Smith Reunion

Cora said last night coming home that this is the week that she looks the most forward to all year.  It is like having a huge long high and so when we all go home she get the blues a little and just needs sleep.  I thought that described it well.  As we were talking this week, which we did a lot, we figured it has been around 20 years we have been doing this Smith Reunion.  Kita started out with her young kids, coming up and staying for 3 weeks.  We love it.  So on to this year's.  Months ago Dave had asked me to order Cora some gym mats.  It just happened that the day before they came in she asked him if he had any boxes at work that he could bring home for her to craft with.  He came home with a few little ones and told her the bigger ones were in the car and she needed to help him haul them in.

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We had been getting the house all cleaned up for every one's arrival, so she didn't want to start a project before she left.  It took some finagling to get her to open them.

She was very surprised and loves them.

Kita had arrived the night before and they all travelled up to my house the next day to see it.  Cora took the kids into our little town to show them everything.  It was raining while they were here.  They all went over and feed the calf.  We played the candy ball game and had dinner.  Everyone then went back to my parents house, we quickly loaded up the car and followed them out.

Natalie and Taylor were not able to make it this year.  That left Blake and Brynn as the youngest.  It was a little strange with no littles around.  We missed them.  We did all the usual fun things that are tradition now, but were a lot more relaxed this year.  We had all just finished a pretty stressful month and were happy to just sit and chat most of the time.

The kids went tubing and bridge jumping a few time.  Blake did a little mowing, but it wasn't as fun when all the cousins were playing and not him.  Justin made his own board while he was there so he could go canal surfing.

The grass is so green and soft, we walked all over in our bare feet.

I was trying to get a picture of the kids on the 4-wheeler.  They were loaded up all crazy.  They were to fast for my camera.  But I still love this view down the back lane.

Dad showing us his moves on Nicole's fit board.

Eating outside.

This was us most of the time.  We would talk, eat, linger, do dishes, move to the coach and talk some more.  Kita showed us a comedian she likes and we enjoyed watching him.  We went to the Hutterites and got some fruit, vegetables and jam.  Kita and I went to the local quilt club and she picked out two gorgeous quilts.  We got blankets and sat out in the sun. Cooked, washed dishes, planned, and more talking.

Boys hanging out.

Brynn going for a walk.

Look in the middle tiny is Justin using his board.  Cannon pulling him on the quad.

All the kids playing games on the tramp.

Lots of kite flying happened.  They got them so high I couldn't get kite and kid in the picture.  Higher than the house and trees.  It was cool.

Another day of tubing and bridge jumping.  It is so fun to have all these kids that get along.  They don't fight or get mad at each other.  They enjoy each others company.

For one jump, Cora convinced them all to step off backwards.  They said that was scary but awesome. 

Monday we ate outside and then stayed for FHE.  My parents gave a lesson on patriarchal blessings and we all said something that had helped us from ours.  We then played a family baseball games.  It started to rain, we kept going for a little while then went for ice cream.

Baseball in bare feet.  Dave told me that ours will probably never be bare-feetable because of our lack of water.  So I enjoy it all I can when I am out at my parents.

Tuesday was very warm.  One more quick trip to the canal and lunch.  The kids would start a movie or games every night around 10.  Not sure why so late, but they stayed up and had a blast. 

My mom made a giant tube of juice.  Don't want anyone thirsty.  Teen night is always very fun.  They plan it all themselves and off they go.  This year they invited Blake to go with them so he wouldn't be the only one home.  They ate at Five Guys and watched Finding Dory.  We have such a great group of teenagers.  Love them all.

Of course they got home late, and then we had to hear all about it.  I love this picture of Cora and Justin.  Their facial expressions are the exact same. 

Wednesday morning, Kita was all loaded up, we had sung Happy Birthday to Justin, had breakfast and were outside waving good-bye and her car wouldn't start.  All the men got in and tinkered, found the problem and rigged up a temporary solution to get her home.  An hour later she was on the road.

We stayed out an extra day so I wouldn't have to drive clear back the next day for our dental appointment.  We all helped mom clean the house back up and get everything washed for my dad's sibling reunion.  We went to the library and got lots of books that were for sale cheap.  Next day we went to the dentist, treated ourselves to Dave's and made it home just a little late for Cora to go to the fire department.  It was her first day and she really enjoyed it.  Is looking forward to going again and again.  Dave had come out Sunday and spent the day with us.  The rest of the time he was busy taking turns with harvest.  Cutting, raking, baling.  Or working on our house.  He got most of the doors hung.  See my beautiful pantry door behind Cora?  And doing some tile for the fireplace. He was working hard all week while I was parting.

It was once again a great reunion.  We made lots of memories to last until next year.