that he was bright, articulate, and physically very capable, even at age 95. He walked, climbed stairs, rode horses, visited old sick people years younger than him, and served others. He survived WWII. He taught school. He raised a magnificent family. We are so sad to see it all end like this. But, I believe if Ralph could speak to the young driver he would say, ‘now don’t you worry for a minute about this. I got myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I guess it was my time.’ Ralph was a very special man who will be sorely missed by family members and many others of us who consider him a friend. But, I think Ralph himself is celebrating his reunion with his wife. He really was ready for this.”      -Salesman12

When I think of Grandpa I have so many memories that make me laugh, but most of all I think of him as the kindest man with the biggest heart who did for me what he did for everyone. He loved and served and was concerned for all of us and I’m so grateful to call him Grandpa.

And I'm so grateful that my girls got to know him!

Sophie told me, "I like that Grandpa Andrus scoops little kids ice cream cones."  

Lydia said, "I liked riding in Grandpa Andrus’ sled. We took a picture with him in it and then Dad pulled us around." 

Grandpa was so incredibly generous. He'd been sending us (and by us I mean all of his posterity) money for Christmas the past few years. This year I decided to buy new running shoes with the money he gave me. I was long overdue, but thought this would be the beginning of my tribute to honor Grandpa. He really valued health and fitness and was a great example to all of us of taking care of himself right up until the end. His daily three mile walks and 35 push ups a day attest to that. In December I signed up to run my first marathon, which will be on May 20th. It's the Ogden Marathon and just happens to be two days after Grandpa's 96th birthday. I'm going to run it for him. Training has been a really special time for me as I've thought about him and Grandma and the influence they've had on my life. I miss them! But I look forward to this race and know that I can do hard things. I'm Grandpa's granddaughter for heaven's sake!

Merry Christmas

Such a great Christmas this year! Some favorite memories include dressing the girls up as a human Christmas Tree. Jon was helping me prep for singing time with senior primary, and the girls thought it was the best thing ever!

We LOVED "the party lights" (as the girls called them) that Jon set up so that our house was festive but he didn't have to get on the roof to hang any lights. Genius!

 The doll house. Jon spent hours putting this beauty together and the girls love it! They were excited about the Barbies too. And lots of little friends have made their way to the doll house too.

Temple Square with the Blackhurst side was cold and wet, but beautiful!

We acted out the Nativity at both Grandparents. The girls were cute little shepherds at Grandma and Grandpa Blackhursts. Jon was Joseph, Lydia was Mary and Sophie was the angel at Grandm and Grandpa Fraziers.

 We love how much Mia loves Goldie and Bear. She carries one in each hand and talks about them all the time. First words outside Ma and Dada (and maybe a few others) are Goldie and Bear. She's even called out "Goldie, Bear!" in her sleep. It's been fun to see her enjoy Christmas this year. She definitely takes cues from her sisters and their excitement is palpable, so of course she's taking it in!

 The girls lit up when they came downstairs. Lydia was so excited about her little white dog. She forgot to bring her when we went to church with Grandma and Grandpa Frazier and was devastated that she couldn't show her aunts and uncles and cousins her new dog. Fortunately Christmas wasn't ruined and she bounced back eventually at Grandma and Grandpas. I love that she spent weeks making homemade wrapping paper, wrapping all the gifts herself. She was worried that Dad wouldn't want her using store bought paper so she made her own!

Soph exclaimed,  "BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!" at one point. Multiple times, if I remember right. She was so excited about the gifts she was giving to each of us- the jewelry, the doll for Mia, and Dad's Utah pajama pants. "They're like his Super Man pajamas!!" She fell in love with Elora and talked about her constantly. "She's so beautiful!" She absolutely loved the book from Grandma Frazier with the beautiful paintings to illustrate scripture. She had us read it again when we got home that night.

I loved the jewelry from the girls. They were so excited about shopping with Dad and wrapping it and tried really hard to keep it a secret up until Christmas! I look forward to wearing them again and again.

 We went sledding in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard (at the elementary school) the day after Christmas and sipped hot chocolate with them afterward.

Missionary meals is a favorite tradition with Grandma and Grandpa Blackhurst and all the aunts, uncles and cousins. We actually got to sample quite a few meals this year. Here's the pancit from the night Jon and I made Tocino and Pancit Canton.

Jon and the girls made snowmen after the first big snowfall. A neighbor came by and added a lovely hat after they had finished.

Jon was thrilled.

And suddenly our snowman didn't look so happy.

 We also took family pictures with the Blackhurst side. Something we hadn't done in over four years. Everyone was super tough despite the snow and cold and we were done with the group shot and all the individual pictures in record time!

It's been a wonderful Christmas season full of family and fun!