Sunday, July 26, 2009

McGarry Reunion 2009

Every year our immediate McGarry family tries to get together and go camping somewhere. We had planned on going back to Tear Drop Lake this year on the 16th, 17th and 18th but Ben broke his arm and so we ended up with plan B...camping in Mom and Dad's back yard a week later. I was thrilled at how much fun it ended up being even so close to home. We had a ton going on as my parent were also hosting the yearly extended McGarry Family Reunion at their house on Saturday. {DAY 1} We like to try to get a picture of all the grandkids each year so we can see how they have grown. We are missing Wacy in this photo, but other than that the grandkids are all there. (top left: Ben, Noah, Branson, middle: Ashtyn, Zack, Haylee, bottom: Shaylee, Brock & Brigham) We didn't start the reunion until Thursday afternoon so we grilled hamburgers and roasted hot dogs and smores over the fire pit. Our cute parents who started this all. We ended the evening watching Kit Kitchridge outside on the shop wall. It was a great first day to our reunion. {DAY 2} Day 2 started out a little odd, it was alittle chilly with rain which we weren't expecting. We still made breakfast outside and then went in the house and cleaned house to prepare for the reunion the next day. It worked out well while we waited for the storm to blow through. Eventually the weather got better and we saddled up some horses to do relay races etc. in the arena. Here is Zack and Haylee doing a relay race where they are trying to keep a rock between their legs while racing to the finish line. Grandpa started roping the grandkids which they thought was great. Some of our cowboys (from left: Ben, Haylee, Ashtyn & Scott) We got Scott, Dad, Ashtyn, Kliss and Michelle to barrel race. None of the horses are used to the barrels so it was pretty comical to watch. Of Course Michelle won with a time of 22 seconds on Duke. Scott was riding Ratchet and he didn't want anything to do with the barrels. He kept trying to buck and crow hop with Scott so my Dad had to get on after Scott's ride and made him run the barrel pattern. Ride 'im Cowboy! . Later that evening we hung out in the backyard and danced while the guys did dutch oven cooking. Yum Yum! After dinner the kids did some archery We ended the evening with fireworks to celebrate Pioneer Day. {DAY 3} The first half of this day was spent getting ready for the extended family reunion. (I will post this one separately) After the reunion on Saturday we went boating at the Ririe Resevoir. We weren't there very long before a major wind storm blew in. We were on the dock and suddenly flip flops and other loose objects started flying in the water. We all grabbed what we could and hunkered down in a corner of the dock. Just our luck! We all got a good laugh out of it and stayed for a while longer before we gave up and loaded the kids up to take them home. It was freezing especially when the water would blow up and splash against us. Some of the older kids and the men stayed behind and played in the water despite the horrible wind. We all still had a great time. Brigham and Noah swimming by the dock. Aunt Michelle helping Brock and Brigham blow up a tube Zack and Brigham Ashtyn and Scott Logan and Brandon bringing in the boat Uncle Jeremy was driving with a load of kids. Thanks Michelle and Jeremy for taking us boating. It was a ton of fun even with the wind!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Trampoline Trauma

At around 4 o'clock this afternoon a nice little hail storm blew through town. The kids and I ran to the sliding glass doors to check it out. Our storage shed doors were opening and shutting so we were yelling at Scott who was in the other room because things were getting blown around. Next thing we knew the trampoline came straight at us. Luckily it caught on the railing of the stairs and didn't smack into the glass doors. We all screamed and then started laughing (with exception of Ashtyn who started to cry). I went out and held on to the tramp until Scott could come to my rescue. Unfortunately it bent the tramp up a bit. Hopefully Scott can fix it or I am going to have to curse this Idaho weather for the second damaged item this year due to wind. The trampoline after the storm. Notice the legs don't quite sit on the ground anymore, it is a little bent up. The view of the trampoline from my dining room sitting on our deck stairs. Way too close to the glass doors we were looking out of.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Webster's Dam

Michelle and I went to Rigby Lake with 8 kids and my Mom and sister met up with us for part of it to have a picnic. I wish I had brought my camera for that because it is very rare to have most of the grandkids together especially at a fun place like Rigby Lake. The kids stayed busy for several hours until we forced them to go home. I am a fan of Rigby Lake because it keeps them all so entertained and you don't have to do anything but watch them have fun. Scott had gone with my Dad for the day up to the Moody area to check on cows. The walkie talkie he carried on his horse with him ended up getting lost so we felt responsible to try to go find the thing. (these are big industrial walkie talkies that run $250 a piece) Scott loaded up a few four wheelers and my little brother Logan and we headed to Moody in search of the walkie talkie. We were successful and found it (thank heavens!) so then we decided we would go to Webster's Dam since it was in the general area. To get there you must climb steep terain and go down steep terain. At some points we got off and hiked instead of risking the roll down the hill. I realized it is not easy to hike with a 32 week belly but it was nice to get some exercise in for once. When you get to the bottom there is a few great waterfalls to enjoy so it was worth all the hassle. It was just fun to spend time as a family out in nature. The best part is that Scott even gave up a night of softball so we could all be together. He lives for softball night so I am feeling very loved tonight. ;) The smaller waterfall (I forgot to take a picture of the other one) Our little fam hanging out at Webster's Dam The kids getting ready for the ride in search of the walkie talkies Still haven't found it but we would stop every so often to see if we could hear it by talking in to another one. This is how we ended up finding it otherwise it would still be there. It was hiding in thick brush and such and wouldn't have been easy to spot. Brigham called to ride the "blue one" so Logan had to cart him around with him. Thanks Uncle Loges for the ride!