August 8-11
Every year my parents like to have a family reunion, usually they are in San Diego but this year my dad wanted to try something different and we went camping instead. We went to Fish Lake here in Utah. It was great fun and super relaxing. The camp ground was really nice too, it even had working toilets and running water!
Stephen, Will and I got to Fish Lake late Wednesday afternoon and had fun chatting with the family and making dinner.
Thursday, August 9th-
On Thursday Will made sure we were up bright and early and the clan decided we wanted to go fishing. There wasn't much luck, especially for a place called Fish Lake but Will had fun with his trains playing in the dirt and finding "rockies".
My little sister Anne was the first to catch a fish. If you look closely you can see it in the water.
My brother, Jordan really wanted to catch a fish, he thought that moving a little farther out would produce better results.
He was rewarded with a fish.
My mom and sister, Brooke, took their turn with the rods but to no avail.
My sister-in-law, Bri decided to try to teach my parents dog to swim...
That afternoon after fishing there was a flash thunder/rain-storm. Anne hung out in our tent with us to stay dry.
No matter how grumpy Will is, he always looks like a gap baby model, maybe I should have capitalized on that, oh well.
Bri, too, always looks good. Even if we've been camping for 2 days. My niece, Annalise, also looks amazing but she's a baby, that's hard for her not to do.
My niece, Ella, decided she wanted to be a pioneer, thus the bonnet.
I LOVE Will's mischievous face here. I have a picture of myself at his age with much the same face.
My mom tried to cook a zucchini in the fire, like you cook corn, but it didn't work.
I love this picture!
Jordan and Bri brought a hammock and Ella decided she wanted to wrap herself in it like a "cocoon".
Friday, August 10th-
Friday morning everyone decided to go sailing. My parents have two tiny sailboats called mini fish and they brought them all the way from San Diego so we could sail them.
While preparing to go sailing Will had a swing on the hammock with Bri.
Jordan held Annalise. She has a very intense gaze. She can see into your soul.
My brother, Cam, is 15. Enough said.
The bathroom was up a trail from our campsite and every time someone went up the trail to use the facilities Will would watch them go with an expression of wonder. Finally his curiosity got the better of him and he ran after Stephen to see what was so great about going up the trail. He was disappointed.
With Will's affinity for the water, he was understandably excited about sailing on a "bot".
I know this picture is blurry but I love Will's smile and tilted hat.
It took a while to get 10+ people ready to go anywhere. Will was not amused.
Luckily Stephen whirling him around in circles fixes all things.
Ella has thing about smiling and looking away in pictures. She's 4, what can I say?
My daddy worked SO hard to put this all together and get everything ready. He's amazing!
I really hate this picture but it's proof that I was actually there.
We rode in the back of the truck to go 1/8 of a mile to get to the lake. Will was nervous the whole time.
Will really loved playing on the shore of the lake.
Isn't the lake beautiful?
Stephen was excited to go sailing, even if it was only a tiny boat.
Jordan and Stephen decided to take Will with them. Will didn't love it. The mini fish are not very stable and tip over easily. I think Will could feel that, he is a very cautious kid.
Stephen had fun, Will did not.
The ladies waited on the shore while the "men" went sailing.
My beautiful sister Brooke and her beautiful babies. I think she looks like a movie star hanging with her children in this picture.
The boys got pretty far out before Will really started freaking out.
Ella loves to perform.
After the boys came back Stephen and I went out on the mini fish. I have sailed one before but it's been a long time. We didn't make it past the circle of weeds just off shore before we flipped the boat. Luckily Jordan came to our rescue and helped us right the boat and get on our way again. We had fun sailing in circles trying to find the wind and adjust the sails to propel us forward. As we were coming in we flipped again, I think I need to study up on my sailing techniques before we sail again.
While we were sailing my dad, mom, and grandma rented a motor boat.
After our sailing escapes we decided to head back to camp and put Will to bed and to watch the rest of the kids while everyone else had some more fun. Right as we got to the camp this crazy rainstorm came through and we scrambled to get everyone in the tent before it got worse. Luckily we got all the babies in the tent before the hail started.
The rest of the fam got caught on the far side of the lake during the storm and they have their own crazy stories involving a tee-pee.
The storm didn't last that long and after we broke out of the tent we had some fun of our own.
The beautiful sunset after the storm.
My handsome Will.
It was a little chilly that night.
Saturday, August 11th-
We wanted to pack up quick on Saturday so we could play a little more before we went home.
My poor cousin Chris slept on a rock.
Cam showing how strong he is. He even shook his arms with exertion.
We had so much fun! I'm so grateful for my daddy who planned and planned and put it all together. We can't wait for next year!
