Allen Brady Reunion 2016

So coming back from an extended vacation leads itself to many wonderful things, but one definite side effect for me is that I have little ambition to do much. Most times I just want to keep pretending I am on vacation even though I am home. However, it is time I write about our wonderful Idaho vacation.

It all started on Wednesday night after the girls went to bed. I drove by myself to Denver to pick up Kitt. It was a pretty uneventful drive except that at one point where there was a whole bunch of metal flashing/tubing type stuff in the road and I swerved to miss it and went into the neighboring lane of traffic. Luckily the guy that was in that lane was paying attention and nothing happened, but boy was I scared. Anyway, I met Kitt at the airport where she was parking her car for the weekend, so it would be there when she got home on Sunday. Then we talked the whole way home. It was so fun to hear all of her stories and to give her my opinions about stuff. Sisters are great and sometimes you just need those talks with each other. You know the ones where you talk about boys, life, silly insecurities, and other things like that. It was so great and we got to do it for a good solid hour. When we got home, I got out my sewing machine so Kitt could fix a pair of shorts she got and then I finished packing and called it a night.

Friday started off normal. We got up and had scriptures and prayers and went out to send Kitt and Gaupo off to work and then the normalcy ended. As Kitt was getting on her bike, she was like "What happened to your tire?" Gaupo and I both look and it is completely flat. So, we talk about what to do and eventually decided that Gaupo should go into work late instead of me taking care of this. So, he got the tire all changed while I found the info we need for the tires and then he took the tire in while I went on a run. On the run, I got to see some neighbors that I had been hoping to run into, so I stopped and talked to them for a bit and finished my run. When I got home the tire had been repaired and Kitt and Gaupo were gone to work. Apparently Big O was not busy, so they got it repaired quickly. Turns out we had four staples and a nail in our tire. I am so grateful I was able to get home the night before and that it went flat before we left.

Gaupo locking up Kitt's and His bike at work. I don't have many pictures of Gaupo so I had to post this one.

 Anyway, the rest of the morning was filled with packing things in the car, rearranging carseats, and OT/Speech. It was a super fun OT/Speech day because we did some dance partying to stop go music and moved out bodies in silly ways. It was fun to watch Tia light up as we did the dances and it was fun to watch her try to copy everyone. After speech I finished packing the car. Then we got lunch as Kitt and Gaupo were getting home. After lunch was finished we headed out and let our vacation officially begin.

Kitt, Tia, and Kylee. Tia was so proud to sit in the back of the car.

The drive wasn't too bad and Kitt was a trooper reading to the girls and helping shuffle things back and forth to them. We stopped for dinner in Rock Springs. We joked about going to Golden Coral, but didn't. However, it turns out we were all completely famished and it might have been about the same price. Okay, not really, but we spent kind of a crazy amount at Wendy's trying to get everyone full. After dinner is was back on the road again for about 1.5 hours-ish. We got to our hotel around 8:30 I think maybe later. It took us a bit to check-in because we couldn't find there front desk person. However, we finally got her and got checked in. The girls wanted to go feel the water, so we gave Gaupo a much needed break and took the girls to the pool to put their feet in. Well we spent awhile doing this because they went between the hot tub and the pool. They put their feet and hands in. They screamed a lot which was very satisfying to them because the pool room echoed like crazy. Tia's way of testing water is a little terrifying because she just leans right over the edge and sticks her little hand in. She could tip over so easy. AUGH!

Kylee with her feet in the hot tub.

 Anyway, after awhile we headed back up to our room and got ready for bed. This was a trick because Tia was so wound up she didn't want to go to bed. Finally after trying to hold her and her fighting it we put her back in bed and ignored her and she feel asleep. Thank goodness. It is a super good thing our Aunt Kitt is a trooper because staying with us is not always rosy.

Friday morning we got up. Us adults actually beat the kids up and we read scriptures and things and then rested some more. Then we went and had breakfast. This hotel's breakfast is one of the main reasons we stay at this hotel, it was so good. Sausage, eggs, bagels, waffles, muffins, hashbrowns, etc. It was so good. After filling up there, Kitt and I took the girls swimming while Gaupo repacked the car. The girls said the pool was too cold, but we got them to spider walk and bob a little anyway. Kitt and I had a handstand contest and then we all went and enjoyed the hot tub. After that we hit the showers and then hit the road. We decided to decorate Derek's grave on the way up to reunion that way it would in theory be decorated the whole time we were visiting.

