In "tents" Jenkins Family Reunion

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

The van was packed full. We were lucky that the kids drove to the reunion with my parents - they may not have fit.

We drove across Utah to our campsite at the Great Basin National Park.

My parents and the kids got there early and had sites staked out for us. Ryan and his family arrived shortly after us. We got our tents all set up, and spent the night playing games, like Goblet of Fire.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

The first night we slept well, but as the week went on we had leaky mattresses and a leaky tent.

We drove to Fish Lake to spend a few hours fishing (or reading).

The girls caught a fish and tried to throw it back, but it was too late. Rescue operations went on for a while, but he didn't make it.

The fish were too small to keep, but it was fun to visit a spot from our childhood. We once fished there and we caught so many fish, my dad spent the whole time taking care of our lines and couldn't fish himself.

After fishing, more of the family arrived. The little ones were fun to have there.

Cam & Sarah                   Matthew                   Zach & Wally

That night we tried a dessert from Pintrest - cooking cinnamon rolls on sticks over the fire.  It didn't really work well, but it kept the kids busy for about an hour and a half.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

We started off the day with a hike we thought everyone could do. The ground was very rocky and uncomfortable to walk on.

The trail led us to this little "lake" made from the snow runoff from the mountains.

The whole Jenkins Family except Lex

We took a second trail to see ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees. Seth and I were excited because we participate in the Bristlecone Storytelling Festival each year. They looked just like the posters!

We all wore our Family Reunion shirts and got a lot of comments from fellow hikers.

That afternoon we went to Lehman Caves. Juliet asked one of the Rangers if there would be bats and the girl said there could be. Juliet freaked out and decided to go on the shorter tour. The Hills went on the longer one.

The caves were cool, but only a fraction of the size of Carlsbad Caverns. The guide told some cheesy stories about the caves.

Anna & Cam

Seth & Mason

Grandpa & Grandma Jenkins

The Hills

That night was Talent(?) Night.  My parents sang, Ryan's family did soccer victory poses to music, and everyone else did lipsynchs. 

The Hills lipsynched to The Schyler Sisters from Hamilton the Musical, with Cam being Aaron Burr, Seth was Angelica, I was Eliza, and Dave was Peggy.

We had made Dutch Oven chicken and potatoes for dinner, and we finished up the night with cobbler.

Friday, August 4, 2016

The next day was the BIG hike. Up Wheeler Peak. Cam stayed back in camp to help with the little kids. Seth and I stayed just behind the main group, and Dave and Chris ended up way behind.

Seth was awesome and didn't complain at all. I complained a lot. About midway up, I thought I got a cramp, but I must have pulled something. It hurt bad and as we got higher, it got so hard to breathe.

It took me forever, but I finally got to the top and I was able to write my name in the book that is stored in this mailbox.  Seth and I sat and listened to "On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons than ate our sack lunches. We were up so high it looked like we were really on top of the world. 

We found the marker for the top of the summit. Jack is a crazy hiker. She is in great shape and tried to keep us motivated.

This was physically the hardest thing I have ever done.

The group that made it to the top.

Ryan, Zach. Sydney, Madison, Chase, Jacquelynn, Seth, Me, & Bo

On the way down, we found Chris pretty close to the top, and learned that Dave had gone as far as the tree line.  Even the hike down was difficult because my body was so tired. It took a total of 8 hours and was 13,159 ft up.

When we got back, it got rainy and we had a rough night and a leaky tent. I ended up sleeping in the van. It was a fun reunion but I was ready to head home. I was so sore from the hike, it was a little hard to get around for a few days. The next reunion is in 2019 and the Hills are in charge! 

USU Eastern - Off to College

Thursday, July 28, 2016

I nagged Lex to pack up her room for weeks. She, of course, waited until the last minuteto get started. She packed up ALL her clothes. We were sure they wouldn't fit in her dorm room - we were wrong. She put a few things in a box for the garage, threw out things she had been hoarding for years, and put everything she wanted to take into trash bags to load into the car.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

We left on Sunday. Lex took one last pic with what is left of her Primary Class. Shae is headed to BYU and Taz will be leaving on his misssion to South Korea in October. We drove up to Paragoonah for the night and Cam and Seth stayed there, to drive up to the family reunion with Grandma and Grandpa. 

