Reunion #1 and Grammie Camp #1

We arrived at Bear Lake with truckloads of food and several of our families just in time for a reunion with the “other Eyres”.  Kevan and Michelle’s kids were staying at Michelle’s cabin about two blocks away so we were lucky to catch them before they left.

Kevan brought Grandma and even though she doesn’t remember who any of us are any more, in the moment, she feels the joy of being with people who love her!

It’s always fun to see cousins who’ve spent hours on the beach together as children, making sand castles, having their own children (Tenille,NOT Charity!)

This was the first of many reunions in addition to THE reunion. Because we were away from the Internet most of the time, the next few posts will be a parade of reunions and Grammie Camps.

Although there were a large group of us there by then, we had about a week before everyone arrived so it’s my time to have fun with the grandkids at Grammie Camp. It’s hard to really relate to individual kids when the “mob” is all together so one of my favorite things of the year is dividing them up in groups and having twenty four hours with them all by myself!  The first group was Group 3, aka “The Babes”. We started our day as we always do….pulling weeds!  Because my parents were from farm families, work is an important part of every day! They got paid 2cents for every weed they pulled and then they bought these headbands with the money they earned.

We had so much fun, making “Cousin Bracelets”

…and talking about ancestors and going through old scrapbooks. Since two of these girls are named after my mom, Hazel, seeing pictures of her has special interest!

 

We did some art work but when I sent them out to pick some flowers from the flower gardens, Eliza came face to face with a big rattle snake, coiled and rattling on our lawn. It wasn’t the first or the last rattle snake we saw during this hot, dry summer, but needless to say, they did their flowers “from memory”.

Since I was born and raised in Bear Lake Valley, as was my dad and his parents who were among the first pioneers to settle the valley we always like to have a little scavenger hunt in the graveyard for the graves of our ancestors. They pretty much know where to find my mom and dad.

And they know the tragic story of my wonderful Grandmother Elizabeth Jacobson who lost 5 of their six children in the journey from Denmark and then walked across the plains 1000 miles, pregnant. When they finally arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, she delivered that little baby (who was the Osmond Family’s great great grandmother) and then were called to settle Bear Lake Valley by Brigham Young. My Grand father was born in a little log cabin in Bloomington with the wagon cover for a door. In the end, her husband left her for another wife during the time of polygamy (I’d like to stomp on his toe in heaven) and she lived out the rest of her faithful days surrounded by her loving children.

I told the girls to express how they felt about her life and this is how they looked at her grave. Hazel was obviously remembering the hard parts!

We also ground some wheat from the food storage supply under the house and made some whole wheat bread.

After a magnificent talent show, we had a lovely breakfast on the balcony overlooking the lake.

They also just happen to have their own “Babes Blanket which they cuddle up in every year!

This group is so much fun. I love just listening to them telling each other about what they know and what they think about their world. They are adorable sweet children who will soon be changing the world!  Hoorah for Group 3!