On My Mom's Side

When my grandma died a few years ago, my mom caught Gramps trying to throw away old photo albums. I think he was just...really upset, and not really thinking about his actions. Or maybe he's not as into pictures as I am.

Anywho, I recently scanned all of the photos which were almost sent to the city dump, and I wanted to put a few on my blog. I love vintage pictures. They're my favorite. These are all people on my mom's side of the family.

This is my great- great grandma, Annie S:

I believe she was Swedish and immigrated to the U.S. as a child. (You'll have to correct me if I'm wrong, Mom.)

This is her husband, my great-great grandfather, Hyrum S:

He was an Idaho state senator. True story. And he was Norwegian, and immigrated to the U.S. as a child.

This is one of their daughters, my great grandma, Elva W:

I actually knew her. :) She paid us to work in her garden every summer. Five dollars an hour, in the early eighties. That was unheard-of wealth. She loved her garden. She always had her fridge stocked with cold twinkies, cold twix bars, and cold Coke. As a younger woman, she taught school in a one-room schoolhouse on the Antelope Flats.

This is her first husband, Something A:

His first name escapes me. He and my grandma got divorced, which is why she had to support herself and children by teaching. She remarried later to a wonderful man named Ralph W.

Elva and Something had my grandma, Nathell S:

She's the one who died three years ago. She didn't have a mean bone in her body. She was an amazing wife - she and my gramps were almost like one person. They did everything together and were truly best friends. It's no wonder he has such a hard time without her.

This is my gramps as a younger man:

What a babe, huh? He looks like a dark-haired Marlon Brando. He has some native American in him, I believe. I get the dark circles under my eyes from him. He loves to cook, putter around his yard, and listen to operas on his CD player. I told him he should get an iPod, and he scoffed at me. He's very proud of his CD collection.

Grandpa and Grandma S. had my mom. This is her in high school:

She was a dancer, just like I was. She is really fun to be around and extremely giving and creative. I love the woman.

Just wanted to share some of my family with you. :)