I Love My Tribe Reunion 2016- Day 1

I feel like I need to get this post up so that I can move on to the rest of the Utah trip that has been happening, but there is SO  MUCH GOODNESS to hit!

Sterling was around for Sunday with my family, which was nice and relaxed and I got to sit by him all day long, so that was wonderful. We also ran into some of our BEST friends from WSU--Matt was one of Sterling's best friends when we got engaged--and chatted with them after church which was such a fun blast from the past! On Monday we spent half the day getting ready for family pictures, and the other half taking them. HAHA. But seriously. I was going to say it takes a village, but at 19 adults and 47 kids...we are the village.

I made Kayli run and grab our t-shirts so we could get some family photos together real quick. The kids were very uncooperative. Not surprising since they had already been through WAAY too many earlier. Do you see the I LOVE MY TRIBE on the shirt?!?! The reunion was Cowboy and Indians themed and the shirts are SOOOOOO adorable. I love them so so much.

YAY! A picture of Sterling from our reunion!

Right after the above photo, we had a quick family prayer, during which some grandkid requested our traditional hold-hands-in-a-circle, so we made a HUGE circle that filled up the entire massive room of the lodge, and had a big family prayer. It was really nice actually, and I am happy to have that memory forever.

Then everyone had to say goodbye to Sterling, and to the minivan I had been borrowing from a bro-in-law, which was sad, but not as sad as Sterling leaving. It was SO HARD knowing he would be gone for FIVE and a HALF weeks!!! Luckily, we've got three down at this point, and only two and a half to go. Which might kill me, but moving on to the reunion post----

The first full day of the reunion we all packed up and headed to Bear Lake. Before leaving for Utah Will asked me if we were going to ride the blue boat again (Megan's little kayaks of which we have pictures of him in from last year hanging on our wall, so he remembers) and he DID. He was SOOOO thrilled! He road around on the kayaks and that tube and was in heaven. 

Note this. It got SO MUCH BIGGER by the end. Some adorable nieces and nephews of mine: Maloree, Kirsten, Hazel, Hailey, Gideon, Anders, Chad, and honorary member Tyler.

I was freezing. It was freezing. I was worried this one wouldn't want to get near the freezing water. But fearless as always, she had the time of her life!

Our spot.

See? His BLUE BOAT!

K, this girl smiled every single time I even looked in her direction, happy little Kenzi. CUTIE PIE!

Haha, funny Ethan.

This tractor was second only to the blue boat. He fended off the cousins, let me tell you. We had to have a few conversations about sharing. 

Ahhh, the view of Bear Lake. I think those mountains beat the ocean every single time.

Grandpa Jack and Kenzi taking a snooze.

This is The Great Uncle Leo taking my kids for a ride. THANKS LEO!

The mom squad in the shade. Left to Right: Jethro, Kami, Wyatt, Brooke, Lindsay Ann, Megan, Kayli, Mom, Amy, Katelyn, and Brynne in front. 

Jumping over the pit became a fun pastime. 

And the pit continued to grow until we started calling it the kiddie pool and it definitely came in handy!

Wyatt and Ethan stole a fully clothed Kayli. Always good times. They did completely dunk her.

My sweet Ruthie had the time of her life this reunion. I never even saw her, which caused some anxiety because she is only FOUR, but she just LOVED keeping up with the bigger cousins and doing her own thing! 

Molly, Jack, Harriet, Natalie, Maloree, Devaney, Will...the kiddie pool crew.

I love that crazy girl SOOOO much!

There was an EPIC football game.

Babies!!!

I LOVE these cute kids!

And these ones too! My teenager nieces and nephews are just the GREATEST ever.

And this is when Kayli fumbled the football. Nice, Kayli.

Awww, more great teenager nieces!

Ruthie loves Devaney SOOOO much!

Waiting for the karaoke contest to start at the lodge. After all the swimming and boating (they had their big boat there too, I even went out for a ride once, it was so much fun!) and a delicious dinner, we congregated back together.

Why is my son always picking his nose?!?

Megan's family's karaoke song was the GREATEST.

Amy's had a sweet car, and was also awesome. Their outfits are perfection.

Derek and Brooke handed out oreo's at the end, so if I was going to pick a favorite...

Leo's salsa dancing was AMAZING and we should have encored and encored. I LOVE how well he dances!

After the karaoke contest we had a family dance, which was SO MUCH FUN. Everyone wants it to be a regular thing at future reunions, so good call Kayli! 

She is so crazy!

Danica and Myles were so cute! I was trying to teach them some swing (no Sterling, so SAD) and I did a pretty dramatic dip with Myles and just went ahead with it, he, obviously, caught me by my hands before I hit the floor, but was like "WOAH! You didn't even WARN me!" Haha. He is STRONG, kinda CRAZY strong! I also taught him the beer barrel polka and we flew around the room and it was a blast!

Grandma and Cassidy

Ana and Chad

Cutie pie Ruthie. If there is a tutu in the vicinity, she will find it!

HAHA.

Father and son.

Derek and Karlee

Cutest ever! Myles and Ana

I think this is SOOOO sweet. That Lando was trying to dance with Kiersten too!

This makes me laugh so hard. Anders got on his head and kicked his legs up and down to the beat of the music for FOREVER! It was so hilarious!

There was some epic arm wrestling, after which Ethan resigned from arm wrestling, so you know how that went! His words "Myles is a natural BEAST!" haha.

Leo and Sebas.

Kami and Leo and some of their hooligans.

Andrea and Miriam, and yes, SHE IS THAT TALL! I think they feed their kids magic growing powder.

Then there was some epic stick-pulling.Here, Leo and Tyson.

Mom showed all the teenage girls whose the boss with leg wrestling.

I think we all went to bed, eventually. It was a FUN PACKED day. So much fun. I really think it was the best one yet. But I think I might say that every time...