Summer Road Trip Part 3 (Bear Lake)

The next installment of our trip was a family reunion in Bear Lake, ID.  This was the first time in I think 7 years my entire immediate family has been together.  Well we were missing (badly) one missionary serving in Argentina.  It was in one word MEMORABLE and we all had major withdrawals afterward.  In fact, I'm still suffering from withdrawals.  But the memories will sustain me and my family until we can do it again, hopefully sooner rather than later!

The week started out rough for Natalie and Isabelle.  Natalie woke up with a super swollen, red, hot face.  We thought maybe she got stung by a wasp the night before.  We started benadryl but then I took her to an urgent care since we were leaving for Bear lake in just a few short hours!  They said to keep on with the Benadryl but then gave us a steroid prescription to take with us just in case.  Luckily we didn't need it and she kept improving.  We now think she got some kind of chemical burn from a plant in my parents yard because her entire face was peeling by the end of the week!  So crazy.  And poor Isabelle had the stomach flu and was out of commission for the first couple days of the reunion.  Then one of the cars in the caravan ran out of gas in Logan Canyon and we had a little mini reunion on the side of the road.  Seriously, it was a wonder we all got there!

We stayed in a large lodge, it was large enough for everyone (over 30 of us).  We had FHE every night, gourmet meals, grandparent presents every morning, a family cd, family pictures with matching t-shirts, a family get to know you book, lots of laughs and some great conversations.  

The first night we gathered on the lawn to hear the rules and also to learn about service for FHE.  Anna curled right up to Juliane. 

We had a letter writing station for our Elder Taylor on a mission!

There was ATV riding

And nail painting

And LOTS of lake and cousin time!!

Cyrena and Grace

Anna and Elise

So many cute grandsons 

This is where Evan was most of the reunion.  He was dubbed "Grandma's new boyfriend"

You can see her face peeling here

There were pinatas with cash prizes.  On the second day Natalie fell down some stairs and hurt her foot-she couldn't walk well on it for over a week!  Seriously, poor child

Elise and Cyrena

Grandma had crafts to do

Evan chilled out with anyone and everyone. I'm pretty sure everyone had lots of turns with him-especially my brothers!
Here he is with my oldest brother Scott

David helped build a candy cannon (look it up) and it was quite loud.  Anna didn't enjoy that.
My sister Debbie helped her cope

Elise is always right there for my kids--she is the little sister I never had! 

Lynn with Anna helping her get pinata candy

 

Anna latched onto Ty the last night 
ShayLynn, Ty, Chad and Daniel are also pictured

We had an awards ceremony for the grandkids.  Cyrena got 'first mate' because she never wanted to get off the boat! Natalie got the 'purple heart' award and I can't remember Anna's right now...

 It probably seems like I never held Evan but really I did. Everyone was just so great about helping out. 

  As we were packing the car I grabbed this shot.  My girls just loved their cousin time, that is something we have in short supply here!

I fell in love with Bear Lake on this trip.  I have never seen a more beautiful beach, it was amazing.  My family never ceases to amaze me as well. I learn so much from each one of them every time we are together. I can't wait to be together again someday.