July 12 – we arrived just in time to prepare and serve dinner to the group. (At its peak during the reunion, the group was about 115 people.) After dinner, we had a family meeting where each of the families introduced their members (some more creatively than others). We simply introduced ourselves.

Then Grandpa led everyone in singing happy birthday to Carter in Portuguese.

After root-beer floats, Carter braved the cold irrigation water to slide down the giant, canal-fed waterside on the property.

July 11 – The boys woke up early and went fishing. The girls went searching for “Big Nelly” in the pond after breakfast.

After lunch we headed over to the Rexburg city park where they had a splash pad and carousel.

Raine and Addy on the slides.

Carter, Carson, and Logan waiting for the big bucket to dump.

The pond at the cabins was the source of hours of fun, and relaxation.

Jed, Benji, Grandma, Daddy, Daryn

Uncle Jed, Aunt Katie, and Benji

The resort had a whole rack of bikes for patrons to use and, even though they were adult size, the boys used them. Carson would help Carter get started and then when it came time to stop, he would just slow down and jump off.

The main cabin had this giant Connect 4 game that got a lot of use as well.

Raine and Benji

That evening we celebrated Carter’s 8th birthday since we were going to be checking out and driving to the McKay reunion the next day.

Carter received a couple presents while we were there. We found some marshmallow blow guns at the store while we were in Rexburg and the kids had a blast playing with those.

Once it got dark, we all played kick-the-can. It was great fun once we got the logistics worked out.

The next morning we packed up, washed some laundry at a laundry mat in Idaho Falls, and then drove to Clayton for the McKay family reunion. We let Carter decide where we ate lunch since it was his birthday and he picked… McDonalds!

The first full day of the reunion we went for a short hike. We had a panoramic view of the valley and the snake river.

Raine and Daddy

Addy and Raine

Carter and Carson

Logan, Carson, Carter, Millie, Uncle Daryn, Aunt Sara, Daddy, Uncle Jed with Benji, and Aunt Katie.

There was no end to the toys and games available in the shed for everyone to use. The kids rode the bikes, played corn hole, ladder ball, and all sorts of other games. Their favorite activity was paddling around the pond trying to catch “Big Nelly” the golden trout.

We had beautiful weather, perfect for a picnic dinner outside with the most adorable 8-month-old, Benji.

That evening, Uncle Jed sponsored a bunch of minute-to-win-it games for the kids.

Trying to get a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands.

Addy got it to her eye!

Transferring ping-pong balls between bowls with a spoon, using only your mouth.

Shaking all the ping-pong balls out of a box tied to around your waist.

Transferring M&M’s between bowls using a straw — that one got pretty messy with some of those drooly kids!

Since Uncle John bailed on the family reunion last-minute because of a bad back, we had an extra cabin. Logan, Carson, and Carter claimed that cabin as the “kid cabin” (although it was really only the boys). Raine slept in the Hicks’s cabin with Addy and Millie so Daddy and I had an entire cabin all to ourselves. We slept great!

7/9 we packed up Grandpa Dewey’s car and started driving north to Idaho for the Anderson family reunion. After a couple stops to fix loose flaps under the car, a stop for lunch at Oliver’s diner in Pocatello, and a scenic drive down a farm road because we missed the exit, we finally arrived in Heise just in time for our 10-line zip tour.

It was so hot outside (by Idaho standards) that we had to ride double on most of the lines in order for the kids to have enough weight to make it to the other side. Here is Carter and DJ zipping down.

Raine went solo on this one.

This was the only line that Carter could ride solo.

Video of a couple runs:

After zipping through the hills, we cooled off in the pool and rode the water slide.

Carter loved that the pool had a diving board. He learned how to dive while we were there.

We checked in at the cabins at Aspen Grove Inn just in time for dinner with the Anderson family.

July 6 we flew to Utah to spend a few days before driving to Idaho for the Anderson and McKay reunions. That evening we took Grandma Dewey down to meet Aunt Sarah and Uncle Dallin for dinner at Brio’s. Then we visited Uncle Geoff.

July 7, we drove up to Alta ski resort to hike to Cecret lake with the Jolley family.

The mountain meadows were blanketed with wildflowers.

We hiked a little over 3 miles and climbed 1200+ feet in elevation. The littles needed some extra help, but they made it.

The final ascent to the lake was very steep, on a narrow trail full of switch-backs.

The lake was rather desolate. Not something that you would want to wade into.

But there were salamanders — or mud puppies as Carter called them — to try to catch.

We hiked down to the chairlift and rode it back to the bottom. Along the way, Raine and I saw a juvenile moose while Daddy and Carter saw a deer.

On the way home we stopped at Waffle Love, because we always stop when we go to Utah.

That evening we went to the Brown’s house for dinner and fun. The kids broke Aunt Karin’s birthday pinata.

Daddy and Uncle Dallin took on Sydney and Parker in spikeball.

Sunday, July 8th, we ate dinner and then headed to the Jolley’s house before visiting Uncle Geoff again. Uncle Mike brought his skateboard and showed Carter some tricks. Carter thought that Uncle Mike’s swell-bow (permanent lump on his elbow) was pretty funny, but I think it also reinforced to him that becoming a good skateboarder takes a lot of crashes!

Tuesday evening, July 3, we watched the firework show in Southlake. It was cut short because of high winds as a weather front moved through part way into the show. It was perfect weather for playing Frisbee before the show though.

Wednesday morning we attended the Ward 4th of July breakfast.

Then we drove down to Midlothian, to the Walker’s new homestead, where we hung out with all of our old River Trails Ward friends.

Raine and Elyse

After dinner, the neighbors pulled out their giant slip-n-slide. It was awesome!

A brief rain shower passed through and wetted down all the dry grass just in time for fireworks. And left a beautiful rainbow.

First day of 2nd grade / last day of 2nd grade

Carter grew 2 inches and gained 4 pounds this school year—the poundage is thanks to the protein shakes that we’ve been feeding him everyday for the past 10 months.

First day of 4th grade / last day of 4th grade

Raine grew about 3/4 inch and gained 2 pounds—her vertical assent has finally slowed.

Start of summer party

Carter in the dunk tank

Erika, Hadley, and Raine

3/18 – Devin Grubbs’ Eagle Scout ceremony

3/26 Cesar Chavez day – I was off work but nobody else had the day off so I ate lunch with the kids at school.

After school we went to Raine’s happy place — the library.

5/11 – father-son campout

5/19 Royal Wedding – Raine woke up at 4:00 in the morning to watch the royal wedding because she is obsessed with all things fashion and this was the fashion event of the year. We went shopping later in the day and tried on these royal-wedding-style hats.

5/25 – we finally replaced the net and pads on our trampoline so the kids could safely jump on it again.

The kids and I went to Hurricane Harbor…

…while Daddy went to Austin for the CapTex triathlon.

May 24 was Fun Day at the elementary school and it was roasting hot. As I packed their lunches and backpacks, I kept adding water bottles, and ice!

Carter, ball races

Raine, capture the flag

Carter, tug-o-war

Raine had more fun playing hand games with her friends than playing the field-day games!

Carter’s class at the tug-o-war and Raine doing the tube tug. The point of the tube tug is to pull the tube close enough to your team’s cone that you can touch it. Raine’s group didn’t use much strategy and all just pulled, so they took FOREVER!