Quality Family Time

I’m suffering from blogger’s block. Not so much that I don’t have anything to write, but mostly that I don’t want to. We returned last week from our trip out West, and having returned to a house full of boxes and walls that need to be painted, I haven’t mustered up the energy to sit and write. So I’ll keep it brief and provide photos highlighting the trip. I left off with our time in Southern Utah, but headed North for a stop in Salt Lake. We stayed with Brian's Grandpa, who lives alone and who is so cute with the girls. This is the first time he has met Samantha and she was quite taken with him.

We also enjoyed seeing a number of friends while we were there: the Kirwans hanging out in Provo for the summer, Brian's high school friend Danny, and his wife Lisa, and then Garrick and Annie Infanger. We had a great time with all of them. The Infangers have a little boy, Eli who was born about a month after Ella when they lived back in Maryland. There is some bond between Ella and Eli--not that they remember each other, but every time we see them (maybe once a year), they immediately hit it off. And the Infangers are like that, too--I love having friends who every time you see them, you just pick up right where you left off. Please come back to Maryland!

And THEN, the family reunions: First at Bear Lake with my Mom's side. I know there some roll their eyes when they hear about having a family reunion, but in my opinion, this was unique, thanks in part to my Mom's fabulous planning. Ella's experience helped to resurface my memories of large family gatherings and playing with my cousins from early in the morning until late at night. You'd just play hard, taking little time to eat or go to the bathroom. There are 5 other little girls around her age and they had a ball. It made me so happy to see her having that experience.

This picture of my cousin Christian makes me laugh--we were waiting for our tour of Minnetonka Cave, and to keep the girls occupied, he sat there and told them a charismatic story of the history of the cave of "falling waters." The girls were spellbound.

The highlight by far being tubing on the lake. At one point my sister, Jen, Mom and I went on together and amid screams and squeals, we decided we needed a vacation home and boat at Bear Lake. It has been awhile since I have had such pure, unadulterated fun. It was a blast.

Jen and I took our girls on. We thought they'd be terrified, but to the contrary. We had a system where if you wanted to go faster, you'd give the thumbs up. If you needed to slow down/stop, you'd give a thumbs down. Ella kept giving the thumbs up--I had to at one point hold her hand down.

The Munk Family Reunion (my Stepdad's side) in Montpelier, Idaho. So great to see cousins who I haven't seen in years, and to become reacquainted with the towns of Montpelier and nearby Georgetown (where Russ grew up).

Highlights included: Crazy family activities that would give others reason to disassociate themselves from you. Isn't that the true purpose of families, though? People who have to tolerate your periodic loony-ness?

Ella reciting "I'm Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor" in the family talent show.

The Minerva Teichert paintings in the Montpelier Tabernacle. I had no idea such gems existed in the grand town of Montpelier.

After bidding Brian good-bye in Idaho, the girls and I packed ourselves into Jen and John's minivan to drive to Oregon--yes that would be 3 adults and 5 children in a Toyota Sienna for two days. The kids did FABULOUSLY--truly amazing. My kids are hands-down, star travelers. I’m a firm believer that if you want your kids be good travelers, then you have to travel with them. But there was no precedent here--they've never been cooped up in a van with 6 other people for two days straight. This was not because I have conditioned them--they just did it. Bless their little souls.

A week in Oregon hanging out with my sister and her family. How often do you get a whole week to just hang with your sister? Highlights included:

-More quality cousin time (or maybe too much?). Ella and Lauren, who are a month apart in age, for better or for worse, are more like sisters than cousins. There is a lot of competiveness, but many sweet moments, too, including making "Pinkalicious" cupcakes.

A trip into Portland to hit the science museum. Very cool.

A day trip to a nearby state park with a gorgeous waterfall that you can walk behind.

Thanks, Jen and John for a fun week!

Okay, this posting wasn't as brief as I had planned. What can I say, perhaps I'm getting back into the blogging groove after all.