Family Reunions

Well - this past weekend I experienced my first official family reunion. I think the closest I ever came to a family reunion growing up would have been the 4th Sunday of every month. My family along with all of my mom's sisters and brothers, spouses and children would gather at Nana and Papa's house ( my mom's parents) for dinner and fun times. Usually, the adults would chat and the kids would play, and me, well I am the oldest of 14 grandkids and didn't really have any cousins close in age, so I would sit and read. I believe it was at one of these family "reunions" that I discovered Instant Messaging with strangers on AOL dial-up...another story for another time. 

Well - this weekend was the GRAY FAMILY REUNION! Gray? you ask. Yes, Gray - Bryce's mom's side. Well, my mother-in-law is one of 6, and they are evenly divided into 2 groups of three. Nilene, Larry, and Keith get along fabulously and Linda, Merlin, and Evan get along. But together: well, it isn't pretty. To make a long post shorter, Larry and Pam and all their children were there: Joel, Ryan, Alison, Eric, Melanie, and Todd. I think between the 6 of them there were: 12 kids ( and one cooking). Then to represent the offspring of Nilene, Bryce and I attended with our three kids: and a surprise show from Bryce's older brother, his wife, and their 5 kids. Keith was represented by all 4 of his girls, one of which is married with 2 kids; and 2 of the other 3 brought "hang out" pals. 

To sum up numbers: at our biggest showing with everyone there (some did not spend the night) there were 52 of us hanging out in the Pine Basin Lodge in Swan Valley, Idaho, located in the Targhee National Forest. It was total chaos, and so FUN!!

There were RVs, 4 wheelers, Rhinos, ATVs,  water fights, pinatas, grilling, BIG fires, fireside stories (ever heard the one about the Idaho Sand Wolverine?), and a surprise visit from the cousins who live in Hawaii! All in all it was a grand weekend, and despite the fact that the one family with 5 1/2 kids let there 2 year old scream from 10pm until midnight both nights: all went well! Until next year...