Deardeuff reunion in Southern Utah

We kept saying St. George, but really we were in the beautiful red rock town of Santa Clara, Utah, the week of July 17 for a reunion with as many Deardeuff siblings who could come. 

I wrote this on social media after it was over:

Family reunion final tally:

-36 people

-Sister broken elbow before

-Brother emergency appendectomy

-3 adults & 6 kids tummy bug

-Brother car troubles

-countless card & board games

-lots of swimming, some hikes

-5 days of pickle ball

-0 sunburns

-0 arguments (or I missed them)

The weather was hot but we had great air conditioning and two great pools to choose from at the vacation resort community . We split the three families among three houses and cousins poured in and out of each house, and siblings went back and forth to play games or visit.

Swimming

At the center of the homes was this pool with a rock slide. I think this is every cousin there.

This was just so much fun. The pool wasn't too deep, but deep enough that James and Andrew really improved their swimming skills. The younger cousins were all super brave in the slide and doing jumps. I think everyone just had such a good time swimming that we did it twice each day, morning and evening!

Chicken fights going on.

Volleyball.

Then one of our houses had this backyard pool. Each house also had a hot tub but each day was 106-110 degrees so we did not get in those. It seemed like this pool was better in the morning with the shade, and then the big center pool was good in the evening, but we honestly tried each pool at any time of day.

The kids jumped from this ledge into the pool over and over.

Millie asked me to take a picture of her ready to swim and then she did this weird smile. Maybe she was trying to show off her wiggly tooth.

The adventures

Early Tuesday morning (we left around 7 a.m.) we explored a hike called Upper Graveyard Wash in Santa Clara. We were looking for the shorter Tukupetsi trail which Joe said had petroglyphs and we did around 3 miles on this hike instead with little kids. I enjoyed it and the kids were troopers. Except Millie and James needed some encouraging.

Here's Ben with cousin Davey, who did well.

Early on Wednesday morning, we went to Red Hills Desert Garden a couple miles away in St. George. This is a botanical garden full of cacti of all kinds and other sights.

Millie and Birdie stuck together.

When JB spotted a lizard, the kids wanted him to take a picture and I took a picture of him.

The next parking lot over is for Pioneer Park, and we looked around a little here. Ben and Davey and Danny went to the top.

Andrew and James made cairns with Scott near the bottom.

Millie and Birdie made this their "house."

JB and Max and Ben got up around 6 a.m. on Thursday to hike to Scout Cave at Snow Canyon State Park..

The play time

We played games and meals around the big table. I learned Code Names and the Great Dalmuti.

Here are Millie, Kaylee and Yoheved on the middle bunk of a triple bunk bed.

Max, Ben and Andrew played pickle ball with JB.

JB and the big boys played pickle ball just about every morning until it got too hot, usually around 9 or 10.

Two mornings I also tried pickle ball. I think I could get used to it, I had fun! The boys and JB had a lot of battles, they put spin on the ball and all kinds of things.

James loved the arcade game at the club house.

The boys and their cousins also tried to play pool.

On Friday, some of us went to the Jacob Hamblin pioneer house.

And during the week was this girl's birthday! She lost her tooth while eating her slice of cake!

That day was also my brother Stephen's birthday, and his wife made a yummy chocolate cake, and my sister in law Susan brought a yummy lemon cake, so that everyone all got lots of cake.

We had a pasta bar Monday night from Joe and Susan, we made a taco salad bar Tuesday, Stephen and Sarah made a baked potato bar Wednesday, Michael and Bethany made Po Boys chicken sandwiches Thursday, and Peter and Mindy had Japanese curry on Friday. I wish I still had leftovers of all those meals, they were so good. 

Michael and Bethany (who live in Washington) rented a house in between my house and Peter and Mindy's house for this last week, because next they are going to Glacier National Park with her family. So we've been able to see those cousins more since the reunion. I miss my England sister and my Missouri sisters and my Utah sister (of the aforementioned broken elbow) and heck, also the brothers and my parents. I look forward to the next time we are together.

Richards reunion at Bear Lake

June 23-27 the Richards family all stayed at a big house in Garden City at Bear Lake. We arrived Friday afternoon and the cousins tumbled in and out of the house and all over it as they explored and played together.

Lots of wiffle ball was played in the backyard. The ball got lost a few times in the prickly tall weeds to the side but thankfully was recovered each time.

Lots of games and play also happened inside together.

And visiting in the big room.

We ate really well with each sibling taking a meal to cook. These girl cousins stuck together a lot.

The big table was a great spot.

Older cousins liked to hold and/or tease the babies. Here is James with Jack.

Andrew was often playing with Lou.

Here's Andrew with Jack.

They must get their love of babies from JB.

Millie tried out a concert on the top of the bunkbed in the cousins room.

Saturday

Saturday we all went over to a place where they did big family bikes. The Robertsons took James in their empty seat and I'm so grateful he had that adventure! The other bikes weren't ready for a few hours so the rest of us couldn't follow.

We did meet up at the Bridgerland Adventure Park. Here are JB and Millie waiting for their tube ride.

Ben also took a tube ride.

JB and Ben did minigolf but it wasn't their favorite. They were good sports though.

James was really brave and tried the ropes course.

Max and Andrew did the ropes course -- I think all three levels -- and it took them a while. Andrew put the backstrap up on his Crocs for sport mode.

Also on Saturday, Bart took the boat out onto the lake and took turns taking the cousins out. When JB went, he took this picture of The Captain.

Here are Phin, Andrew and James ready for their first ride.

They did not like being tossed off.

But they were good sports about it.

I helped some of the cousins make bracelets. I think next time I'll recruit another adult to help tie off the fastenings. But these kids were all very patient waiting for their turn.

Sunday

On Sunday we went to Sacrament meeting -- JB took a photo of a sleeping Alice on Scott.

After Church, we drove to Paris, Idaho, to see the Paris Idaho Tabernacle. Volunteer missionaries lead tours there over the summer, and I loved learning about the pioneers in this area.

Here are the cousins who took the tour. The inside was decorated for the upcoming Fourth of July community event.

Nonna and Papa.

That evening, Suzanne painted the girls' nails and Nonna's nails to feel fancy for the family pictures the next day.

Monday

We had a photographer scheduled to take family photos Monday morning. James and Silas waited for everyone to be ready.

I'll do another post with the official pictures, but here are some from our phones.

 All the grandchildren with their grandparents.

After the photos, we packed lunches and headed to Rendezvous Beach. There was a big spot of shallow water before the lake that was warmer and easier for little kids to play in.

They all wanted a turn on Jeffrey's orca whale.

Millie was grateful for Rachel sharing the paints with her to paint shells.

Speaking of painting, that afternoon Suzanne and Seth helped everyone make their own Harry Potter wand.

This over-tired girl ended up being too emotional that night to be in the bunkroom so she slept on the floor by my side of the bed. 

We packed up and cleaned and left Tuesday morning. We had such a great time!