We drove with the windows down to Brady's and Tia loved being in the back in all this wind.

Then after that we arrived at Brady's Plant Ranch where we were meeting for lunch as people gathered for reunion. Now those burgers were GOOD! It was fun to eat with everyone, see the greenhouses, take the girls to see the ducks, talk, and see everyone. After spending a little while there we headed up to Grandpa-Great's house and pitched out tent. Our tent is huge and it took a little bit of doing, but we got it up and the air mattresses aired up. Guapo and Papa mainly did the tent setup because I was watching the girls.

Here are all the tents. We are that rectangle one at the back.

I was also going though the stuff that my Grandpa had put out for his Grandkids to go through and take what they wanted. I got my Aunt Shara's Lite Bright, and some earrings. Later after everyone had a chance I got a couple necklaces, some fabric, a spittoon from mexico, and my Gradma's Jewelry holder.

Here is some of the stuff on the couch.

After everyone was mostly setup we started playing some outdoor games. We played a rousing came of Eenie-I-Over. Kylee was not a fan of me dragging her around the house, but nor was she a fan of being without me. So, this was not Kylee's favorite game, but Tia loved it--Running with lots of commotion what could be better. We played that until we had a collision that ended in a nose bleed. We took a break for a bit. Then we played red light/green light for a bit. Then we just enjoyed for a bit. Then it was time for the party to move again this time down to the church.

At the church, Grandpa got one of his notorious fires going and we roast hotdogs, and polish sausages for dinner. Then we had somores for dessert. It was super windy and food was often flying places. I mean it was kind of dangerous because  unless your plate was heavy the wind would just flip it over sending your food flying. However, we all survived and then got it all cleaned up and went inside.

I don't know if this is the wiener roast, but it is where we had every meal.

Inside we had a family history moment. Aunt Gaylnn told us some stories about our Great Grandparents. It was interesting to learning that Grandpa Hansen learned to smoke at age 9, but was able to quit after getting sealed in the temple. I didn't realize that my Oma was already in America when she divorced Hans Tanner and went to California. I also didn't know that she had major complications after giving birth to my Grandma. Kylee thought it was interesting that Grandpa's mom broke her hip falling down the stairs in the cellar. That poor lady sounded like she had quite the bout with pain in her life. For some reason I am blanking on the stories about my Great-Grandpa, but I know he has some good ones like the camping one with the lizards in the sleeping bag, or how he use to cook the best mutton, or how my mom loved to hear his stories. After the family history, we stood in a circle around my grandpa and sang a few Hymns for him. We sang Praise to the Man, I Need Thee Every Hour, Count Your Many Blessings, and a couple others.

Grandpa sitting in the middle of us holding baby Clara.

Then it was party time. My Uncle John and cousin Jacob had birthdays that day, so we had a birthday party. We threw cheeto's at people whose heads were covered with shaving cream. Then we shook ping-pong balls out of a Kleenex box while it was strapped to our booty. Then we tried to get a vanilla wafer from our forehead to our mouth with no hands, and then finally ended with birthday cake and ice cream.

Kylee was on a different team than me or Gaupo, but she was with Aunt Gaylynn and she  stayed with her team the whole time. What a champ.

Me shakin' it.

The Cheeto heads.

A few other great shakin' it moments.

After that party it was time to get the girls and Gaupo to bed. Gaupo was kind enough to stay with them in the tent while I went to play night games. It is so weird to be one of the big kids, and to have so many little guys. We played kick-the-can, and Ollie-Ollie-Oxen-Free. Kick the can was funny because you couldn't hide and wait to be found you had to just hug a corner of the house and wait a little bit otherwise you would never get to do anything because some littler kid would run and kick the can while the person went looking. It was so crazy, but really very fun. At 11:00 my mom came out and told us we had to be done. So, we played one round of  No Bears Out Tonight and then got ready for bed. After visiting some more and then getting ready for bed, I ended up climbing into bed a little after midnight. I slept terrible in the tent just so you know, but luckily I am the only one in my tent that did.

