The Nielsen House Lodge

We cashed in my moms birthday gift- 

A night's stay at her grandparents, Carl & Agnes Nielsen's, house in Ferron, Utah

(It's an airbnb now)

The grass isn't as green and the snow residue isn't very pretty, but we had a really memorable time

Kate and Brady

Inside the front door- small family room to the left 

 

and dining room to the left

up the stairs you find a room with two single beds and through that doorway...

is a darling little loft room

Back down stairs on the left side of the house is where my great grandma's bedroom was. We called her, "little grandma." In years past if anyone in the family asked me if I remembered "little grandma's" house I could picture a kitchen and a bedroom, but wasn't sure if my memory was correct. It was really neat to be in the house and realize that, yes, I can remember standing in this doorway, looking at her in bed where that purple couch is and eating mints out of a bowl on a little table next to the bed.

in her bedroom they've since added a spiral staircase

and this little room

here's the kitchen I remember standing in. I think by the time I came around, little grandma was bedridden. My grandparents lived just up the hill from her so when we were visiting them we got to help bring meals to her. 

My mom showed us some pictures and told us a little family history. 

 Things I've heard over the years about my Grandpa Ivan's life were cleared up a bit.

He had 3 brothers and one sister. 

*Sister Helen died from an illness when she was 5

*Brother Harry was a dentist in Ferron. He was an alcoholic and ended up dying at 55 from cirrhosis of the liver.

That's his house next door in the back ground.

*Brother Ted and my grandpa started a farm on my grandpa's property in Clawson (neighboring town).  Ted was married and had one little boy and a baby girl on the way. One day something spooked a horse and a bull and they collided with Ted in between them and it killed him. His wife delivered their baby girl within the next couple of weeks and they named her Tedanne.

*Brother Eric came home from the war not too long after and felt the responsibility to take care of his brothers wife. He married her. He was also a drinker and a smoker. One day the Stake President called him in and asked him to be the Bishop. He never picked up another drink or cigarette again. 

That left my grandpa Ivan the only living sibling. 

My grandpa Ivan married my grandma LaVer. They had 4 daughters, Helen, Ronda, my mom Susan and Becca (in the picture).  They first lived in Clawson and with Ted they built this farm. My mom said it looked exactly the way it did when she was a little girl. I've always known my grandpa as a farmer and even thougth I wasn't alive for this phase of his life, it felt familiar. I just had to stare long enough and I could see him bustling around in his suspenders and black irrigation boots. 

They lived here until my mom was about 11 

and then they moved to Ferron, up the street from little grandma's house.

I didn't get a picture of the house. I wish we could have gone inside it. I only remember an upstairs room with a closet full of dress up's and I remember the bowl of fake fruit on the kitchen table. But this is his farm in Ferron

He farmed here for close to 20yrs. My mom was married in the yard at this house.

They then moved to Springville. 

After about 10 yrs in Springville they moved to Midway. 

My grandpa passed away just before I was married and my grandma passed away when Ivan was just a baby. I really love my family.

Lehi High School Cheer Camp

This year Kate joined Emery and they both loved it

I often find Kate hunkered down with a book she can't actually read
and holy cow, we all love that little face right there.
It is constantly getting kissed by someone in this house

We got the van detailed and I am in Heaven. I need clean. 

We also got rid of this big bulky car seat and got a new, clean, light weight one.

 Kate wanted one last picture in it

The boys got a couple skiing days in

The girls went to Lowe's

Ivan's been doing basketball. It's been a fun season.

Last year he tried out for Bantam, a competitive league and he didn't make it. Our neighbor was coaching a team and she let him join theirs so he could get some training under his belt. He didn't get much playing time, but when he did, he played timid. His mind was set on the fact that he didn't make it and that he wasn't as good as everyone else and so he held back a ton. It was kind of a bummer. He didn't make it again this year, but another neighbor decided to put together a team, because his son didn't make it either. He pulled a few kids from the neighborhood and from their school who haven't really played before so this year Ivan knew the team needed him and Jackson and it has been so fun. He played  with the mindset that he was a champion, which makes him a champion. It has been so fun to watch

Valentines boxes from last year

except for Emery's. She redid hers

Nielsen's Bday

 "Strike a pose, there's noth'n to it"

Lucy needs her hair braided after a shower. Kate was off gallivanting with her friends on a girls trip. Mark desperately texted to see if I could step in and accomplish the braid. 

I love to help. 

Design a book mark competition. 

Jack got in the top 5 for all the 4-6th graders 

I colored my hair red

A lot happens each month. I'm ornery for most of it, but at the end of the day or the month or the year, I'm glad these little ones belong to me.

My pretty 74yr old mom- Happy Birthday

My mom grew up in Ferron, a small down in Emery County. Her grandma, Agnes Nielsen, we called her "little grandma" lived in a little house just down the hill from hers. I can remember going to my great grandma's house when I was really young. I can just remember her laying in her bed and the mints in the bowl next to her bed and I can remember being in the kitchen eating cereal. 

The house has been turned into a bed and breakfast. We don't know who own's it, but it's called the Nielsen House. 

For my moms bday we got a night stay for the whole family.