Showing posts with label reunion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reunion. Show all posts

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Samuelson Men's High Adventure

 The men's response to Girls Weekend. I was not at this High Adventure, so I cannot speak to it. It was reported, however, that it was the perfect camp site. Right by Warm River, a bike path, and a fire pit. All that they needed to have a great time! Of course the highlight was tubing the river!
The ladies got to come up the final day for breakfast and Zoe and I got to float the most ironically named Warm River.
You notice Liams cast wrapped in a plastic bag so it wouldn't get wet? They used all sorts of materials to makeshift a plastic cover. Ingenius!




Sunday, June 30, 2013

Johnson Family Reunion




We went to Utah to attend the Johnson Family Reunion (my mother's side, and my father's step-side, ha!). It was really wonderful to see cousins I  hadn't seen in 25 years, to introduce Travis to aunts and uncles of mine that he had never met, and watch my kiddos play with their 2nd cousins.
Also, can you beat that view?
So great to see everyone!

Monday, May 6, 2013

sisters weekend

 We have had a sister's weekend the past few years and I was so excited about the one this year. We got to welcome Texas sister as well as her two girls a few days early. Felix was instantly in love with Gwendolyn.
 We got to have some cousin time before the other sisters started arriving.
 Our first official morning we headed to a lovely little boutique/nursery/garden to look around.
 It was fun having the older girls join in this year.
 It was beautiful weather all weekend.
 We also had the pleasure of miss Margaret and little James.

 I would love to say that this was the only food-y indulgence we enjoyed.
 My lovely sisters!
 We painted nails.
 Had a favorite things exchange.
 My sisters are AMAZING musicians, so we did some singing etc.
 We snuggled babies. We lost a lot of sleep. We had times to talk. We did a craft. I was neglegent about taking a lot of pictures.
One of our funnest endevors was doing some cleaning and organizing at Steve and Shawna's home. We also go to visit Shawna and Steve in the hospital. While we were so sad that Shawna wasn't able to come, we were so happy that she was there taking care of their baby.
 Beautiful ladies!
 Scrunch face!
We had such a great time. I am so blessed to be surrounded by these amazing, wonderful, supportive ladies.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Mimi and Pa visit

 We had such a wonderful visit with Mimi and Pa, as always. It had been a full year since we saw them. It was great timing for another visit. Zoe wanted to go shopping with Mom and Mimi for her birthday. Very fun.
 The ping pong table got a lot of wear and tear, especially when Austin got here.
 Kids loved having lots of adults around to give them attention.
 We were so sad Hilarie couldn't come to make it a true family reunion.
 Austin and Celia made the trip for a few days so we could all be together. It was great to see them.
The weather really was lovely most of the time. Here the Turley men sun themselves. We spent a lot of time just hanging out together and talking. We made quite a few trips to the grocery store (Mimi and Pa were so great to be patient with our very specific vegan diet) for green smoothie ingredients.
Looks like, once again, I failed to get a picture of the grandparents and grand kids together. Oh well, that just means we need another visit!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Trip post 9: reunion day 3, hike and auction

 My grandfather LOVED to hike. One of his favorite hikes was the Mt. Timpanogos hike. I remember hiking it with him quite a bit as a child.
This was what was on the schedule for Saturday morning. I have very low expectations for Felix, but we went anyway. This hike is so great because there is an easyish one up to a waterfall, then you can go up higher to another falls and a cave. We opted for the small part since we had little children.
By the time we got to the start of the hike it was pouring rain. POURING! Like, soaked within minutes, pouring. I thought, if we only get a short ways up, we can bring the kids down and wait in the car until everyone else is finished.
I tell you what, that kid (all our kids!) made it all the way to the top, in the pouring rain, in some rough mud and rocks to climb over on the trail! I was so amazed!
 It took both Travis and myself holding Felix's hands the whole way. But he walked almost all of it! Thank goodness for Steve and Shawna who helped Lydia and Jill and Will and Grandpa Sam for keeping an eye on the other kids. We passed them on their way down and that is the only time we saw them!
 Beautiful hike!
 Lovely waterfall. It stopped raining maybe halfway up.
 We made it!!! I really amazed me! Can you tell?
 My lovely sister, darling daughter, and myself.
 The last night of the reunion we usually do an auction with items people bring to the reunion. We use pretend $ and each family gets the same amount of money. The items donated include: original artwork, heirlooms, rotating items (ones like the wooden "thumbs up" that you can rent for one year), crafty items, homemade food items, and things that we want to share or that we are done with.
Before the adults got started with the auction the younger kids got to open goody bags. They got some fabulous prizes.
Some of the older grand kids opted to participate in a Favorite Things Exchange. Each child brought 3 of the same favorite thing. Each child had a turn to explain what their item was, then draw 3 names of other participants to give their items to. It was so much fun!
Boys with their goodies!
This is a picture of the 5 granddaughters. Of the 23 grandchildren only 5 are girls. We were happy this year that 2 more girls were added and another expected! I am happy that Zoe and Gwennie have each other and Greta and Leia have each other and that Lydia loves the company of her boy cousins so much!
I really could go on and on about our amazing reunion and about all the pictures I wish I would've taken. About the overwhelming love I have for all of these folks. I truly feel so abundantly rich to be surrounded by some of the most amazing people I know! How blessed I feel.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Trip post 8: reunion, Liam's photos

 Saturday morning, Liam grabbed my camera and went around taking pictures. When I looked at the them, later, I was so impressed by the wonderful smiles he captured. Sometimes adults are too busy to take individual pics. I thought they were worth recording.
 Leia
 Casper
 Buzz
 Lydia and Sammy
 Neopolitan!
 Renz
 Greta
 Renz, again
 Todd
 Ian
 Dad
 Linus
 Jill
 Mom
 Steve
 Sarah
 Richard
 Lydia and Felix
Laura


Oh how I love these folks! I wish I had pictures of everyone who was there. What a lovely bunch of people!