Learning to Swim...or Just Another Family Reunion!

I should be crafting or something but this is more fun right now.

I have a rather LARGE family. I have 6 brothers and sisters. I am Grandchild # 50 of 65 (on my mother's side). I have a total of 11 aunts and uncles, most of them still living. I love each and everyone deeply and miss them all so very much.

Living so far away in Sheridan, Wyoming, I don't get to see them often. We have all scattered and it is hard to get us all together at once. We try.

I remember the last time we were all together (all but 2 cousins - my brother Mori serving in the military and my cousin Brett serving a mission). My Grandma Heaton passed away. My grandpa was in the hospital due to a broken hip. I remember the funeral vaguely, it was 15 years ago. I remember the family time after services. We all piled into a room at the church and had our picture taken. Wonder who has a copy of that... I never got one... That was one of the happiest times in my life to that point. Family is a truly wonderful blessing.

So, back to the present...

Our Family Reunion is held every year at the end of July or the begining of August at the Heaton Ranch, dairy Canyon, Southern Utah. Most beautiful place in all the world!

The picture above are the two ponds that my Grandpa helped make when his dad bought the place back in the 1940's. The picture below (yes I took that one and that is strait out of the camera!) is looking out over the Duck Creek Valley (I think) on the trail to Cascade Falls. You can even see the Moon.

So, when we get together at our reunion, you will hear "Remember me?, I'm So and So." And the replies are just like it "OH YEAH! good to see you again!" And we reminisce, sing songs on the porch at night, go swimming, make home made root beer, eat, make dry ice bombs (only after dark and down the road a piece at the creek where we are less likely to wake sleeping children), get thrown in the pond, eat, hike up to Cascade Falls, eat, get thrown in the pond (one needs it again after the freezing cold mountian water of the Falls!), eat, and playing lots of games.

Here is a view of the Fallsfrom a ways out on the trail. My little brother took this one a few years ago.

Cascade Falls is obviously on of my favorite activities at the reunion. I'll detail that more in another post.

Right now I want to share a video that my tallest brother, Charles, put together (he is #6 in my family). This video captures the fun and energy of my Family Reunion and really makes me wish I could have been there!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=48688025288

I wish I could just embed the video but it is stuck in Facebook. Please click on the link and have a laugh!

Just for kicks, here are a few photos from last year's reunion of my kids getting tossed in. And the big splash at the end, well, we'll just pretend that that was me. I did get thrown in, just not sure which splash was mine!

Here goes Jonathan.....

And there goes Gabe.....

Flying high!!!!!!

No worries, Uncle Charles was there to make sure no one stayed under...

Kate is such a trooper! She wanted to be in the middle of the fun, too! 2 years old!

SPLOOOSH!!!

Next year... sigh....