James Family Reunion

4th of July Weekend

We spent the weekend near Heber, Utah at a cabin with our James family.  Grandma James planned several fun activities and meals.  The cabin itself had games, pool table, ping pong, a hot tub, fooseball (?spelling?), movies, video games, and outdoor areas for playing or lounging.  Thanks Russ and Lorrie for hosting!  We all had a great time.

Jared and I played a little pool...........solids vs. stripes.  Jared won, but we determined we both need practice.  Maybe we ought to get one!  =)

I really like playing pool.  Sydney thought it was fun finding the balls and putting them in the holes.

We went on a safari hunt with Adam being the "Great White Hunter" and the kids all wore safari scarfs and hunted for animals throughout the cabin.  They could find a small stuffed animal, a big one, a book, and a box of animal cookies.  They all really had a good time.  This is Erika with her kids (Daxton and Drew), plus Allie, Russ, Grandma James, Gavin, Maddie, and my Dad's leg!

Lindsey with her 4 cute kiddos checking out their loot.  I am always amazed how all John and Linz's kids sit around their Mom so nice.  Good work spending time with them all!

Kaylee showing her prized animal cookies!

Allie coming out of the loft after finding a stripedy fish!

Grandpa and Maddie still on the hunt!

Drew looks so good in his safari scarf!

Sydney found herself a pink birdie!  Pink is one of the colors she learned to say first.  I really don't think she knows what color it is yet.

Kristi playing the pink flamingo (nice hat making Tia)!  We were demonstrating the many ways to wear the safari scarf.  Oh look........I found a book.  Can you see it???

Sorry these pictures got out of order, but this is John modeling his nice scarf!  This view is from an upstairs loft.......not thee loft though.  My family slept one of the nights up the ladder in the loft.  It was cute, the girls loved it, but it was a little to hot for us.

Somehow this was suppost to be Jenny and Sydney, but Sydney couldn't find me and the camera above.  Jenny is enjoying the moment, therefore I'm happy to capture it!

I guess we could have had Christmas in July (notice the tree up in the corner).  See how many people you recognize!

Kaylee is demonstrating how dirty you can get while camping and playing outdoors.  The picture doesn't do justice for how black her feet really looked.

John going at it again.....feeding chocolate licorice to Suzi, who loved it and started sucking on it like a bottle.

Sydney and Maddie played a tickle tickle game back and forth.  It was cute watching these cousins interact.

Grandpa James playing tetherball with the kids (Hudson, Allie, Kaylee, Drew, and Gavin).  They loved it outside.....we just had to put mosquito repellant on them and they were good to go.  The gate guards told us when we entered that there had been bear sitings in the area, so we told the kids to stay out of the woods because of the bears.  Then it became the game (especially with Chris) looking outside for bears.  We did have deer come in the backyard, which was fun to see.

Jenny and Hayden playing up on the balcony.  This is the Moose Cabin!  Sydney is down below playing with the toys.

Allie and Gavin coming out of the woods after a hike with John (he's still back in the woods on the right).

Jared, Adam, Dusty, and Russ played Bocce Ball.  (Russ isn't pictured...John is coming out of the woods still).  The balls were so close they had to measure which was closer. =) 

We had a chili cookoff!  Lorrie's won 1st.  She had a "Not Nalley's" white chili that was really good.  Everyone did a good job.  How can anyone not love chili!

Jenny, Sydney, Kaylee, Gavin, Allie, Kristi and Jared (taking the picture) went on a hike (less than a quarter of a mile) to find this teepee that John had found with the kids the day before.

Hudson, Maddie, Kaylee, Gavin, Sydney, and Allie all playing outside with a pretend fire and logs.  Simplicity is key!!!

Check out all of those cool creative caps.  We had a cap decorating contest.  Russ' was a naturally 10-15 year worked on cap (hense the pillow to show it's value).  I loved doing this!

Dad sporting the 4th of July, Mom the pink flamingo, Tia the bumble bee, John the frog.  All Tia's original caps.  What a talented girl.  She should start her own business at the fair.  I'd bet she could sell a lot of these!

Mom doing the traditional flamingo pose.  Her shirt was contradicting to her hat.  It said Alaska on it!

John sporting the frog (which I think is fitting =)).  This hat was very cool......its tongue even came out of its mouth and had a fly on it!  Nice one again Tia!

Jenny and Maddie showing thier very imaginative and creative hats.  Maddie's said WHO and had owls all over it.  Jenny's said CraZart featuring all of the crayons, glue, paint, and even little scissors!  Nice touch Jenny.  Hayden didn't get his hat done.  I thought he should have duck taped one......he makes really cool swords using pipe, camping foam, and duck tape.

Jared twirling his locks and showing his Goldilocks and the three Bears hat (actually it was Sydneys, but she wouldn't wear it).  Jared's real hat said "Your looking at the Man in the Mirror" had a mirror, music notes, and a silver hand on top............Can you guess what it represents?

I am definately HAPPY!  This is my "You are Always on my Mind" hat!  Definately true!

Allie wearing her cute "Lady Bugs on Parade" hat with red buttons and ladybug stickers!

Kaylee's a little shy about demonstrating, but she really liked her hat.  It said "Girls just wanna have FUN!"  It also said, "Nothing but Speed" and had race car flags and a Polly Pocket car with Polly herself riding in it on top!

Allie definately likes her present from her Great Grandma and Grandpa James.......Books, Stickers, Pens, Pencils, and All Fancy!

We played a lot of games.  This is Jesse's Train Game.  It was played a couple times.  We always have a lot of fun playing games.

There is Grandpa and Grandma in the kitchen.  They helped clean up a lot....THANK YOU!  John feeding that cute SUZI!

Dusty did a lot of this!

Grandma and Allie celebrating their 7's this year!  What LUCKY girls!

Russ taking good care of Suzi.  Funny thing.  John found Russ sleeping on the floor and Sydney and Suzi playing right by him.  Who was taking care of who right!  =)

John, Lindsey, and Kristi made pizza for everyone on Sunday night.  It was yummy!

Allie's birthday is always so busy.  We got 4th of July cupcakes, went to see a 3D movie of Rio, ate dinner at Artic Circle, and tried to light off a couple sparklers.  It was a little too windy because the lighter kept blowing out.  We will do fireworks another day soon!

Hope you've enjoyed these pictures.  I feel bad I didn't get Kim and Shane's family in here......next time!