The Clayson Reunion

Yes, this one is really behind, end of June behind. It was so much fun - we stayed in WWII army barracks in northern Washington on Puget Sound. The rooms were army spare, with two twin beds or twin bunks in each room. We had to bring blankets to put up over the doors and for bedding on the bed. When we first got in the room, there was a smell of death in the room, and we finally found it in the drawer of a bedside table. Some kid had brought some shells into the room, but they still had critters living in them. The kids had left, but the dead critters were rotting away in the drawer. Once we got them out, the rooms smelled much better.

The kids had such a fun time playing at the beach. The water was really cold, but the kids were tough and played away. They made boats of driftwood and watched them float out to sea. Parker spent his time looking for crabs and trying to spear them on sticks. We found jellyfish, and even a starfish, combing the beach for seashells. We toured the grounds, which had some old guns and buildings still in place.

There was a great big kitchen, with room for all 30+ of us, and a huge kitchen that made cooking and clean up pretty quick. We played games and visited, and just had a really good time. I look forward to seeing where we get to go next time.

Time to Play Catch Up - Again - The Bake Reunion

So, again I am behind and having to remember almost two months worth of stuff that we'd like to share. Part of the blame goes to a busy summer, with several trips and catching up on mundane stuff like laundry and dishes in between. Part of the blame lies with kids that kill each other if I'm too engaged in something else to stop the fights, so it's been easier just to not do it then start and have to be interrupted 10 thousand times. But with school starting tomorrow (Hallelujah!! and several cartwheels) I think I can start catching up. I have decided since I stink at keeping a journal, maybe one of my Sunday activities can be blogging about the family and counting that as part of my journal. But I have also said that before, so I won't promise anything. =>

So - where to start? Probably at the Bake reunion we had this year. (Yes, Aunt Kathy, this one is for you. =>) I love that my family loves to camp, so for our reunions we go camping. We headed up to New Meadows this year, and found a great spot with shade, a creek, bugs, and a great time. We played "survivor" - almost everyone ate a bug - what fun!! No, no one got sick. Most of them were ants - we were all chicken, I think. Luke ate a big purple one, so he was the best at it. We played "Minute to Win It" games, and Dan, freshly showered in the creek, took one for the team and laid down in the dirt to balance ding dongs on his forehead. I was running those games, so I didn't have time to take pictures. Actually, as I look back through my pictures, I realize most of them take place at camp and I don't have any of the creek, or the games.

So all you get are ones around our camp, sorry. All you get are grubby kids who looked like they rolled in the dirt on purpose, and thoroughly loved it, kids jumping off the "king of the mountain" rock in the middle of camp, and Tanner using every stick that remotely looked like a weapon as a weapon. Since I don't have pictures of everything I'm talking about, I'll just put up a few of my favorites.

Grandpa took all the kids on a "Grandpa Hike," which I think was fully enjoyed by everyone, especially Grandpa Bake! Luke came back talking about caddis flies and may flies, and how to find them, and Tanner talked about eating wild strawberries. Parker collected sticks on his way, and had to take all of them along the hike as he went. Thank you Grandpa, for some wonderful memories. Since my father-in -law passed away, you are the only grandpa they have, and I appreciate you taking time to do that for them. Thanks Dad!!

The highlight for me, besides being with my family, was the devotional we had the day before we left. Dad talked about Helaman's stripling warriors, a story in our Book of Mormon, and compared those boys to our children today. He made up a song that was so touching, and played it on his guitar while he sang it. If I had known that was coming, I would have brought out the camera and caught it for posterity. Next time I come, Dad, I will ask you to play that song again for me. It was so neat.

The only down side was one of my brothers and his wife couldn't be there because of work schedules. We missed having them with us, but we were able to bring their kids to play with the cousins, which was nice. I loved getting to be with my brothers and sisters and their families. I miss not being with them more. I love that they all want to come and get dirty and not sleep at night because we're in tents and it's cold and the kids keep you awake, so that we can all be together as a family. I love them and their children and look forward to the time we get to be together next.

Up next - the Clayson reunion, which actually took place in June, but I'm a slacker as you know, and so you get to hear about in at the end of August.