The Annual Eddington Reunion

Another reunion...this time for my side of the family (extended). July 7-9th we met in Preston, ID for a great reunion. We started with dinner and then an Eddington style "Spoons" tournament. This is serious business in our family. The winner of each table moved on to the final game. I made it to the final table and then it got down to my cousin, Michelle and I. She's fast and I lost. Next year!! I'll practice up.

The first night we camped out...the kids and I trumped Dave. He was trying to sleep in the cabin. :) As tradition for every reunion, the morning starts off with an amazing breakfast and each meal after is just as yummy.


After breakfast my Grandma planned a fun competition. We divided into groups and competed at different challenges (i.e. frisbee toss, football toss, croquet shoot, basketball shot). Our team lost. :(

My dad (aka Grandpa)

Derek made that shot!

Grandma gave each of the kids a medal at the end of the game. It made their day!

After the games we hit the pool. It's fed by a natural spring, so it's pretty cold. The kids didn't seem to mind. And Dave spent hours in there, so I guess it wasn't that bad.

After swimming and lunch, Grandma held her annual scavenger hunt for the great-grandkids. Each child is given a bag with their name and a list of items to find. The kids then run to find the labeled bucket containing an item on their list. It's definitely a highlight for them.

No reunion would be complete without Smarties.

Cute little Maddie (Laurel's daughter) after the hunt.

Laurel and her son, Ethan.

Taylor thanking Great-Grandma for a fun activity.

Later that evening Dave and I planned a Jeopardy game using family trivia. It was fun to make and I'm pretty sure people enjoyed playing it.

It was a fun reunion! We missed those that couldn't make it...we'd love to see you next year. Can't wait to see everyone again! Next year it's my dad's turn!

Fourth of July (Part 2)

After the parade we drove up to my parents' house and met up with more family! My sister, Laurel and her family were in town from Colorado, my brother Jeff, and sister, Camille and her family came over as well. The kids (and Dave) swam in the little pool, we had a yummy BBQ, and then went to the Davis High fireworks. I really don't have pictures of these activities. I'm hoping to get some from my brother, but here's the best of what I took.

McKenna playing with uncle Jeff.

I loved little McKenna's outfit. I'm still having fun playing dress up with her. :)

(Don't worry Mom. She doesn't pick flowers...she just pokes them.)
Aunt Traci and Joel at the fireworks.

I've decided that glowsticks are the greatest things to buy for fireworks. Not only do the kids LOVE them, but their glow also helps in keeping track of the kids.
Another great traditional 4th of July! Now what? :(

Fourth of July (Part 1)

I love the 4th of July! It is my second favorite holiday (Christmas being the first, of course.) It's one of the few holidays that is full of fun from morning to night. It requires very little preparation (minus grocery shopping) and it's full of family. My brother (Scott) and his family were in town from Oregon. They stayed with us the night before and the kids had fun playing and getting reacquainted. We lit sparklers and ate ice cream cones for a treat. We woke up the next morning and attended the Provo Freedom Festival Parade. It's a long parade and there are larger crowds, but it was worth it all.

Kurt, Kari, Scott (Brother), Traci (SIL), and baby Joel.

All the kiddos. What a hot...and fun parade!

Where the Water is Cold...

(These pictures are weeks old, but I'm trying to stay chronological.) A few ladies met at the local reservoir for a little play date and invited us to come along. I thought it was in a very unlikely location. It's up on the top of a hill overlooking the valley. A beautiful view, but just seemed random for a reservoir. It's not very big which was actually nice for swimming, and it was free! Most water in Utah is cold and this was no exception. The kids didn't seem to mind the temperature not even McKenna. I found one major drawback to the place...fish. I don't like swimming in the same water as fish...never have! In fact, a little group of kids were out trying to catch a fish with a net. They came back with a dead one. I thought it was funny that the mom still took their picture with it. I laughed. Here are some pics:

McKenna sat here the whole time and literally didn't even move her legs....probably because they were frozen!

One Year Older and Wiser Too!!

Oh man, this kid is growing up way too fast. Taylor turned 5 years old a couple weeks ago. I told him that turning five was the best, because now when people ask how old he is he doesn't have to think about which finger to hold down to make the right number. He thought that was pretty cool. Dave's parents were still in town and we invited his brothers and sisters over for a little birthday bash. Dave and I did a fabulous decorating job. I made a Star Wars cake, filled a pinata, and he opened presents. I think he had a great day.
I love how much Dave is enjoying his job.

Apparently cousin M'li has participated in a few pinatas in her time. She knew just how to peek under the blindfold. Smart.

Taylor is just a fun kid. He wants to make others happy and is an awesome helper to everyone in the family. He can write his name, read 3-4 letter words, knows the sounds of his letters, and is getting better at spelling. He loves puzzles and can master them quickly. He'll soak up any amount of time you'll give him and loves to tell me how much he loves me. He's as sweet as he looks. Happy birthday, Taylor! We love you!!