Monday, August 1, 2016

Dave drove the van full of our camping equiptment, while Lex and I drove in her car. It was pretty packed. 

When we got to Price, we had some lunch, then set up Lex's room. I can't believe we fit all her stuff in there. We went to Walmart and stocked up on everything - everything she needs or might need.

We brought over donuts the next morning and said our goodbyes. I had a good cry the night before, but handled the last goodbye well.

Lex already knew Rachel Neff (Brad's ex and a former opponent), but with all the soccer players being some of the few people on campus so early, they all made friends fast.

1st Sunday in Price

Lex Turns 18!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Lex is finally a legal adult! We sent her and a few friend to have lunch at Cheesecake Factory. She mostly got things for going off to school, but Seth made a soccer shaped pillow. He even sewed a bit.

Lex took a few pics to commemorate the day. She went to dinner and shopping with Grandma Hill. She got a Polaroid camera which she loves and has wanted for a while, but I thought she would use it often.  

Dave and I spent the night at the temple with Brad as he recieved his endowments.

UT

Friday, July 15, 2015

Thursday we (Lex stayed home to work) drove up to Utah. We stopped at Grandma and Grandpa's, where Grandma helped me set up Lex's soccer quilt to be tied. That afternoon we drove the rest of the way to Jaquelynn's house and just hung out.  They were at a family dinner until late, but we spent the next day with the Sokols.  We drove up to Park City to check out the Alpine Slide. Jack took her younger kids to do some of the other activities, while Anna came with us on the slide. We took the ski lifts up.

We got our tobagans and got in line.

Seth was behind a kid going very slow, so he switched tracks and went in front of me.

 

It was pretty fun, but did not go as fast as I expected. We got off and got in the line for the Alpine Coaster.  The first line was quick. This line took forever! Jack and the younger kids got so tired of waiting, they took off. We finally crept to the front of the line and managed to get on. It was fun, but I'm not sure it was worth the wait.

 

We walked down to the main street to find a somewhere to eat and ended up at a pizza place.

Later that night, we drove up to Ogden to meet up with Dave's cousin, Stefanie and her husband, Mike, for dinner. We checked into our hotel and then Seth and I walked to the restraunt so we could play Pokemon Go on the way. The town and decorated horses lining the streets, and we took a picture of one we thought Camryn would like.

We met up with them at the Union Station Cafe, attached to the train station. It was fun to get together and hear how she is doing with her move to Utah.

Back at the hotel, we randomly ran itno our neighbors, the Davis'.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

The next morning, we drove the rest of the way to Logan. We made it to the Peery's house and April took Cam and I to a PJ outlet store. We found cute PJs for the girls. After lunch, we drove up into the mountains a bit to a ski resort.  They had set up a "redneck slip n slide".  Seth giggled like crazy the whole way down.  The longer slide you went down on your bottom and there was also a slide you went down in a tube.

 

The kids had a blast, but mostly Seth was just happy to spend time with Mason. We hit the ice cream outlet on the way back to the Peery's house. 

That night the girls had mini pedicures and watched Miracles From Heaven, while the boys went to the Demolition Derby. 

 

Sunday, July 17, 2016

We went to church with the Peery's, then spent the afternoon at the park with the Allen Family. We miss our Fong friends too.

 
Makenna & Camryn               Cayson & Seth

Back at the Peery's, the kids watched a movie after dinner, while the grownups chatted and caught up.

Monday, July 18, 2016

It was hard to say goodbye!

Back in Sandy, Jack took us to see the Pioneer Day Parade Preview.  We got to walk around the convention center and see all the floats and even vote on our favorite. This was the float Anna helped with.

We spent the night in Paragoonah. Grandma had finished tying the quilt and got me started on the binding.  Seriously, one of the touhest projects I have done! It's super warm and cuddly though.