The Palfreyman Family

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Family Reunion Fun

Our family does a family reunion every other year and has since I was a young child. It is held at a lodge owne) we decided we would load everyone up, take days of work and go enjoy a few days of fun. These days are loaded with tons of activities, so there is always something to do. There is sleeping at the lodge, but my sister was able to use someone's amazing cabin, just up the road from the loadge that had 6 bedrooms adn 7 bathrooms, vs. the lodge that is 65 beds and 4 shower stalls (2 for the ladies and 2 for teh men). Kacey, Reyna and Madeline decided they wanted to stay in teh lodge, so they slept there.

So, we arrived on Monday in time to check things out, pick out beds for the kids that wanted to stay and then it was dinner time. After dinner, they showed a slide show of last years reunion and then offered dance classes. Mostly the kids partook of the lessons.

Me...

Reyna and Madeline learning some mad dance skills

Chase showing off his prize possessions that didn't leave him all day/night (have I ever mentioned he has hoarding mentality? but we love him lots inspite of it)

My dad...just hanging out. He is normally found at the reunion with a book in hand and snacks by his side. this was a glimpse of him without his book.

This was a favorite past time for the older kids and cousins. Mark and Kacey taking in a game of pool

Mark and Kacey, just hanging out

Chase, playing fussball. He has a bandaid on his nose from a fall up concrete stairs he took the first night we were there. Someone brought him in, blood all over his face. We were not sure where the blood was coming from...I figured he needed stitches or his teeth had been put through his lip, but after a good washdown, his nose was the source. I thought perhaps he broke it beucase it was swelling and bruising pretty fast and he just wanted to be snuggled without any cloth touching his nose. He eventually asked for a kiss and a bandaid, which in his world fixes everything. We did as asked and when we took the bandaid off the next day at his request, no swelling, no bruising and it would only bleed if he started crying. He said, "see I told you".

Cassie and Chase playing fussball

Mark and I having a mad game of ping pong

Chase, being goofy!

On 2 of the days at the reunion, they pulled out this big sheet of plastic and put it down the hill with water running over it and created a fun "water slide" for the kids to enjoy. Here is Mark and Chase doing down

Kacey at the bottom of the slide

Our kiddos at the top of the slide

Kacey going down

Reyna going

Kacey

Kids doing a train down the slide, cousin Weston, Reyna, Madeline and Cassie

More train fun, Madeline, Chase, cousin Liz and cousin Sophie

Mark got in on some adult fun playing volleyball

They had a night of "good luck" games that offered a variety of events that anyone could do. This was the Elephant walk. It consisted of trying to knock over bottles on the ground by swining the ball from your head. Here is Madeline taking her turn

Mark and Chase making big bubbles

This game consisted of unwrapping a piece of bubble gum in your mouth (no hands) and then chewing and blowing a bubble.

Kacey participating in an M&M game where you have to suck an M&M through a straw and put it into your cup before someone rolls doubles on dice

Chase playing his elephant game

Reyna at the elephant game

Cassie doing watermelon seed spitting contest

Reyna making bubbles

Cousins LOVED being together. We don't get to see them much due to them living in Utah and Alaska, but it was great having the kids together for a few days. They all got along well.

Chase trying to move an oreo from his forehead to his mouth withouth his hands.

Cousin Sophie and Chase enjoyed chasing each other and being buddies over the days

d by BYU called Timp Lodgein Provo, Utah, right above Sundance. I haven't been to a reunion since Cassie was almost a year old (and she will be 13 years old in just a little over a week). So, after 12 years (6 reunions

Friday, July 19, 2013

Lagoon

We headed to Utah for a family reunion, but decided we would spend a day at Lagoon. We love all the roller coasters and rides. We planned to spend half a day at the water park part of Lagoon, as we have yet to do that, but just like our last trip, we were totally rained out. The rain came in after lunch and we were DUMPED on for a good few hours. We hid under things and watched shows being performed and in the end, the water park never opened back up, so after a long 9 hours in the park, we packed up and headed to Springville, Utah to start our family reunion/vacation.

This was us waiting for the rides to open

Chase wanted a mustache so bad (don't understand his fascination with mustaches, but he has one). So, we had the guy at the carnival game guess Mark's age and when he guessed wrong, Chase got his mustache. Didn't take that off the rest of the time. Once we got into the car and he fell asleep, we tried taking it off, but he woke up crying he wanted it back on. Once it was back on his face, he fell right to sleep again...

Me and kids

Me and the hubby

(we didn't get too many pictures because Mark was carrying the camera in his pocket and forgot to take pictures...oh well!)

4th of July

We had a great 4th of July this year. This is one of my most favorite holidays. It is all about family, fun and food...what else could you want in a holiday? We woke up and went to Crossfit for a hard workout. It was called "Whitten" and consists of 22 kettle bell swings, 22 box jumps on a 20 inch box, 400 meter run, 22 burpees and then 22 wall balls (throwing a weighted call up above a line, catching it and squatting). You and your partner had to do this 5 times as fast as possible. When our workout was done, we came home, made some food for our fun night and then headed to Mark's parents house for a nice swim. It was just our family and his parents, so it was quiet, relaxed and refreshing. We grilled up lunch and just had a nice day. Came home for naps before heading out to our dear friend's, the Hallberg's. There we had more food, fun, conversation and then came the fireworks. Tons of them. Kids did theirs, then came all the illegal ones right above our head. I LOVED it!!! Chase was a little scared and didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else did. I think it was one of the best 4th of July's ever!!

Chase throwing snaps (that was about as close to a firework as he would get. I am sure this will change in years to come)

Chase, Mark and Reyna laying on our patriotic quilt watching fireworks

Reyna doing sparklers

Kacey enjoying watching the activities

This was Chase's position most of the night. He hid under the blanket because he was a little scared. I would say "that was cool" and he would come out of the blanket and say, "it was not cool" and then go back in. It was super funny!

Me and the hubby enjoying the night

Swim Lessons

This year we enrolled the 3 youngest in swim lessons. Chase was in the preschool class while Reyna and Madeline were in the level 4 class. They all swam at the same time and only 3 of the 10 days it was raining and freezing cold...

Chase showing off his moves and bubble blowing skills

Reyna doing the breast stroke across the deep end

All the kids before lessons. Chase is a little less enthused to swim in the rain than the girls are.

Madeline and Reyna getting instruction from their teachers.

This picture was taken at a place called Christensen's pond. A family owns this property that has a zip line, a huge pond, Olympic size diving boards, water slides, etc. They allow people to come and partake of their property at no cost. Mark's family arranged a day for everyone to come and have fun. It was a fun time had for all that attended (I am bummed I had to work that day...)