Heaven

My siblings and I met up at my parent's home last month to spend a few weeks together with all the grandkids, and to enjoy the homeland that still holds our hearts. We all live away, (some of us further than others, Katie) but we all still are Utahans deep down. My parent's house is our homebase. It has come to mean so much to each one of us over the years, and now our nostalgic feelings multiply as we watch our own children enjoy it just like we do.

I realized once I moved to California what a unique piece of land my parents have. Their lot extends way back, down a hill below their house, and they tend it and keep it up themselves. They add little things to the yard each each year, and when we come together for few weeks of summer like we did this July, it's where we spend a large portion of our time. We slip n slide down the hill, we have cook outs and smores at the fire pit, we sit on the back deck at night after the kids have gone to bed to talk, we rock on the chairs in the afternoon while the kids play, this summer the kids even slept outside in a tent one night, and somehow the winter sleds ended up entertaining us all one evening while we sat around.

I asked BJ's siblings sitting around the dinner table this Sunday what is the one thing they would want if they had a lot of money. They laughed, and thought my question was peculiar, but I didn't. I know what I want. I want land. I want grass, and space to grow a garden. I never realized how much I loved my parent's backyard until I moved to Orange County and realized that having a backyard like my parents is not a very realistic expectation. I love that yard. I can't wait to sled for real down it this Christmas.

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And... looking at these pictures REALLY makes me miss my family.