A weekend to remember...

We made another Oakley trip, but this time it was for my Nana's memorial service.

We traveled up on Thursday afternoon and arrived there in the evening to stay in the Oakley home with Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.

On our way up we stopped at this tiny country cafe.. it was DELICIOUS, but they had very strange decorations...

 Me & Shelby (sister)

Mom & Paul

The family that was there were those that live in California so it's always so nice to spend time with them! It was especially special to stay in that home with all of them there with us!

The first night we were there we went night fishing at the lake nearby!

 Well some fished and some sat in the trunk and took pictures...

It was a lot of fun to spend time with everyone at the lake and it was such a beautiful site to see the moon shining on the water! So much fun.

On Friday we went on a girls only walk around the town...

 We had a birthday cake for Anja's birthday

 We played with sparklers and enjoyed a fire danced performed by James.

 We filled candy jars for Saturday's event and hid them so we wouldn't be tempted to eat them...

 We put frosting on our lips like lipstick...

 We made an assembly line to set up chairs...

 We took smiling pictures...

 We stopped by Judy's cafe...

 We made nicole do a wall sit...

BUT most importantly we found... GOBO FANGO (long story, i'll have to share another time)

Anyways,

Friday was a great day especially because that was the day Ryan arrived up there!

On Saturday we had Nana's memorial service at the church which was absolutely beautiful. It was so nice to be surrounded by so many people that loved my Nana.

After the service at the church we had her "celebration of life" at the Oakley home. The grandaughters organized and planned the event, and let's just say we pulled it off! We hadn't planned on the strong wind, but we were able to improvise and make the best of it!

The memory table filled with pictures of Nana and her loved ones

 Nana's favorites table which consisted of licorice (black & red), good & plentys, boston baked beans, popcorn, taffy, and Nana's famous floats! My Nana had a sweet tooth!

 Some guests

 We pinned pictures around the wrap around porch

"A few of my favorite things"

"Nana's famous floats"

It was a lot of fun putting together this party filled with things Nana loved. We hope she approved of our planning job :)

Some of the cousins

 More cousin love

 My mom and her cousins

Us at our favorite house!

 Anyone need a boy band?

 I spent hours on all of my tissue flowers and we couldn't even use them since it was so windy! I had to get some use out of them!

 It was such a beautiful day!

The rest of our Satuday consisted of...

 going to a private tour of the Oakley museum...

going on another family walk...

 practicing our cheerleading skills with our homemade pom-poms...

 play this game...

 Writing with sparklers...

& watching falling stars!

It was such a great weekend and one that was very much needed. It was so comforting to have my Nana's memorial surrounded by people she loved and a place she was so proud of! I sure do love that place and that home and everyone that was in it this weekend. We had a great time! I am so thankful for family and for the knowledge I have that families truly can be together forever!

Loving you always & forever Nana.

Helen Claire Mendenhall

Helen Claire Mendenhall, 76 SAN MARCOS -- Helen Claire Mendenhall of Oakley, died Tuesday, June 28, 2011, with her family by her side in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born October 3, 1934, in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Gerald and Helen (Haight) Gehrke. Helen was raised in Boise and graduated from Boise High School in 1952. She also attended college at Boise Community College, Brigham Young University, and the University of Idaho, where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. Helen married James R. Mendenhall, Jr. in 1956 and together they shared a life that took them to Idaho and California. She served faithfully in various positions in The LDS Church and was active in community and civic organizations. Mrs. Mendenhall is survived by five children, Debra (Christopher) Hill, Kimberly (Paul) Zisakis, James R. (Jennifer) Mendenhall, III, Michele Covino (James Pilcher, Jr), and G. Mark (Laura) Mendenhall. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, mother, father, and sister, Gayle Bowman. A graveside service is scheduled for Wednesday, July 6, at 11 a.m., at San Marcos Cemetery, 1021 Mulberry Dr. in San Marcos. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Huntsman Cancer Foundation: www. huntsmancancerfoundation.org