Oscar Stew

After the day we spent at the family reunion, we headed back to the other side of the mountain to meet with relatives on Ryan’s side of the family. We are very grateful t0 Grandpa F for the nice stay we had at the Cedar City Hampton Inn. Nice rooms, pool, close to restaurants, and…They actually wash the bedspreads! But, there was one irritating thing we discovered during breakfast the next morning: The kids do not fare well with too many choices!

Why just have a bowl of cereal when you could have fruit, yogurt, a waffle, hot chocolate, bacon, biscuits & gravy, sausage…you get my point?

Ah what the heck, we’re on vacation. Go ahead and pig out kids. No really, just shove as much as you can in all at once!

We were excited to meet our brand new cousin, but were also sad to say earthly goodbyes to another.

We’re grateful for the knowledge that families really can be together forever. We know we will be able to meet Brooklyn someday.

One thing Brooklyn did was bring family from all around the world close together. These monkeys know this uncle very well from previous family occasions. Hey Aric, can we go get really muddy again???

Or maybe you could carry us sherpa-style over to the closest movie theater for Cars 2? Um, Aric? Can I talk to you for a sec?

I know that someone may have told you that it’s trendy for men to wear girly Bavarian shoulder bags, but let me give you the best gift ever: Drop it now. 

This artist may not have the most colorful palette in the world, but the whole world is her canvas. Literally.

If you spend more time at higher altitudes before you eat your meal, will you be hungrier? It’s worth a try!

Are any of the boys getting hungrier with their eyes glued to the game? I’d say the chances are slim…

As far as kids are concerned, family reunions are like onions. How, you ask? You’re going to have to wait a little longer to solve this mystery. As of today, Drew & Brinley have been in school for almost a month and Rowan & Eleanor are down for their afternoon nap, so I just might be able to wrap up the Tour de Utah and stay within a month behind on current events…Yay!

Because of our schedule we only got to spend one day at the reunion so we made sure to cram as many activities as possible into one afternoon…Eleanor declared this swing to be awesome. Mostly because she was sick and tired of riding around in the van. Freedom at last!

This year’s reunion was also host to the 2011 Dog & Pony Show. Ok, there aren’t any ponies at this show. But there are a couple of ponytails so that counts, right? Shauna & Daisy look a little skeptical about bending the rules…especially Daisy.

Master judge Drew will now test Rufus in the skill of ball catching. This would’ve gone great had Rufus’ crazy lover Lily stayed in the bleachers! 

Well, I guess while Rufus gets owned, you kids might as well find another good activity. How ’bout throwing stones into a boiling lake of lava?!

Gather around the…picnic bench kids, ole Uncle Boone has got a scary story to tell!

“And then the one armed man reached down with his sharp hook and…”

Hmm, nobody seems to be scared. Was the story not believable Brinley? Funny how ghost stories don’t seem so terrifying in the daylight. Better luck next time Layne!

How’s your day going Rowan? Happy to be in the outdoor woods, with the breeze in your hair? I couldn’t tell.

What do you think Drew & Sam are talking about? Can you see them 10 years from now, standing around the fire, having the same manly conversation? I can!

Yes Ryan, it’s a very nice campfire, but you know it’s like 3:30 p.m. right?

Don’t get any funny ideas from your Pyro-Daddy, okay Drew? Just because he burns fuel for a living doesn’t mean he has to do it everywhere else we go too!

I’m sorry; I must’ve had smoke in my eyes. Hey Brinley, let’s go burn it up!

What’s up Ellie? You wanna go for a ride too?

Oh, you wanna drive? Sounds good to me! Fire it up!

Hey Rowan, you kinda look like a group of people I’ve seen before. I’m just saying that the tie-dyed shirt, the headband…

…The homeopathic amber necklace, the messy hair…it’s just kinda reminding me of…what are they called again? Hmmm…

Hey everybody, Daddy & Drew found mud! Shocking!

Hurry Ellie, you only have time for 20 more turns down the slide!

Ah-ha! There’s the final clue: The peace sign! Take a bath, Hippie!

Peace. Love. Whatever. That’s what I’m getting. You?

So how are family reunions like onions? They stink? They make you cry? Oh, you leave ’em out in the sun, they get all brown, start sproutin’ little white hairs?

The answer is YES! We stank like dirt, sweat, and campfire smoke. There were some owees and may have been a few tear-jerking moments. And the brown mud got all over our legs and turned our leg hair white! Not to mention onions get all wrinkly when wet: