Moosehorn Was

We just got back from our annual family reunion in the Uintah mountains at Moosehorn Lake with Photoguy's side of the family. It is always a fantastic time that our family looks forward to all year. Aren't traditions great that way?

The best parts:

Beautiful wildflowers that peeked out at us as soon as we began our assent to the lake that is nearly 11,000 feet above sea level.
Thick woods of pine trees creating seclusion all around.
Gracefully gliding around the lake in a canoe -- and all three of our kids loving it!
Photoguy taking the kids fishing and catching three fish (one got away).
E-Man's total enthusiasm for fishing.
Crafting with the kids -- pinwheels, paper flowers, weaving, and watching them create beautiful watercolor paintings that we strung between the trees.
Soph and her cousin Lily going exploring together.
AiAi spending more than an hour in a small clearing among the trees with nothing but his imagination.
Jared home again (he came back from his mission 3 weeks ago).
The Merrill family (they visit once per year from their home in Texas).
Truly, the amazing blessing of having the entire family together -- 34 in all! Who knows when we can do that again with Eric leaving to Boston college later this month.
Delish meals -- the Clarke family's yummy teriyaki chicken, Jared's English custard, Photoguy's amazing Dutch oven breakfast burritos, and the Wirthlin Family's Dutch oven stew, just to name a few.
Awesome matching T-shirts (this year's design by Jan)
Facials by S.L. for all the ladies.
Two full days of uninterrupted daddy time (ahhh -- no cell phone or laptop).
Singing around the campfire.
Extended family prayer before bed.

I was also grateful for the inventions of sunscreen and deet. How did people ever survive without these? And, it was so wonderful to see the enthusiasm of our Chinese friend who joined us. It made me feel more appreciative of what I have as she went on and on about what a wonderful (extended) family we have. So fun, and so crazy. She loved watching the guys mix mentos in diet coke to create exploding fountains (how did this ever get discovered?), and watching them swamp the canoes for fun. She thought the hike to the top of Baldy Peak was one of the highlights of her life.

Thanks for the memories that will last forever.