Family Trip- Idaho Leg

Reunion in Idaho was everything a reunion should be:  eating, playing hard, a few activities for the kids and a whole lot of visiting.

Aunt Eileen brought lots of waterballoons, which were quickly used up.

Aunt Mara brought lots of clothes for everyone to look through.  Something for everyone.

Stephie, ever so practiced at Grandma Nielson's house, caught a grasshopper.  Actually, she caught a couple.

The little boys found the dirt and rocks to play with.

Uncle Sam brought his boondoggle thread.  He also generously donated from his stash of fly-tying yarn for us to use on the cabin quilt.

Aunt Darla (the scout guru) brought their bottle rocket launcher. It got well used and often got dispensed with in favor of just pouring water.

We got the cabin quilt tied and ready to be bound.

Oh that is too perfect.

Even Grandpa got in on the fun.

That is more like it.  Lots of water got "spilled."

Someone set a needle down and Elijah even worked hard on the quilt.

If you look hard you can see the evidence.

We are an equal opportunity family with no respect to gender or age.

Can't remember who brought the waterballoon launcher.

There was also bows and arrows to shoot, brownies to eat and LOTS of cousin time!!

Oh, and we opened the time capsule from the Cabin Reunion 5 years ago.  Way fun to read where people were then and then know where they are now.  We also made another one to be read in 5 years.

Then the fun really began.  We went to the college where Uncle Ryan gave us a lecture on sound.  He had lots of cool toys, I mean instruments to play with.  He even had a tesla coil... but he didn't let us play with it.  He also showed a great video about how military folk are taught how to kill using violent video games, BUT they are also taught the discipline to go a long with it.  Kids aren't taught that discipline but allowed to just go out and "kill" with video games.  I'll have to find it and link to it (or Ryan you could save me the trouble and send me the link :) ).

Then we got to play, "Name that culprit." or Mara's Memories or whatever other names we came up with.  It was a trivia game about incidents that happened in the family.  (Who got sprayed by a skunk?  Who broke their leg chasing a cow? ect)

From there we moved over to Uncle Sam's neck of the woods.  He was instrumental in aquiring an exact replica of the Grandin Press, the press that the Book of Mormon was printed on.  He gave a fascinating discussion of the dark art of printing, the people who did the actual printing of the Book of Mormon, and the press itself.

The title page of the Book of Mormon.

Then everyone got to print their own copy of the Family Reunion page that Uncle Sam typeset.

Some of the type.  Quick what font?

The Mad Printer

Alina cranking the paper in place.

Uncle Sam showing how they used to ink.

Miriam inking.

Even Grandma and Grandpa got to pull the "devil's tail."

Grandma showing the finished product.

Uncle Ryan helping Ryah ink hers.

No one, least of all our family wanted the night to end.  All the moms were impressed at how well the kids all played with each other.  (I guess you don't say that with teenagers, do you?) Got along with each other.  My girls were so pleased to be played with and taken care of by cousins of all ages.  It was hard to leave the next day and know that there was more fun to be had.

We hope our girls realize what a wonderful family (on both sides) we have.  Even though we don't see them very often we can turn to them for ANYTHING.  This is where it is at and where it will be for Eternity! 

We love you all!!!