Family Reunion

Last weekend there was a family reunion on D's side of the family. It included his Mom and Stepdad and their kids and grandchildren. In all we had 28 people there for at least a few hours. It has been 16 years since all the siblings were together at once, and unfortunately we weren't able to get everyone there this time either. We were missing 11 people as D's oldest stepbrother and his family live out of the country and were unable to come, and his youngest sister recently had twins who were born premature and aren't ready to travel yet. Still, it was a lot of fun with those family members who were able to make it.

The reunion took place at Ensign Ranch, which is a facility owned by our church. We rented the Lodge there for four days and three nights. The kids loved the opportunity to feed the horses and to play with their cousins. They ran around the grounds and around the main rooms of the Lodge, played pool and ping pong, and just had an all around great time.

There was also fishing (no one had much luck with that), hiking and canoeing. D took S and T out on a canoe while J went with Grandpa Dan. C and K were too nervous about getting on a boat, and so they stayed on shore with me and Baby B.

We slept either in The Lodge, which has seven bedrooms, or in a bunkhouse. In the case of D and myself, along with the kids, we stayed in a bunkhouse just next to the Lodge because the bunkhouses sleep ten people per side, so we could all stay together. The Lodge was lovely, but not luxury accomidations. It was more like camp. We slept in metal bunks and ate cafeteria style in the dining room just off the commercial kitchen. Still, it was a lot of fun, and great to see family members that we don't connect with very often.
For our boys, the all time favorite activity was the slip and slide. Ensign Ranch has a very large slip and slide set up with sprinklers at the top, and the boys spent hours sliding down. It was a big highlight of our trip for them and a great way to stay cool. Their cousins enjoyed time on the slip and slide as well (see below).

All in all, it was a wonderful time and there are plans in the works for another family reunion in two years. By then D's step brother will be back in the U.S. and his sister has promised to make it next time as well. By then though, his youngest brother will be serving a mission for our church, so it still won't be everyone together at once. Maybe the time after that!

Here is a final shot of everyone that stayed through Sunday. We all went to church together and took up four rows in the chapel there. I can't wait to see everyone again! Two years is too long!