My Grand Summer Adventure - Davies Reunion

I know that writing too retroactively is looked down upon in the blogging community, but I felt that I would be doing some of my friends a great disservice to not. So here goes. On July 8th I left Las Vegas on what would turn out to be a grand adventure. My cars a/c is sometime a little finicky, so I left town at 5am and didn’t arrive to my Uncle Paul’s cabin in Island Park ID until almost 9pm that night. Long day of driving! My oldest brother Logan, his wife Noelette and their kids Kitana (2 ½) and Ronan (1 ½) were there. Drove all the way from Atlanta Georgia! (I am pretty sure they get the award for traveling the furthest for the reunion). My second oldest brother Jeff, his wife Suzanne and their kids Jordan (10), Landon (8), Alexa (4), and Branson (2) were also there. They drove from Providence Utah, where they live. They also brought with them my Uncle Paul’s 4-wheelers. It was so kind of my aunt and uncle to lend them to us for the reunion. We had so much fun. The day after I arrived we took them out to ride and we didn’t get very far before it started to rain and hail on us. Fact: hail really hurts as it hits your skin when you are moving at any speed that is achieved which is greater than your own forward motion. By the time we made it back to the car we were all soaked to the bone.

Jordan, Landon & Alexa getting ready to ride with us. (these cows followed us down the country road that we were on, can I say a little creepy!)

Jeff after the ride. Soaking. Jordan, Alexa after the ride. Logan dripping wet! I know I dont look super wet, but I was.

Sometime between getting soaking wet and that night my parents and my younger brother Birke arrived at the cabin. My third oldest brother John and family were unable to partake in this reunion because they were traveling from Tennessee where they had just attended his wife’s family reunion. Shaunika and her family were also unable to attend because Jason, her husband who is a college teacher had to teach his summer classes.

The next day the Davies Reunion 2010 began. It seems like a smaller bunch of people even though the family has grown exponentially since the last one. After awhile I noticed that many of the Canadian cousins were not in attendance. I heard that it was because of the economy and the tighter restrictions on the boarders. Stupid Obama. They are pseudo Americans! (I am sure my Canadian cousins would be miffed if they heard that I said that! ) Canadians should be given some sort of leeway, seeing as 85% of them live within 100 miles of our boarder and actually bolster our economy quite a bit. Sorry Tangent.

We played the rock game, always a favorite and just like always the kids loved it!! We talked, laughed, and ate amazing Dutch oven (thanks Uncle Craig!). The reunion was a lot less structured than in years past, but different groups went 4-wheeling, jet-skiing, rafting and boating. The majority of us just hung out at the pavilion and talked and got reacquainted.

Most of the kids in the bunkhouse getting ready for the talent show.

Aunt Judy & Launa(mom)

Jeff & Alexa

Preggo Melissa Barnes hanging out at the pavilion.

Matt Hawkins & Birke Stout - When did these cousins get to be so big and grown up!?

Jeff and Dad getting ready to sing at the talent night.

Merika & Aunt Judy

Melissa Barnes & Merika

Dad & Ronan going for a walk at the cabin

Doing the Firemans net with the kids

Catching some air!

Grace Sellers, Ashlyn Winn, Hayden Sellers, and Alyssa Winn - Cousins

My Uncle Paul's cabin the Stout family got to stay in

Of course at every reunion there has to be an injury of some sort. Andee cut her finger pretty bad, but I still think my mom over did it on the finger bandage.

One of the three days of the reunion Jeff, Suzanne, Birke, Logan and I took off on the 4-wheelers and we took a trail that I had taken the reunion three years before. It’s a fun trail because it’s the track of the old railroad and so it goes over streams, rivers, and at some point you get to the Idaho/Montana state line. It has some beautiful scenic vistas. When we got back Birke was covered in dirt and mud. It was so fun! Suzanne Taking Little Branson for a ride around the parking lot
Logan getting ready for the ride Jeff & Suzanne riding doubleAll of us ready to ride!Beautiful! Logan on the side of the MountainJeff, Suzanne and Birke on the side of the mountain Little creek that we crossed a dozen timesMe on the side of the mountain

So dirty after the ride