Jones Family Reunion Round-Up!!!

(Note: Jones family members, you can click on the photos to see them up close. Non-family members, you are of course invited to read this post, but a fair warning--I don't think I've ever had a post with sooooo many pictures!!)

We spent the past three days with Darin's family at Bear Lake for a family reunion. It was Darin's parents, their ten children, six spouses, and seventeen grandchildren under the age of nine. It was a really fun time and went by too quickly for me--a shocker even to myself!!!

First stop was at Willow Park in Cache Valley. We had a picnic and enjoyed a snowstorm of cotton from all the trees. The finger jell-o was covered with fuzz. But we took it to Bear Lake with us anyways and just rinsed it off.

Then we caravanned up the canyon and met at the Limberpine trail head. That hike was one of my favorite parts of the reunion. Darin and I hiked ahead with the "older" grand kids--ages 3-9. Trying to hold them back was like trying to hold back the tide--so we just went with them, while the other adults and little ones followed behind. My favorite kid-quotes on the hike came from the kids cousin, Ashley. When we told her several times to wait for us because she needed to stay near an adult she'd answer, with her hands on her hips. "Do NOT treat me like a child!! I am older. I am six!!" And when Darin was telling the kids tales of fairies in the forest, Ashley asked, "Are you TRYING to lie to me???"

Below are some of the pretty princess girl cousins!! Ellie and Brielle taking in a movie, Savannah showing us her moves, Ashley, Ellie and Raigen eatin' pizza, and Allie doing what she did for three days. Her life has got to be exhausting!!! (And even more exhausting for mom and dad!!!)
Here's the beautiful view we enjoyed. The yard and lake view is so perfect!! The second picture is the view of our place from the beach.
The first night the kids all got a surprise of matching PJ's from aunt Heidi!! They were so excited and cute running around all matchy-matchy. We turned on the tunes and aunt Darla led them around the room dancing. These kids have such FUN aunts and uncles!!!

Here's all the cousins (baby Jason is missing.) , in their matching PJ's and their cowboy hats and bandannas from uncle Fodie and aunt Mel.

Fodie and Melissa were assigned the monumental task of entertaining the little ones with kid-fun!! So the first evening they came out all dressed up cowboy-like and got the kids fired up for the fun-to-come. They brought a cowbell and told the kids to "get on their horses and come a runnin' when they hear it". It worked like a charm every time we needed to gather the kids. Fodie and Melissa had tons of fun stuff for the kids to do--they made crafts, had a fish pond, made blow guns for all the kids, had a treasure hunt, and on and on!!

When the troops were getting restless, we were saved by a great park that was nearby.

The playground served not only as an outlet for the kids, but for a few of the adults as well!!! Not sure who "won" the swinging contest, Heidi or myself??

The marshmallow blow guns that Fodie made for the kids were a great hit!! We even had a couple of targets--the one here is BAMBI???? Are we raising Bambi-killers??? I must admit--I enjoyed the guns myself!!!

First day at the beach. Or should I say--attempt to go to the beach!! Notice the clouds in the sky!! We were not there long. Just long enough to set up camp at the beach, and long enough for Darin to get in his FULL BODY wet suit!! I think the kids thought he was the Bear Lake monster!!! As soon as we were we all set up and having fun, those clouds rolled right in on top of us and it started to rain. At first we ignored it and thought we'd wait it out. But then the wind picked up, the chairs were blowing away, and the last straw--lightning--BIG lightning started to strike not for from where we were. I started yelling for all the kids to get out of the water and the next five minutes were a flurry of screaming and things blowing away and the back of Fode's truck full of scared, wet, kids!! I was actually laughing my head off. It was quite comical to watch Darin running about in his get-up catching all our blowing-away stuff!!

Here Dallon is telling the kids "big fish tales" before they each take a turn at the fish pond game.

This was the last day of a several weeks long trip to Utah for Dallon and Heidi. I think it was all catching up with them, and they finally caught some daytime zzzz's. And I caught a snapshot!!

Second day at the beach went a little more smoothly. We were worried all morning as the clouds loomed, and the breeze was freezing!! Half the family took a trip to Minnetonka cave to pass the time. But the weather ended up in our favor that afternoon--sort of!! The sun WAS out, and we DID spend a few hours at the beach. Kids had on swimming suits and coats. Adults had on sweatshirts and blankets. But no mind--we had a great time.

Here are some of the wee ones taking in some beach fun. Maddie was shivering like crazy during this photo, Josh was likely running a fever and kept laying down in different spots, baby Jason slept through most of it, and little Nan, well she was in her element!!!

Logan had no idea it was even cold, most of the time. Lots of the kids had no clue that they SHOULD have been freezing. They just had a blast!! Ellie sure loves Savannah and followed her around quite a bit. Ellie thought Savannah looked like a little pink hippo in her pink jacket with ears on the hood. We were laughing because Nan is as far from a hippo as a baby can get--she is absolutely tiny!!!

There was a pool on the beach with carp swimming in it. The guys, the adult guys, had a great time chasing them down and catching them with their bare hands. I think maybe they were having flashbacks to when they were ten years old. Not sure--but whatever was going on--it was fun to watch them. The kids begged to be buried in the sand. Luckily they have FUN aunts who obliged. Thanks Dalynn, Devarie and Darla for playing with the kids SO much!!! Here you can catch a glimpse of how cold it was--jackets, sweatshirts, blankets,etc. That's what you get at Bear Lake in JUNE!!! And I couldn't resist the picture of grandpa Sam after he rode his bike to the beach--one pant leg still rolled up.

We snapped a rare photo of the five sisters-in-law while we were at the beach. All so different from each other---but fit so well with each other. Five lucky gals who married five brothers. (Devin, we haven't given up on the sixth gal!!) And I'm not sure who said it as we were taking this picture of the five of us--was it Michele?? She said, "Best darn thing that ever happened to this family"!!!!! Amen!!!

THANKS for a super fun reunion everyone!!!! Are you sure we don't want to have them EVERY year instead of every other?? ...........EASY BOY........Darin and Devin just calm down---I am kidding!!!!! Love you all!!!!

P.S. Have you ever done a spell check with so many "Fode's and Fodie's"??? Is that a word??