The best family reunion ever! We went camping in Zion. Natalie tried to cut down on the soda and make it productive. It definitely helped slow the kids down some.
Now this is how you camp. Brent and Nat did an excellent job and brought their generator so we could charge all our devices like our white noise so that we can all sleep, We are not very good campers.
This is all that kids need, the great outdoors and some cousins.
Trying to beat the heat under the canopies. Sitting around and talking is a major part of these reunions. We have lots of good memories of sitting around swapping stories.
The swimming pool was so so nice and a great hit for the kids. They also had a pond that the kids could kayak on. We took over the pool whenever we arrived.
We played kick ball, bubble ball, and whatever this was. It was a hit and we were the spectacle of the whole place. We had entire tourist groups stop to watch the crazy. I call that the Johnson effect. We are for sure unusual with our large numbers and happy demeanor.
Had to work hard for this picture. I never let him know that I took this.
Had to sneak this one too. She was so mad when she saw me take her picture. She made me swear that I would never post this on social media. I had to give her my word.
I've never seen Jessa laugh so hard in her life. She kept making fun of Michael's chicken legs. I mean...she's not wrong. She thought it was so hilarious.
Always surrounded by children. Finally my kids are the aunts. I remember all the aunts and uncles entertaining my kids and it was always so nice that they had some older people to play with and I didn't have to watch them that close. Now my children are those people. This new phase in life is great, but its making me feel so mortal and how short these moments actually are.
Wade aint no gentil child.
Yeah I can see why people would stop and stare in wonder trying to figure out who all these kids belong to.
All the tweenager posey. They are the best!
Lucas made me take a million pictures of him. And then I have to show him each picture. We joke and say the person who loves Lucas the most is Lucas. LOL. I hope he keeps that swagger. This life can be tough.
And another one....
The sweetest most innocent boy in the world. It will be sad when he grows up and gets his feelings hurt. He loves and feels so deeply. What a sweetheart. Love love him so much!
Aaaannnddd....another Lucas PIC.
Yup. Still here.
Another highlight was when our sunroof got bashed in with the kids throwing rocks. All the brothers got together to rig it so that we could carry onto California for our second adventure right after the reunion. It actually worked pretty well.
This lady right here always goes above and beyond to make the reunions extra special. She has an amazing cotton candy setup. These kids were definately pumped full of sugar, and spice. They ate well that is for sure.
We couldn't have a camp fire with how dry things had been all summer, but we were allowed to use the propane fire to roast s'mores and starbursts. The smore starburst combos were enough to make even Lucas sick with all the sugar.
Trying to contain all the kids while we packed up. Putting them all in the truck and telling them to have all the fun they wanted, just don't get off the truck. We kept finding more wrappers around camp before we got them all contained. It was like herding a littler of baby kittens. Once you got them all in another one would try to leave and then they would follow each other. Sheesh. We headed straight out from here to grandmas house for a night before we headed off to California.
