Best Grandma Ever

Mom has always been the best grandma ever.  She is just there in the little moments and the big moments.  She is the snuggler, game player, noodle maker, book reader, puzzler, play goer, and everything else in between.  She loves her grandkids and great grandkis fiercely.  And they all know it.  

Mom has watched my kiddos quite often.  In 2014 at almost 80, she took Gabbie and Liam for 9 days while I went on a work trip!  I could barely keep up with my 2 and 5 year old!

Some of my kids favorite memories are at grandmas. Gabbie has made it clear we can NEVER sell Grandma's house!  She will buy it and live in it before she will let us sell it.  

She is just always there.  Our solid support.  And I am so grateful my kids have the best memories of her!

Mom Best Friend and Constant Support

Mom has always been my rock, my solid support.  She would defend me to my siblings when I was a brat, begging me not to make her a liar.  She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself.  

During a particularly tough break up, she actually drove up to SLC and stayed a weekend with me at my apartment.  I mean, mom drove on the freeway just to be with me.

And she was right by my side for every big and small event.

 

Mom Tickling

Mom is the best foot tickler on the planet.

Pretty sure this is Janet in 2018 making mom tickle her foot!

 

Memories from Sam

 I love the film strip from my mom's wedding where the cousins each got a pic with Grandma acting goofy. I keep it on my desk at home and it brightens my day!

It was so special to have Grandma (and everyone else from the fam!) there for my wedding! It wasn't easy travel so it meant a lot that she was able to make the trip.

I wanted to share a memory from the family reunion in 2017 when Lucas got to meet everyone. I was hoping to find a picture of him talking with grandma and getting to know her. This was all I could find. I think it still represents her and the goofy family she raised and Lucas got his first glimpse into the Tate family madness that we all love so much! 

From Sam Tice

Park City 2018

When I turned 50 in April of 2018, I came to Utah for a weekend away with my sisters and Mom. We went to Park City for two nights and had the absolute best time. We started off laughing with Becky‘s story about Joe’s grease mustache and never stopped! We took Mom to a horror movie. And we played games and entertained ourselves on Snapchat and went to Stein Eriksen for brunch. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend that birthday with anyone else! Even if Amy informed everyone that we drank water from the gutter as kids!

By Janet Stevens

 

You are the North Star of the Tate family

It would take thousands of pages to document all of my memories with you. From a little girl who always felt like Grandma's house was home, to a young adult, who for a short time, made your house my actual home, to your home being the place my children frequently ask to visit. Every season has helped to shape me, teach me, and support me. 

You are the North Star of the Tate family. You are the matriarch of generations. The sweetest gift I never knew I wanted or needed; has been watching how my children have gotten to know you and have come to love you as I did before them. You will never truly know the depths of my love and admiration for you. Merry Christmas 2022 Grandma! We couldn't be more grateful to call you Grandma and Great-Grandma. 

Love, 

Lauren, Drew, Crandall (15), Tate (12), Ella (10)

Some of my most cherished memories...

I am so grateful that I was able to grow up 30 minutes from my grandparent's house.  I did not realize what a blessing that was until I had kids of my own.  The first feeling that surfaces when I think of grandma and grandpa is love.  I LOVED going over to there house, traveling with them and just being with them.  It was my home away from home.  I felt like I could just be myself and that they loved me for me.  I am continually grateful for the traditions that they started that I hold dear to my heart, such as: Dutch Christmas, hunting for easter eggs,  homemade sherbert ice cream in the summers, fireworks on the hill for the fourth,  plays at the scera shell, Tate family reunions, swinging on the swings in the backyard, playing peons, doing puzzles, Nat King Cole during Christmas, playing Boggle (even with no chance of winning), everyone napping after Thanksgiving dinner, hanging out with my cousins.  I know there is more to the list but my brain can't recall it all at once.  I learned about loving family relationships in their house.  I grew to appreciate being with extended family.  My children love to go over and a special fondness for their great grandparents.   They always ask when we're going to grandma Tate's house while we are in Utah.  

Their house holds a special place for me.  After my mom died, I struggled to feel like I had a "home" to go to.  My dad's new house had no memories of my mother and it was hard to feel comfortable there.  Yet, to this day, going to grandma's house is like going home for me.   It warms my heart, lightens my burdens and lifts my soul.  I have no doubts that the love my mother showed me is directly tied to the love she felt from her parents.  Grandma, you are one of my most favorite people in the world!  I cherish my relationship with you.  I strive to follow the example you have shown me of love and intentional relationships.   My deep feelings of love for you were not by chance but by your intentional acts of love and kindness throughout my life.  To know you is to love you and I cannot express even a portion of my gratitude for all that you have done to help me become ther person and mother that I am today.  I love you dearly!

Love,  Jamie, Adam, Steven, Noah, Rachael and Thomas