Well, the time has finally arrived again when (luckily this year) all 39 of our children, their spouses and including 21 grandchildren gathered together at our beloved Bear lake (with two new babies "on the way” who will join us next year). With three of our families on the West Coast and three on the East Coast, two in Phoenix and one in Ogden and even though they do somehow manage to see each other quite a bit during the year, we’re never really ALL together except for four days in July. Little cousins who were two last year and now three (or almost) and getting to know each other!
Glad they have their life jackets on in that kiddie pool…but they’re going to need it when they get to the lake behind them. It’s FULL!
Parents are slathering on Suntan Lotion
And enough sand castles were built that if they were lined up, they could reach all the way to China:
And bunnies show up again to eat the flowers in my flower gardens!
And the eclectic collection of shoes outside the front door is back:
Kids fill up the hot tub after a cold dip in the lake…
“Ye Ol’ Montero” is put back together again (by our in-house mechanic Jonah) and kids LOVE covering it like flies on rancid meat….
This year the worst happened….after 15 years of running like a top, the boat wouldn’t work! Even after paying a guy in Logan a hefty amount to get it going, it still didn’t work. Once again our mechanic Jonah, somehow after many hours of trying, failing and trying again, got it going! Take a look at these kids’ faces when they thought they weren’t going to be able to waterski/wakeboard this year:
The biggest cheer of the reunion occurred when it actually started!
THE BONFIRE
This year, the reunion was planned and organized by Jonah and Aja. What great ideas they came up with along with following the traditions of previous years. The first night of the reunion we had a big bonfire where we listened to everyone’s favorite songs of the year (including the kids) on a CD. Jonah and Aja had begged, pleaded and threatened people to send their songs and we loved listening to the CD together and guessing whose song was whose! Those CDs are played in all our cars during the year and even though dad and I can’t keep track of them, every kid know who sent which song.
THE TEAMS AND FLAGS
Our fearless organizers also had the kids organized in teams each with a team flag. They got special badges for fulfilling certain requirements. Little kids were coming up to me in droves asking what they could do to help! It sure helped at mealtime with washing dishes and emptying that forever-full dishwasher!
THE TALENT SHOW
…including pole-climbing
And during a fun skit, Nurse Julie and her husband Eli taught us all how to do the Heimlich Manuever
THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT
Every year we have a tennis tournament and with 18 adults entered, we have to be pretty serious about playing those matches! These are the semi-finalist: Eli and Julie and Shawni and Dave:
And the other semi-finalist: Noah and Kristi and the Magnificent Granddaughter Elle who was on her way to BYU Tennis Camp
And the winners were:
Grandfather and Elle! As Elle kisses her trophy, hope you can read the caption:
OTHER EXCITING EVENTS….
included McKay learning the Grandfather trick of taking his thumb off:
Wild and crazy dancing with a Wii game…
REVERSE CHARADES
A spectacular double rainbow framing the Lighthouse….
PICTURE TAKING AT SUNSET
AND PICTURES ON SUNDAY MORNING ON THE DAY SOME HAD TO LEAVE
What a grand time we had celebrating together. It was wild chaos at mealtimes and crazy fun at the beach. There were forever-messes to clean up, lots of kid-fights to quell, games until midnight and mellow talks one-on-one and in groups.
One of our most important items of business is an Eyrealm meeting where we figure out humanitarian projects that we can support each year with money from The Eyrealm Foundation. Our children are all members of the board and Saren, our oldest is the Chariman of the Board. Many of those projects are ones that our children are intimately involved with. It always brings forth great ideas to give back!
Thanks to Jonah and Aja for a fabulous reunion! How very blessed we are!
Looks like a fabulous time! Just had to let you all know what a joy it is to be friends with the Eyres! Just knowing you has been a blessing in our lives.