Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Fam



Last week we headed up to my familys annual reunion. We were planning on having this blessed event in San Diego, but had a quick change of plans. Luckily my sister-in-law managed to find a last minute super awesome house big enough for our family just outside of Cedar City. It was GREAT! The kids were able to run wild, hike, four-wheel, and grandpa even set up a totally awesome slip n slide. It was low key, low stress, and very fun. I have to admit, one of my favorite things was holding my beautiful niece Olivia. I just wanted to take her home with us, but Toast told me that would be stealing, so that plan didnt pan out.
Each year we have a little spotlight on one member of the family, and this year it was on my dad. My sister-in-law Kristy had the siblings each write down a favorite memory of my dad, and then after each one was read by another sibling my dad had to guess who wrote each one. I gotta say I am slightly irritated that my siblings dont think I can qualify for saying I know what slave labor is-(particularly the kind that was required when one went to work with my dad.) Granted when all my big brothers were around before heading off for missions and college and starting their own fams- I didnt have to be one of my dads slaves. They got the brunt of it, but once they were all out of the picture and my dad needed a hand- or wanted to teach me a lesson, then I had to suffer like the rest of them. OK, maybe he took it a little easier on my cuz I am a girl, but i think that only means that he didnt cuss around me like he did with the boys. But the evening was a special one with my family as we shared things about my dad, and I think we all got chocked up a time or 2, especially when my brother Jeremy shed a few tears after almost wetting his pants from a particular comical memory. Laughter through tears baby!
We tried getting a decent group shot before we all headed our separate ways, but alas- these were what we ended up with.

Oh how I love family. I look forward to seeing ya'll next year!

3 comments:

Tina said...

Your family is so fun! I love the pictures of all the girls, and then all the boys.

We didn't even attempt any kind of group picture at our reunion. Maybe that was because we were not all there. You had everyone, right? That is really great.

Deb said...

That seriously sounds like such a fun family reunion. I love when you can let kids run wild with cousins and not worry about them. It's like free babysitting.

What a fun thing for you guys to do this summer.

Kristy said...

Love the pictures! I have to tell you the one with Josh and Tom both sticking their bottoms out made me laugh so hard! Mom is trying to get Josh to stop and I was thinking this must be like stepping back in time for her for when she tried to get Tom to behave! It was a wonderful reunion, my favorite so far I think. Thanks for all you do! Loves!