Reunion

My Dad and Mom and all of my living siblings and all of their spouses and all of our children were all together for the first time in 5 years from June 20-25th. Why so long since we've all been together? Well, there are 51 of us now, and we are spread out from Massachusetts to Maryland to Idaho to three places in Texas to Utah. So it's gotten pretty complicated to get us all together in one place. It was awesome to be together!! Here are a lot of photos of some of the fun things we did during that week:

On Sunday, June 20th, we all (except for Ben and family who hadn't quite arrived yet) attended church at my parent's ward. That evening we met at my parent's house for dinner and visiting. They invited all the extended family in the area to come by so we could visit with all of them too:

Aunt Betty

Susan, Karl, Dad

Daniel, Julia, Sarah

Jonathan and Brennan


Cousins get reacquainted: Tanner, David, Jessie, Emily, Cristian, Izak, Minnie, Jared

Cousins on the porch swing: One of the twins, Amanda, Jumble, Jet

Izak, Minnie, Jared, Tanner

Frank and Seth

Erika, Annette greets Aunt Dianne, Jack, Anna

Erika gets a hug from Uncle Lee

Annette talks to Kent, Lara, Chris

Cristian, Julia, Marcia

McKay and Sue Anne

Buck, Anna, Erick, Lane

Tanner, Scott, Amanda, Chris, Daniel, Dee, Ben, Erin

Atom, Micah, Griffin, Jared, Brennan, Jonathan, Andrew, Jet

On Monday, June 21st, we started the day with a family talent show at our ward church building:

The boys sing "The Preacher and the Bear" Curtis, Hans, Niles, Ben, Erick, Frank, Tim

Emily and Erick sing a number from Suessical.

Jumble played her clarinet. (Mom's cross-stitch in the background with Dad's frame)

The Curtis Pew family sings "Another Stupid Texas Song"

Minnie and Jumble played a flute/clarinet duet.



Timo played the piano...

while Emily sang...

and Taran played the guitar

Some of the boys sing and dance to "Snowman" Jonathan, Atom, Brennan, Micah, Jet, Jared

Jet had some dance moves I didn't know about!

Zane plays the kazoo (without covering his eyes this time!)

Erin played the flute

Jumble & I sang an arrangement of "I Am A Child of God." (more of Mom's cross-stitch)

Erin and Anna sing while Anna plays.

Four brothers do barbershop: Hans, Erick, Curtis, Tim

Jessie sings

Erin and three sisters sing "Come Little Leaves" (an arrangement by Erick) Erin, me, Annette, Shellie

Dad and Mom

A bunch of us watch and record the event. I didn't get photos of a few numbers like Griffin singing a song he composed himself and Cristian's amazing break dancing!

In the afternoon, the older kids went and did a space mission at space camp. They had a blast from what we heard, and successfully defeated the enemy space aliens. It was reported that this involved Jared putting one alien in a headlock while Cristian swiped his weapon! But we don't have any photos of that, unfortunately. The younger set went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point.

Atom and Zane play at the sand and water table.

That evening, we all met to get professional family photos taken. Here's a preview of all the grandkids with the grandparents:


What do you do to entertain yourself while waiting for your turn to get photos taken? Play Ninja Warrior, of course!

Niles, Dee, Jessie

Chris, Izak, Emily, Jared, Ben

Sarah and Minnie

On Tuesday morning, June 22nd, many of the family went on a hike to Battle Creek Falls:

Minnie on the trail

Liz and Erin by the falls

Jet cannot resist getting soaked whenever there is water!

Jet dripping wet.

Atom sits on a rock.

That afternoon we headed up to Heber by the Jordanelle dam to some cabins that my parents had gotten for us all to stay in. (Thanks Dad and Mom!)

The older generation challenged the younger generation (or maybe it was the other way around) to a game of ultimate frisbee while waiting for the burgers to grill. I'm not sure who won because both sides claimed victory...but I have my suspicions.

Ben, Niles, Erick, Jessie, Taran

Rachelle, Hans, Niles, Dee, Tim, Ben

Curtis is in charge of grilling the burgers for the Texas Bar-b-q that Julia and Shellie planned.

Minnie, Chris, Erin, Dee, Frank, Jessie

Emily and Gwen (I do not know why blogger put this in sideways! It has never done that before.)
Seth

Jumble with her Grandpa

Shellie!

