Monday, September 29, 2008

grandma henriksen













I have the world's coolest grandmas. my maternal grandmother featured, is a 30yr old disguised as a 80 something yr old. she is bubbly, energetic and still can hike and garden (cross legged). My paternal grandmother is equally as young and is taking me to hawaii with her next week (need I say more?).

my grandma henriksen (maternal) is who this blog post is featuring. her and my grandfather bought this cabin when my mom was still a child. we grew up celebrating holidays there and having cousin sleepovers. we swung on the rope swing, played backwards checkers with my grandpa and searched for "brownies" in the forest. we all fought over who would get to sleep on the smooshiest bed in the attic and loved driving down the road swinging our legs from the back of an open car. sitting around the campfire we would give testimony's and sing family songs including the goodnight song, when we would sing goodnight to every person there by name (even if there were 50 people). my grandpa would cook us floating pancakes for breakfast and grandma would always serve cantaloupe and bacon. I love those memories.

so here is to one of my favorite women on earth. thank you for the notes and gifts under my pillow. thank you for the gold fish. thank you for figi, the pioneers and the prophets. thank you for the music boxes and the laundry shoot. thanks for the wall paper in the laundry room. thank you for letting me live with you that one summer. thanks for being my "other" during a rough time. thanks for giving me space when I needed it and hugs when I wanted to be close. thanks for the orangesicles. thanks for showing up in the PERFECT outfit when I told you to dress for the photo shoot in what you would normally wear to the cabin. thanks for loving me to the moon and back.

I love you too.

xxoo-
rachel

15 comments:

Holly and Rhett said...

These are adorable! Sure love her.

Stopher and Nicolle said...

i love it. the pics are fab, but the memories are better! also, WHAT!!? You're going to Hawaii now...well, isn't that just the luck!?

Melody said...

Rachel, This might be my favorite blog post ever! And my favorite pictures ever! I love it! It makes me want to go and take pictures of my nana! the pictures are priceless! Great job!
Love ya,
Melody

nikki said...

What a sweet tribute to your grandmother. I love it.

Lisa said...

Rach, this is such a sweet post to your grandma! I love the pics of her too, you can just see her cute personality through them.

Stoker Family said...

love these pictures so much. Please let us know when you come to Utah next. We love all of your work and would love for you to take some photos of our family

Heather said...

i love grandma's!!

i love them all. my favorite is the one with her and the walking stick...... precious.

you will cherish these forever!

Angie said...

I check your blog everyday. Fun to see Grandma pop up there. I love these photos. Classic Grandma.

Anonymous said...

Rachel, this is one of my favorite posts. You captured the cabin and our Grandmother perfectly. (I love the green checkered table cloth)

I think the magic of the cabin and our grandparents are that our memories involve all the same things. Now I want to have another cousin sleepover!

I would really love to order some of those pictures. Also, I want to link this post from my blog...ok?
I love you!

"good night Rachel, good night Rachel, good night Rachel, it's time to go to bed, boom boom boom..."

Kelly and Melissa said...

Love this post!! It is funny how vivid the cabin memories stick out. You captured them perfectly. I am happy that we share the coolest grandma. She amazes me!

your friend said...

Our grandma is hard core!!!
I loved this post!

laura said...

I am laughing just thinking of all the fun memories at the cabin. Thank you for this post and all of the great pictures! I feel the same way as Beth...we should plan a cousin get-together at the cabin when you are in town next! Also, it would be fun to order copies of these pictures...are you post them on your website?

a labrum said...

You amaze me every time I get on your blog (which is all the time)!!! Your talent is incredible! I feel like I keep in touch with you without having to say a word... maybe I need to get a blog so that you can see what your "older" cousin is up too! These pictures made me smile. Isn't she so cute... and seriously still 30. So true. I love you and think about you all the time. I miss time with my cousins when I see things like this. Especially the one I had the most fun with!! We should really do a cousins night for sure! I need you to come take some pictures of my Ella too. Hopefully we will see each other soon - Amy

C. Rick Henriksen, MD, MPP said...

So...just wondering if you tried to make me cry? It is pretty pathetic to be sitting in a hotel lobby in Moab crying. Seriously...
I love both of you!

Whitney said...

I just read this and literally, cried. What beautiful photos and authentic words and feelings.
Whitney