Stevens Family Reunion 2014

A highlight for sure....at the tail end of our Seattle trip, we packed up and traveled out to eastern Washington to stay at Ensign Ranch for a few days of "roughing it" together as a big extended family!  This was our first official family reunion and with so many little ones and especially babies, we weren't quite sure what to expect!  We arrived to find a big cabin lodge with plenty of space and rooms to suite every parents' needs.  Lots of outdoor space to run around, playground equipment, horses to ride, a lake to swim in and canoe in and fish in!  A huge slip n' slide, a great big fire pit for smores and hot dog roasting.  It was really a perfect place for big families with lots of kids!

The kids were thrilled to enjoy these activities.... Dane and Grant especially excited to fish and canoe;  Evelyn having the time of her life on the slip n slide and tending to babies all day!  Anna- on her first horse ride!  She was terrified at first but slowly warmed to the idea. Grammy planned a few darling crafts.... like bug catchers and paper snakes.  We hiked one day with all the kids;   celebrated Julie's 4th birthday with a piñata.   Dinners were very simple:  pizza, and BBQ.  Papa made a yummy pancake, eggs, and sausage breakfast one morning;  but mostly we just kept the whole thing very simple.  The kids loved when we gathered together and played games-- a big hit was "bean boozed!"  A game in which one would spin to land on a certain color of jelly bean and then discover if it was either a disguising or delicious flavor!  I think the peach/vomit and skunk/black licorice were probably the most hideous!  So funny!  We played lots of volley ball, catch phrase, heads up, and the like.  The adults enjoyed staying up late to chat and enjoy one another's company once we FINALLY got the kids down!  My only complaint was the early morning rising from one, Anna P. Marston.  I mean.... 4:30 am is a little too early for this mama~!
But overall a truly wonderful experience and one I know we will always treasure!   Thanks to Grammy and Papa for organizing and planning out the event, it was perfect!