Grandma Gardner

My Grandma Gardner died 10 years ago today from cancer at the age of 67. Since my children have never met her I decided to post things that I remember about her. She was a wonderful lady and I love her very much.

When we would go over to her house for Sunday dinner she would always have roast and potatoes. I still remember the smell of her house when we would go there.

She gave me my first perm.

I remember helping her make apple pies, she had the apple peeler that hooked to the counter and would crank the wheel, then she would cut them up, put them in a big bowl and put the cinnamon and sugar on them. At this point I would help a lot by eating the apples. Yummy! and still to this day every time I see apples with cinnamon and sugar I think of her.

Her and my grandpa have a cabin at Bear Lake, where we would spend most of our summer. I love it there (it is like my second home). There are so many memories there.

During "Raspberry Days" up that Bear Lake after picking raspberry they would always go back to the cabin and make raspberry jam all day long.

During all the years at Bear Lake my grandma never once wore a swimming suit in fact I think I only saw her once get in a life jacket touch the water and get in the boat.

When she would come down to the beach she always had her pants rolled up and enjoyed watching everyone everyone play.

She was a very loving person, I never once heard my grandma talk bad about anyone.

My grandma loved the gospel and you could tell by the way she taught and lived it.

Her and my grandpa served a mission to the Washington DC temple. While they were there the cancer came back and she lost her eye but that didn't stop her. She still had a positive attitude.

My family went back to visit them in DC before their mission was over and had a great time spending time with them. Grandma could come every where with us because she got tired fast.

Eating at Fudruckers in DC. The only reason I remember this is because we where all tired and hungry so it seemed like hours before we got there.

Eating vanilla wafers and milk at her house.

Her and my grandpa would drink Pepsi all the time. It always looked so good and they let me try it once. I don't like Pepsi!

We always played down in their basement. She had paper from work and we would play office or school.

She worked in the Church Office Building, downtown Salt Lake City. We only went and visited her there a few times but when we would go we would go to the top of the building and look down on the city.

She always had open toed high heel shoes for us to play with. When they came back in style my grandma was the first person I thought of.

Her house was never dirty or cluttered.

My grandpa and grandma always had the "candy can" in the truck of their car. Everytime they came to our house they would open the truck and let us have a piece of candy, even the neighbor kids knew about it and got a piece.

When we were all up at Bear Lake every morning we would roll my grandpa out of bed. He would lock the door to tease us but my grandma always let us in.

They always had nuts and/or chocolates on their counter to eat.

She made the BEST chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

I loved going over and talking to my grandma and grandpa after they retired they would stop what ever they were doing and talk as long as you wanted.

A few years before she died she gave me her opal ring that she got in Australia (where my dad served his mission). I treasure it very dearly.

When coming to her house she was always at the door waiting to hug us and then when we would leave she would hug us and then stand out side and wave until our car was gone.

Her and my grandpa collected swarovski crystals.

Eating Christmas breakfast at her house. (eggs, toast, bacon, sausage)

Eating her pancakes up at Bear Lake. I don't know what she did but they were the best.

She was born in Wyoming and never knew her mother. Her mother died due to complication after giving birth to her a few days later. What a reunion that was after my grandma passed away to finally see her mother.

She loved her family more than anything and we all knew it.

Grandma thanks for all that you taught me. I love you!