Annette and I

Scott and Niles

Buck (almost officially a family member) with Anna and Chris (winking?)

By the campfire--Minnie, Jared, Erin, me,Chris, Amanda, David, Annette, Frank, Jonathan, Giovanni. We had a sing-a-long of family songs that evening.

On Wednesday morning, June 23rd, the young adults cooked a yummy breakfast (with help from Liz) before most of us headed to Jordanelle Reservoir:

Erin flips pancakes.

Dee and Jessie

Minnie and Gwen

Atom and Seth

Niles, Erick, David

Julia and Curtis

Anna and Erin

Jumble

Seth, Annette, me

Juan

We rented two jet skis and took turns taking rides. Very fun! Chris, Frank, Jumble, Liz (Thanks for arranging this, Erick & Liz!)

I love this photo of Jumble. We don't see many smiles like this!

Tim takes Gwen for a spin in our inflatable raft.

Erin, Emily, and Minnie

Liz, Scott, and I ready to take off on a jet ski (Frank helped us get on)

Atom and Gwen getting ready to ride a tube behind the jet skis.

Atom, Jet, and Zane

Atom (and Zane)

Liz, Scott, and I returning from our ride.

Stop taking photos of me, Niles!

That night we enjoyed Mexican food (Annette and I had it cooking in a crockpot all day) and watermelon. Gwen, Jonathan, Giovanni, Jet

Minnie, Atom, Izak (with the Indian Chief in the background)

I know Anna and Erin are going to love this photo!


Taran and Timo
Hans and Griffin

The parents pose with their children. Erick, Tim, Hans, Curtis, Ben, Annette, Shellie, me, Mom, Dad

The parents pose with their children and spouses: Erick, Liz, Frank, Annette, Tim, Rachelle, Hans, Shellie, Juan, Curtis, Julia, Niles, me, Ben, Dee, Mom, Dad.

Father and Sons: Erick, Tim, Curtis, Ben, Hans, Dad

Mother and Daughters: Annette, me, Shellie, Mom

The granddaughters: Amanda, Erin, Anna, Minnie, Jumble, Gwen, Sarah, Emily, Jessie, Erika

The grandsons (do we have a few more boys, or what?): Buck, Sam, Chris, Daniel, Andrew, Scott, Seth, Tanner, Taran, Timo, Cristian, Giovanni, Atom, Jet, Micah, Brennan, Jonathan, David, Jared, Zane, Danilo (?), Diego (?) (I hate that I can't tell them apart from this distance--sorry boys--I feel your pain!!), Izak, Griffin.

That evening we had a family testimony meeting. It's great to have a testimony meeting with just your family!

The next day, Thursday, June 24th, we packed up at the cabins and headed back to the valley. Some of us went to Park City on the way, others visited the zoo in Salt Lake City. We went to Park City and rode on the Alpine Slide and Coaster. Very fun!

On the ski lift up to the Alpine Slide: Atom, Niles, Minnie, Jet, Jumble

Annette & Frank's family were in front of us: Frank, Seth, Scott, Tanner, Jared, Annette

Waiting in line at the coaster: Atom, Jet, Scott, Jumble, Minnie, Niles

Friday morning, June 25th, the young adults went to do baptisms at the Draper Temple. Then that afternoon it was the adults turn to go do sealings at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple:

Ben, Tim, Hans, Curtis, Erick, me, Mom, Shellie, Dad, Annette

Ben, Tim, Hans, Frank, Curtis, Dee, Rachelle, Mom, Dad, Annette, Julia, Niles, me, Shellie, Juan, Liz, Erick


Chris, Daniel, Julia, Curtis, Sarah

Three of Curtis and Julia's children are old enough to come with us. Erin and Anna are old enough too, but they were meeting cousin Alyse at the airport, home from her mission so they couldn't make it to the temple with us.

Being in the temple with all of your family--it doesn't get any better than that!

That evening we had an early birthday party for Sam (who turned 19 on June 27th) at the park by our house:

Sam shows off his cake

Dad and Mom

Gwen with her dad (Tim)

Jet

Brennan

There were a few more unofficial activities on Saturday and Sunday, but sadly family members had to start leaving for home on Saturday. My family is one of my greatest blessings in life. They are the best!