Family Reunion 2011-The River

This year for our family reunion we did a River trip.  We all met at the Colorado River, where Amber's family has a place there.  It was So nice of them to let us come and stay for a week! Thanks again!!!  It's Always fun to go back!  There's a Ton of pictures so I totally understand if you just want  to skim through it all.  A lot happened while we were there, so I kind of wanted to put everything in (more for journaling purposes). 

Here's everyone except Andrew.  He couldn't make it out until the end of the trip and Alissa and Clint only had the very beginning of the trip to be there.  I think we might try and photo shop him in there one of these days.  For now, this is Almost the whole family ;0)

From left to right: (Amber and Chad with their kids: Alexis, Carter, Owen and Ryder; Clint and Alissa, Jake, Mom and Dad, Emily, Pat and Katie and their kids: Charlie and Jack; and Me and Conner)

Mom and Dad and the grand kids

These 2 kids are inseparable.  Conner and Owen.  It's kind of fun to watch them play together. 

While we were there Amber had this cute idea to make Sugar cookie lollipops!  Huge hit!  And So much fun!!

My brother Jake doing a back flip on the wake board.

 

We've realized Conner LOVES the Wii!!!!!  This might have been where it all started.

Jake getting his head wet while wake surfing.

Gorgeous pictures my sister, Emily took.

Alissa and Emily

I had some fun wake surfing as well :0)  All of us girls were trying to pull off a 360 and we all did it!!  GO us!! 

Emily and Alexis wake surfing

Carter wake surfing. He's 5.

Emily and me ;0)

Alexis skiing

Trying to get Conner comfortable floating on his back.

Some of the grandkids...Carter, Charlie and Alexis

The kids(Left to right): Jake, Alissa, Katie, Emily, Me, and Chad

We apparently didn't know what we were doing.

Just working on the puzzle for a little bit

Conner and me getting ready to wake surf!

Andrew and Conner wake surfing now!  We weren't sure how much Conner actually liked it.  Lol

Going tubing!  It was Sooo much fun!!  A little crazy, but fun!!

Cute little Emma

Jake with Owen and Conner

Alissa and Clint made these Wonderful desserts one night... I can't remember what they were called, but they were really good.  Conner liked it too!

Floating down the River...

Jake and Conner

Emily having fun wake boarding

Pat wake surfing with Jack

We had a relay race...  that's all I'm going to say...  :0)

Kt having fun wake surfing

My dad and the grand kids before he hurt his leg...

I just Love this little boy! < 3

My dad trying to cool down as best he could...

Erika wake boarding with all smiles!

My niece Alexis wake surfing... She's only 7 years old.

More pictures of father and son wake surfing

Us kids trying to do our usual pyramid...

Riley and his cute little girl Emma wake surfing  Emma's saying Hi

Dad, Emily and Erika on the jet skii's.  If you look closely my dad's leg has a plastic bag taped around it to keep the water out.

Just missing Alissa-The Pitt sister's.

We celebrated my dad's 55th birthday while we were there.

Owen and Conner getting into mischief.... who would have thought?!  Lol

Mother and son time wake surfing again

My brother Jake getting some Sweet air!

After our relay race... everyone was Ok in the end... we were all glad that was over with, especially with everyone still alive :0)

Charlie skiing over to say Hi to us all.  He's only 3!

Floating down the River again!  We Love this!  So relaxing

Okay, so to explain a few things... 

My dad was slalom skiing (that's when one foot is in front of the other on 1 ski) when he took a Really bad fall which ended in taking him to the emergency room that night.  He tore and ripped a few ligaments and tendons in his foot.  This happened pretty much in the beginning of this trip so he was pretty bummed not being able to play as much out in the water and being on crutches the rest of the time.  He was a good sport about it all though.  

We also celebrated my dad's birthday while we were there.  His birthday and Andrew's brother Matt share the same birthday!!

The relay race... 

Ok, so, the relay race was fun don't get me wrong....  

What we had to do:  Canoe upstream to the neighbors, turn around to our rock cliff, climb up, spin around with our head on a bat 6 times, jump off the rock float to the rope.... which was attached to the dock about 20 ft, then Extended another 40 ft from what we believe was estimated....  going against the River and pulling ourselves all the way to the boat (did I  mention this was against the flow of the River?), climb up dive back in the water towards the rock cliff (still going against the River flow) and pushing the canoe off for the next team member.  Well, this was a LOT more difficult than we all expected one of us nearly drowned so we shortened the rope and still some of us barely made that.  It was an exhausting relay race to say the Least!  I think we might be modifying that even more next time... if there's a next time.  Lol

All in all it was Sooo much fun!!  We got away from our worries of life and were able to relax and enjoy the warm weather and warm water and play!!  We all had such a Wonderful time!!  Can't wait to see what our next vacation will be like next year with all of us again!