Family Reunion

On Tuesday we spent the day at a campground up in Heber Valley for a family reunion. The reunion was for the posterity of my paternal grandparents; they have five children of which my dad is the youngest. It has been a very long time since so many of us were together! Many of my cousins live outside of the state, one of them even lives in China currently, so it was nice that many of them traveled so far to attend. I wish we could have stayed overnight with everyone, but with Mitch out of town for work, and my parents both having to work, it just didn't pan out. Next time we will though for sure!

My dad and his mom.

There was lots to do and see at the campground. Layla was excited to see lots of chipmunks and butterflies.
 
When she wasn't chasing the wildlife, she was playing with my cousin's youngest daughter, Sarah, who is 8 months older than her. They had loads of fun together.


After she played so hard all day, I was relieved when Layla took about an hour long nap in her stroller. Another reason why the BOB stroller is awesome - it will recline all the way.

But of course she had to play in the stroller and peek her head out of the back before she'd actually fall asleep ...

We played lots of games, ate WAY too much junk food, and even turned our own homemade butter, which was delicious on the corn we had for dinner. We had dutch oven pineapple upside down cake for dessert and it was sooooo good. It only rained on us for a few minutes, during which we all headed inside the cabins (the campground was one of the nicest I've ever been to, with cabins and nice bathroom facilities, a fridge, and a little pavilion to eat under).

Heber Valley is beautiful and we had great views of it from our campsite, which was up high on the mountain. I thoroughly enjoyed taking way too many pictures of the scenery.

We saw lots of deer - it was crazy. I got as close as 15 feet away from this deer.

I remember being younger and having so much fun hanging out with all of my cousins. I LOVED, and dearly miss, our Lake Powell trips with this side of the fam and wish we would all start that up again. I especially enjoyed seeing Layla have fun with all of my cousins' kids, knowing that it was just as much fun for her as it was for me when I was younger.

Also, when I was younger I honestly believed that my Uncle Dale, whom Layla really took a liking to at the reunion and whom is pictured below, was bit by a shark on the leg, because that's what he always told us when we asked why a part of his calf muscle is missing. Later I learned it was a motorcycle accident ... but not until after I told all my friends that "my uncle got part of his leg bit off by a shark!"

I have great relatives to look up to and I am very thankful for that. I enjoyed learning about my great grandparents and the memories that my aunts and uncles have of them. A big thanks to my Aunt Ginger for putting it all together. I hope it is a tradition that will continue.