The Petersen Herd

The Petersen Herd

Monday, August 19, 2013

Guymon Reunion 2013

I really wanted to go to the Guymon Family Reunion this year - and so did the kids.  We decided if we could get the Taco fixed (it needed some parts) that we would go.  We ordered the parts and took it to our mechanic the night before we were supposed to leave (cutting it close).  We were so excited!  We were going to make it!  Then we got a call.  The parts we ordered didn't fit.  We weren't going.  Sadness reigned - little girls cried, little boys were frustrated and Mommy was GRUMPY.  Then Daddy swooped in and saved the day.  He had the mechanic tweak a few things to make it run and put it all back together again and came home to get us loaded up and go. Seriously - no Daddy has ever been the hero like ours was on that day!
Here's Leisl sporting one of the mustaches that Mommy made for the trading blanket.  I thought the kids would love these - but turns out only Leisl liked wearing it.  
The Uncles provided some manly entertainment for the little boys - a chopping center complete with axes for everyone.  This activity made all the Mommies crawl with nervous anticipation of decapitation but all was well and no-one got hurt.
 Daddy had this great idea for a game called Kub - he told Papa Cox who ran with it and built a few sets and the game was a big hit for kids of all ages.  The kids were actually much better at it than the adults, but it was a much safer alternative to horse-shoes.
 Ayvri has always loved being held upside down by her Papa - strange, but entertaining.
Kabe found this tall stump and was king of the rock for a while.  He stood there surveying the camp and the chopping for the longest time.
We enjoyed a trading blanket at the reunion - which was really code for all the little kids sweet talking all the aunts out of the cool stuff they brought.  It was hilarious to watch the trading and some of the kids because trading addicts and kept the trading going throughout the whole weekend (and the drive home).
Here are the Daddies playing "Fire Stump" with the kids.  Another great simple game that was quite entertaining.
Papa with another group playing Fire Stump. The object of the game is to form a circle and whoever you can pull in until the touch the stump is out.  The circle keeps getting smaller until there's only one person left - who wins.
Here are my two Uncles, DeMar and Darce.  I just love these two and have so many great memories with them growing up - it was fun to see my kids build some of the same memories.  I think Uncle Darce walked my baby girls around all weekend and gave them all about a zillion horse rides.  
Here's Aunt Darla - it wouldn't be reunion if she didn't have a hundred haircuts to do.  What a great lady!
Daddy - more Fire Stump.  We played and visited and played some more.
There was an abundance of amazing food - which is as always one of my favorite parts.
Here's a good shot of our rig.  We finally took our new tent trailer out for a breaking in and we sure did - break a few things that is.  It now requires some minor repairs before we can take it out again, but it was spacious and comfortable and convenient and I'm so happy we got it and SO thankful that the Taco made it there and home again safely.
 Here's my Mama on a horse - as she was meant to be.  She got to go for a long ride and so did Tyler and I.  Thanks SO much to Hans for being the best tour guide ever and letting us city slickers ride around for a while.  At one point my horse decided to jump a creek (crick) and jumped a little higher and farther than I was prepared for.  I know Hans had to really try not to laugh harder than he did and I appreciated his restraint.  I'm sure my Daddy would keel over if he saw how not confident I am on a horse these days, but there's a time and a season and someday I hope to get back to where I was with my riding when I was 5.
 Little Darlin' was spoiled rotten all weekend, she always had someone fawning over her (usually Uncle Darce or Aunt Darla) and shamelessly indulging her talkative little spirit.  She also enjoyed a lot of yummy gluten free treats.
Kabe found another funny guy at camp and he and Thomas really enjoyed each others' sense of humor.  
We had a little baby shower for Jami Joy who couldn't be with us.  My favorite part was when Aunt Danna did just what I had wanted to do and used the balloons for boobs instead of a prego belly impersonation.  She looked absolutely voluptuous and  I was a little jealous.  It was also wonderful to see Aunt Madge, who I haven't seen since Grandma's funeral and who I just love the stuffing out of!
Here we are ready to go on the Treasure Hunt.  Either I'm getting older or the hunt is getting longer because I was a little winded by the time we finished.   The kids were so excited and it's fun to see our herds growing so much!
This is the fire ring that Uncle Demar built for the camp.  It is really amazing and was big enough that the whole family could comfortably sit around it.  What a talented guy!  Someday we'll have him build one for our backyard.
 We enjoyed feeding pop rocks to the babies for the first time and watching their faces as they tried to figure out what was going on in their mouths.  Of course we put as much in as possible for an even better effect.  Aunt Darla thought this was funny, though maybe a little bit mean.
Here's my handsome husband enjoying one of just a few down minutes when he wasn't entertaining, pushing kids on swings, playing games, or doing a number of other things.  He even took his table and made it a business trip which I thought was pretty ingenious!
Uncle Wes was the official sliver-getter-outer, a job he had when I was little too.  It was so fun to visit with him and watch him watch the babies run around.  He is a fun Grandpa and if one of the girls started crying he'd yell from across the camp, "Pick that baby up!"  Shameless spoiler.
Here's Uncle Darce on one of a hundred horse rides he gave - walking the horses up and down the road so that our babies could safely enjoy them.
And here he's getting loved on from one of his adoring fans.  Even when I uploaded these photos Darla came over and said, "Oh Mama - I love that guy!"  
Heath brought his Mountain Man suit and was the best trader at the blankets.  He made this whole outfit, and the hat is made out of a fox he trapped himself.  What a handy guy - he also made wooden and bone whistles for the kids and a train whistle for me which I thought was pretty darn cool.
Kabe with his silly face.  Max enjoyed camp as well, even though the silly creature walked right under a horse twice and got stepped on.  Luckily he's fine and has hopefully learned a few things.
Lovely Aunt Danna and Alyss were two of Ayvri's favorite people, she and Alyss really hit it off and I wondered, if we live in the same town why do we have to go to family reunion for these two to play?
 Here Heath is just taking it easy and yet another photo proof of Uncle Darce's fondness for babies.
 A little group shot and the only one that I got of Ksenya I think (to be honest I didn't take any of these pictures because my camera lived in the car all weekend while I enjoyed myself).  Thanks to the peeps who did take pictures and let me steal them.  I know there are more I haven't seen but these were great.
This campsite really did have it all and the kids loved the swings, the bridge, the creek, the little playhouse and everything else.  What a great spot and Grandma and Papa would have loved it!

1 comment:

Darla said...

This truly was an epic post. Good job! I love our family and I'm so happy your cute family made it! I love your gutz!