February 29,2016

Whew, that was an exercise in patience, (figuring out how to get on this blog) but I want you to know that this technology-illiterate Grandma figured it out!  If I can do it, you can too.  If not, call Torrey.  She will be able to help you.I encourage you all to post on this blog.  Many years down the road you will be glad you did.

So - February.  Karen Smedley and I attended Roots Tech in Salt Lake.  For those of you who may not know, Roots Tech is a World Family History Conference sponsored by Family Search, and about 25,000 people attended.  It was in the Salt Palace, and we stayed in the Radisson, a nice hotel right next to the Salt Palace.  It is a very motivational conference.  I'm still trying to be motivated!  But we loved it and learned a few more things.  On Sat., it focused on the LDS people in attendance, and we heard from Elder Renlund and his wife and daughter and also Wendy Watson Nelson and her best friend, Sheri Dew.  You can view much of Roots Tech online.  I recommend it!  While at Roots Tech, I received news that Josie and Jeff Ryan's baby boy was born two weeks early!  He was 6 lb. 7 oz. and his name is Louis Jack.  Atlas James is named for Jeff's Grandpa and Louis Jack is named after the Grandpa's brother. (I may have that backwards)  They were exactly 16 months or 483 days apart - just like Atlas and Louis.

Grandma took the 4 youngest Larson girls up to Rexburg on the 15th to surprise Maddie Fryar on her 14th Birthday.  (That's all I could fit in the car) Katie and I took Maddie, Kallie and Sadie shopping at the new Rexburg Super Walmart.  Holy Cow - it's huge!  Mandy and the Dalling kids joined us that afternoon. They all spent the rest of the day talking, playing games and laughing.  When it was time to leave, there was much pleading to stay til midnight or the next morning.  Never mind that they all had school the next day!

Two weeks later, on the 18th of February and 4 days early, Ladd Samuel Atkinson was born.  It was a good thing that he was early, as he weighed 9 lb. 10 oz.!  He is a good looking, very healthy football kinda guy!  Jessica and Josie are happy to have their February babies here and so are we.  Always grateful for healthy babies to join our family.  He shares his birthday with Kelsey and Maren.

We went to Middleton on Friday, the 19th to enjoy Kelsey's 7th Birthday party with 7 of her friends.  She had a Pajama party, with pancakes, sausage, bacon and eggs, lots of fun games and activities and gifts.  The next day we watched Travis and the boys build a chicken coop for their new baby chicks of every variety that they will be getting any day now.  Their new home is so nice, and they welcome visitors.

We got up early that Sunday morning to get home for one of my ward conferences in Riverdale.  The stake Relief Society Presidency continues to hopefully teach the Melchizedek Priesthood in each ward about what it means to preside, provide and protect and from D&C 121.  It's been a good experience.

Last week, Clair and I went to the Provo City Center Temple Open House.  It is a beautiful Temple, and they have planned and fit it into that old tabernacle just right.  We stopped in Logan on the way home to visit Tom and Laura and kids and took Amanda out to dinner with Tom and Laura for her birthday.  Amanda has a new job!  She doubled her salary!  We're happy for her.

This past Friday, we went to visit our friends, the Fullers, who just returned from their mission in St. George.  Sister Fuller found out that she had stage 4 lung cancer last July, but through prayers, fasting and her pleading with the mission pres., they stayed for the full year and finished their mission.  What an inspiration she is to me.  She has lost 50 pounds, is pretty weak, but strong in her faith and testimony.  We keep praying for them and if she gets her way, they will serve another mission.  After hearing them report in their ward, Clair was ready to put in papers again.

Last Friday afternoon, we went up to Lava and soaked in the hot pools for about 20 or 30 minutes.  That's all we could handle!  They've done lots of remodeling and there are new dressing rooms and I think one of the pools has been covered up - at least from what I can remember from the days we used to go there on Christmas Eve for Amy's birthday.  Then we went to the Thai restaurant for dinner afterwards.  It was a fun date!

Everyone has lots going on in their families, but I will hope that you will all tell your own stories!  That's how we keep up with what's going on in each other's lives.  And that's how we can all pray for each other and love and support one another.

If Clair will help me figure out how to attach some pictures, I'll do that.

Love you all,
Mom/Grandma/Carolyn