We drove to Pocatello Tuesday evening, after the dog's vet appointment, and after Mary participated in the 24th of July Parade in Spanish Fork for her cheer team. Kelsey and Taylor and their baby, Emmett, also got there that night. Unfortunately, the reunion was just us. Tyler was going to come with his kids, but he was asked to participate in my cousin's wedding, so he was in Boise instead. Devin is in New York, and Ryan is in Alaska. Hopefully, we will all be together next year. That is the plan anyway.
Even though it was only our two families, and my parents, we had a great time!! We went boating the first day. All of my kids love the tube, but Luke was crazy on it! He had no fear. He went faster and higher than any of the other kids wanted to go. He could not get enough of it. It was hilarious!
Taylor talked Mary and Sam in to jumping off of the bridge while we were there. Mary did a back flip off of it! Seriously, my kids have no fear. It's amazing! We were all able to get in some good ski runs as well. Molly had a great time playing on beach and having boat rides. It was a really fun day on the lake.
After a full day on the lake, we came back, ate dinner, had a bonfire, and watched a movie. The boys loved snuggling with their little cousin Emmett.
The next morning, after I got back from the gym, we all headed to Lava Hot Springs swimming pool. This was the pool I went to growing up, and I couldn't believe my kids had never been there. We all decided to make a day out of it. It was so much fun!!! The kids had an absolute blast! Mary did a back flip off of the second platform, which is very, very high! And Sam jumped off the third platform...which is 35 feet high!! William and Luke loved the waterslides, and Molly swam and swam and swam in the toddler pool. William also jumped off the diving board without a lifejacket for the first time. It was a great day!
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| Sam and Taylor jumping off the third platform |
We got back from the pool completely exhausted, but Taylor, who has never ending energy, wanted to take Mary and Sam rock climbing! So, they went. I stayed back with the littles, and baby Emmett and my parents, and we watched a movie. Mary and Sam loved rock climbing. This was a first for them.
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| Mary |
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| Sam |
The next morning, we basically packed up and headed home. The drive home ended up being pretty terrible.
William got car sick, the dog got car sick, Molly threw up several times, we got stuck in a 40 minute long traffic jam when Molly had to pee, so she peed her pants and cried, and I backed into a car in the Wendy's parking lot, because the dog jumped in my lap while I was backing out, and I was focusing on William who was about to throw up. I put a good size dent in our car as well as the other car. The people weren't rude, but they weren't nice. It really sucked. The 3 hour drive home ended up being 5 1/2 hours, and I came home completely undone. Ugh. Thank goodness it was such a fun trip though, and Ben was home when I got back, so I could just crash.
We had a VERY busy next few days with piano lessons, soccer, football, gymnastics, cheer, babysitting, house cleaning, lawn mowing, scouts and mutual. And then, on Friday we headed to Lagoon to start the K&K reunion!!!
Tyler and his kids, Kelsey and Taylor and Emmett, and my parents met us there. There were also several members of my Belnap side of the family there. It was crazy hot, but it was so much fun! My kids are seriously fearless! Mary and Sam and William just bounced from one big ride to the next with whoever would take them and wasn't motion sick at the moment, haha! I stayed with the little kids and took them on one ride after the next.
Toward the end of the day, Molly and Luke started asking to do bigger rides. I was nervous about it, but we let them....and they laughed their heads off!!! Luke would laugh and yell and scream and beg for more. Molly, who I thought would bawl her eyes out on the big rides, laughed and laughed and laughed. It was amazing! It was a very exhausting, but very fun day! It was really fun for William to have his cousin Jack there to hang out with as well.
We all came back to our house that evening and crashed. I got up early the next morning and decorated the house for my brother Tyler's Birthday. We all ate breakfast and then we all headed to Orem for more of the reunion. We did games, learned about ancestors, at yummy food, visited and had a talent show.
Molly was thrilled to be able to perform her "hula dance" that she learned. She is definitely not afraid to be in front of people.
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| Molly and her cousin Ivie |
Our family left the reunion a little early, in order to drive back to Heber for the Rodeo. I don't have any pictures, but it was great! Molly LOVES the rodeo, and she was so excited to see the horses, and to see the pretty girls and the cowboys riding them. The rodeo is quickly becoming a tradition with our family, and I love that we can do that together.
After the rodeo, we stayed up talking with my family for a while, then we all crashed once again.
We got up early Sunday morning and headed down to Orem once more for the testimony meeting. This is always my favorite part of the K&K reunion. It is so special and it is such a very powerful experience for everyone who is there. I love that my children are able to experience it. We got the traditional number shirt picture, ate a yummy dinner, and I got my last few snuggles with Kelsey's baby Emmett. I am totally addicted to that sweet, happy, baby. He is so precious. We could not get enough of him!
We all eventually said goodbye, and headed our separate ways. It was pretty sad for me to say goodbye to my siblings. We all live in a different state, and I don't see them much anymore. There is such a comfortable, happy, fun feeling when we are all together, and I miss it more than I realize. I am so glad that we have these reunions to help me remember how special and important family is, and to feel the love and the true goodness of family.
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