Saturday dawned early, but luckily not as early as a it could of. When the girls got up I took them into Grandpa-Great's house and we played with the other awake children until about 7:45 or maybe 7:30 when our dad came in and we all went back out to the tent to get ready. We were a little late getting to the church for breakfast, but luckily the crew on breakfast was late too. When breakfast was served we had delicious eggs, sausage, and tortillas that could be combined to make a great breakfast burrito. My kids were also big fans of the cold cereal. After breakfast was done and cleaned up we had a talent show. Our family is so talented we had gymnasts, piano solos and duets, singing, Lego building, quilts, drums, cup playing, and all sorts of great stuff. Kylee did a great job singing Praise to the Man and Tia just couldn't get enough of the microphone and so she sang I Am a Child of God. I accompanied Kitt and Jack singing The Miracle.

Tia on the Mic singing I Am a Child of God.

Kylee singing Praise to the Man.

After the talent show we played a wonderful game of kickball. It was a game with all ages and it really was quite fun. I enjoyed playing and so did the girls for awhile, but the eventually settled for watching baby Ross and wandering around. I have to admit some of my more competitive cousins were able to get my goat, but luckily it wasn't till the end, so I was able to enjoy the game although I am kind of embarrassed I let my temper flare up like that. After kickball it was time for the game I invented-ish. It was Wits and Wagers Brady Family Edition. I had done some surveys previously to gather all the data that I needed for it and then made questions for everybody to answer. People said they enjoyed it and it did go well, so I will call it a success. I will definitely say it would have been better with real white boards and magnets, but that is so just a technicality, and I really do think it was fun. I know it was fun for me to watch people try to logically guess the answers. After that game it was lunch time.

Kylee just couldn't hack it any longer. She crashed out during Wits and Wagers.

We had BBQ, watermelon, and cookies. When that was all cleaned up we had a pinata and played volleyball. Then we played speed until it was time to get cleaned up. I am sure we were suppose to clean up quickly, and it did, but we also lingered longer and talked around some.

Here we are lined up from Oldest to youngest. This line is for wits and wagers, but this is usually how it started for dividing up teams for any activity.

Finally we parted ways and my family (Oma, Papa, Kitt, Jack, Kara, Seth, Ross, Gaupo, Kylee, Tia, and Me) all headed up to Grandpa-Great's house. We said goodbye to the few cousins that were there and then we were all alone. Which is not always a bad thing. We took our tent down and moved inside and then we just visited. We had a few cousins come up and visit some more and Oma popped out some delicious Casco bars.

Colton, Tucker, Kylee, Trevor, Mathew, and Papa eating Casco bars.

Oma gave the girls these skirts once everyone had left. They are so cute and fun!

Oh, it was just wonderful to visit and enjoy that beautiful Idaho late afternoon. That night we had pizza for dinner and more ice cream. We got baths and showers. We went though the Wits and Wagers questions we didn't get to and we visited. I so wish family lived closer it is so fun to get together and visit and the time we have to do that is so little it seems like.

That was the end of the official Allen Brady Reunion, although it didn't truly end there. On Sunday morning we got up and had breakfast.

The girls 'helped' Oma practice the piano while I got ready for church.

Then we had to say good-bye to Kara, Seth and Ross. That was sad. Then we went to church. Going to Church in Virginia is awesome. I know so many people and really does feel kind of like going home. It is so good to go and see all those people. After church we went home and cooked the rolls and then like 1:45 headed to my Aunt Karen and Uncle Johns for lunch. We had lunch with the part of their family that was left and us. I think it total it was like 20-ish people still. It was pretty fun to be all together. Also it led to more visiting and playing. However, all too soon that ended too because we had to get Kitt, Oma, and Papa on the road. After they left we just enjoyed talking and being outside with Grandpa. It was so great to not be the first one to leave, but it was also hard because soon enough I would be, and part of being at Grandpa's is being with family. However, it was a great Sunday night and we went to bed at a decent time I think. Monday was a day filled with trying to get Grandpa's house put back together. We changed the beds, took the stuff that needed to go to DI upstairs and out to the car. We talked and played. Tia looked at the cows like 50million times. Jack and I visited for a bit, but around 12:00 he had to leave too. Then it really was just my little bunch and Grandpa. We had a simple lunch of sandwiches and ice cream. Then we put the girls down for naps. During naps I got to visit with Grandpa for awhile until we were joined by Kylee. Then Grandpa went to take a bit of a nap, so Kylee and I climbed the apple tree, layed in the grass, and just hung around each other until we were joined by Gaupo and Tia. Then Gaupo helped Grandpa get his DVD player working, had some more ice cream and then it was time to say goodbye. It was hard to leave Grandpa, but we were pretty excited for our Swanlake adventure too.

Love this beautiful place and the people that fill this home with love.