Ellis Family Reunion

This kid kept insisting that he take his bike inside the cabin.... Nothing doing kid.  I'm still torn.  Last time we came up, he rode a little riding toy around and around the sidewalk for hours.  This time I brought our big wheel so that he could keep himself busy, but it only worked part of the time.  He was so anxious about anyone touching his bike that it caused more conflict than keeping him busy... and the other kids didn't understand why I would ask them not to touch his bike when he was using it.  I had several kids with very confused looks.  I think they thought the bike belonged at the cabin.

Sam playing farkle with some of the kids and my Uncle Marty.

Evelyn

Seth decided that this head lamp was a train, and nothing you could say would change that.....

McKay, my Mom, Diane, Marty, Joe and Jen

Marty, Joe, Jen, Renee, Carol, Sophie and Freya, my Dad 

Theodore, Freya and Evelyn photobombing

Evelyn kept telling Freya how cute she was in a baby voice... too funny.

Grandma holding Evelyn... I can see the family resemblance.

Then Evelyn attacked Uncle McKay... awesome sauce.

I eventually had to attack her so that I could get a hug.

Sisters

I've been so blessed to have two amazing sisters, and 9 amazing sister in laws.  There's nothing that I like better than being with them.  It's so fun to watch these sisters getting together and loving on each other.  I love it!

Beth, Diane, Darlene, and my Mom

Beth just had a double knee replacement surgery, but she's doing well all considering.  Diane just added ducks to her menagerie of chickens, turkeys, a dog, and a neighbor's horses that live in her pasture.  Dar is excited to be expecting another grandbaby, love this lady.  My mom, always going and taking care of everyone despite her broken toe!  Love you Mom!

This was after quoting the movie 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'.  "Pull my neck!"

Ellis Family Reunion

I love that I get a chance to know my family.  A big part of that is having a place that's so fun to be while we all sit around and talk with each other.  We've been truly blessed to have this Haven that my Great-Grandpa Harding built.  Here's the first day.  We got there on Thursday afternoon, but I didn't really pull out my camera while setting up camp.

Sam's addicted.  He wants to chop wood all the time.  He's getting better at aiming too.  Maybe by the time he's a teen I can trust him with a real axe and he'll be strong enough to chop some real wood.

Seth was being a pill.  He threw the biggest tantrum Thursday night about not being in a normal bed... I got maybe 4 hours of sleep, so my sister took Seth on a walk down on the beach.  Life saver.

Evelyn is funny.  She'll play with people, but she likes being on her own mostly.  So when she plays with someone I get all excited and have to take pictures.  These are Joe and Jen's girls Clara and Abby.

Clara, Evelyn

My fish

Hanging out with Nellie

Adison and Eric

These are my cute parents who took a minute to go out kayaking together.

Happy Bear Lake face

Nellie

My cousin Mindy

Cheezer with Cheez-its

Evelyn, Addison, and Maggie are all 5.  They mostly get along and it's really cute.  Decker was a cute little guy.  He watched everything they were doing.

Sam with Brennan (Eric and Audra's)

The water was soooo nice.  Everyone just hung out and chatted.

My Aunt Carol, Mom and Dad.  My Mom broke her toe, which is refusing to heal because she has to be up and walking on it all the time, so they gave her a walking boot.

Sam

Sam is a cuddler.... Completely and forever, a cuddler.  So when you want to cuddle mom sitting in the grass with a camera?  This is what you get.

Buddies

These two are two peas in a pod.  Evelyn LOVES Nellie's sense of humor and vice versa.  It's funny that I got a daughter that's like me and one that's like my two sisters put together.

Nellie

Since Aunt Nellie's townhouse has a pool, she's invited us over to swim.  My kids have gone over before, but it was the first time that I'd been.  It's a nice one... they have a deeper pool, a kiddie pool, a splash pad and a hot tub. The kids had a blast and it was fun to hang out with Nellie.