More Reunion Memories

Before I completely forgot ... or let it get into next year. I wanted to put down a few more memorable moments from our family reunion in Mt. Pleasant - celebrating Grandma Marx's 95th birthday.
I was so grateful that Grandma got to spend time with the kids. She hadn't met Ben and Ginny and hadn't seen Joshua since he blessed - oh so long ago!

Mimi and Grandma utterly engrossed (and not at all bored) by ...

Papa and the kids. Those balloons provided amazingly versitile entertainment. The kids demanded that we stick them to the wall with magic (static) over and over and over ... some of those silly balloons followed us home too (thanks).

On a drive down memory lane with Mimi and Papa - we found the house they were living in when Angie was born. The babies couldn't quite wrap their heads around that one ...

Papa providing rides on a trip to see G-G-Grandfather's homestead outside Moroni.

Horseshoe mountain ... one of my favorite views on this planet.

The motley crew who agreed to follow Uncle Buzz on the historical tour - see us hanging on his every word?

Here is the homestead. Here it was that my great-great grandfather lived with two wives and 20 children. The wives were sisters (I loved the look on my brother-in-law's face when he imaged that set-up!) and no, there is not more to the house - just one room and a loft upstairs. I thought my 3 bedroom 2 bath home was too small for the 6 of us. Yikes!!!!!

Ginny's turn for the ride. I think that Ginny got the first ride and Ben pestered Papa until he got one too.

Byron and Papa talking. Don't know what about - that's okay. I love the picture.

Joshua and his cousins finding a sawdust pile in the next lot and deciding to "make it snow." Contrary to all expectations, there were no itchy children after this mess ...

Tess and the ducks. She spent every possible moment chasing, catching, and carrying a duck. When a deer was spotted in the back lot, Uncle Buzz overheard her saying "this place is just wonderful! Here I am carrying a duck and watching wildlife!" She said she was going to record it in her journal, I hope she did.

Robert and Bryce (who were inseperable the entire weekend) decided that the windfall apples made really good missiles ... until they got hit with a few.

Mimi following the babies ... and teaching them how to find good windfalls for eating. They ate so many I was sure we would have some upset tummies. Wrong again! I am not entirely positive that there were no worm involved, however. Still ... no one complained, so ...

More apples, more kids, and the ever-present duck ...

Ben displaying his table manners as we waited for lunch at the birthday party.

MC of the evening - Uncle Buzz. I wondered how he got stuck with that since he organized the entire event too. It was so great to see so many family members together - what a fun lunch! After the lunch we put Nathan to work taking family pictures outside Moroni's Opera House.

Not sure what Ben was doing ... Mimi had my camera. Great picture though!

All the grandkids getting comfortable for dinner. They had so much fun together!

Not a great picture, but I had to include it because Brandy (the one in the middle who doesn't look like she was up all night) bought us all necklaces. Big sister (that would be me), Middle sister (Brandy), and Little sister (Cyndi). The necklaces are great - also great was Cyndi complaining that she always gets the "little sister" stuff. Hmmmm, wonder why that is?

Family Pictures ... and One Awesome Photographer

I have sooo many postings to catch up on (I hope this weekend). Just to start, on Nov. 7 we all went back to Mt. Pleasant to celebrate Grandma Marx's 95th birthday. It was soooooo wonderful seeing to many family members - some I haven't seen in more years than I care to count! The best part is that my cousin, Nathan, has a photography hobby and he does some wonderful work! We pressed him into service and somehow, between a full-time job and family life (including a beautiful little baby) he managed to put this photo gallery together. We were grateful to have all of our family together (including Bryce and Tess) for these photos. You have to kind of wade through to find us as it is all mixed together, but I think it is well worth the effort. The link is http://photomarx.smugmug.com/Family-events/Grandmas-95th-B-day/10580200_7b32x/1/735136925_SQqFS#735136925_SQqFS

Happy Halloween 2009

There has been sooooo much going on and I just couldn't blog because I have been sick sick sick. NOT the swine flu, however, just a respiratory infection. We have been hugely blessed by great friends during this past week or so - wonderful families who came in while I was out of commission and kept us fed and took kids and were just in general wonderful!

The usual Halloween drill is that I and the kids get dressed up and I pick a fight with Byron to get him to come with us as we go to the little Trunk or Treat at the church and around our local neighborhood. Last year, the kids really didn't get into the spirit of things (but I had fun). This year, I am still just not feeling up to heading outside - or picking a fight. So, much to Byron's relief, he is off the hook. Our good friends have some teenage kids who desperately want to be allowed to go trick-or-treating, so they are taking (along with their mother) our kids out to the festivities. There are three teens (including Robert) and three babies ... perfect!

The kids, thanks to TV and school, have been practicing all day for the big event. I had already decided to put Joshua into the Jedi costume I made for Robert back in Oregon. It fits him perfectly and he wore it to school yesterday.

For Ben, I didn't really have a costume. He picked out a dinosaur pattern, but when I got sick - that pretty much ended any dinosaur ideas. I was looking through my box and thought I could fit him into Robert old CSA uniform. I was just worried about what he might think he was supposed to be. Since we don't do any Civil War stuff. He solved my problem, however, by getting into a fight with Joshua. He kept insisting that he was a pirate (how random is that?). So, I put a handkerchief on his head and he said "Aargh, I'm a pirate!" Problem solved. With the wool pants (which are pretty scruffy), his old sandals, and the shirt that is so big it exposes his entire chest and balloons the sleeves ... he looks perfect! I really just wish I had some clip on earrings (not that he'd keep them on). I decided to take eye liner and give him a beard and a mustache ... and chest hair! He keeps opening his shirt to show it off ... I thought Josh was going to be my ham, but Ben takes the cake this year! Who's the man!

Ginny loves Tinker Bell and I had found a pattern that had all of the fairies from the movie on it and allowed her to choose which color "Tinker Bell" she wanted to be. Of course, she chose the pink one. All told, her costume cost $6 ... that's my kind of costume. Huge thank you to my friend Leslie who came over and actually finished the costume this week because I couldn't focus enough to sew! As with Ben, I decided to add a little make up. I wish I had taken video of her trying to hold still for the lip stick ... when I finally convinced her to stop licking her lips before I could get it on her! She did pretty well for 2 and a half. The only disappointment was that I did not get her wings stiff enough. I tried adding wire after the fact, but it didn't really work ... I'll have to make a new set another time.

Robert wanted to be a marine, so I called to get a set of my brother-in-law's fatigues. He's in the Army, but I figured it was close enough ;-) At any rate, that fell through, so I told Robert he needed to be creative. This is what he came up with... he is a Secret Agent. Byron tried to get him to take his shoe off and talk into it, but he didn't go for it. This is his best Secret Agent look ... what more can I say?

Byron and I are going to hang out and study (and watch college football) this year. I can't wait to hear what fun the kids have! I am so not getting sick next year ...