I just love family reunions. The prospect of getting together, enjoying company, playing volleyball, water skiing, and reminiscing about family experiences and funny stories makes for a great vacation. Including the one about aunt Marilyn (my Grandpa's sister) who never could say the word "breast." She would go to the store and ask the butcher, "can I have some chicken chests?" Or when singing the hymn Joseph Smith's First Prayer, she couldn't bring herself to sing the words, "oh what rapture filled his.....(bosom) :) such a lady! But that's how all my Grandpa's family was, including my Grandma, so proper!
Our family reunions on the Taylor side happen every 3 years and we've always gone to Aberdeen, Idaho to my Grandpa's sister's house Carolyn and her husband Frank. Most of us camp out in tents around their big yard, but some of us who can't go without showers and beds opt for the hotel option, which is what we did. The F. Willis Taylor family had great representation this year! All but 2 of his children were there. Of course we were all planning on continuing our own vacation/reunion in Island Park. After our Frank and Zetella reunion, the Frank and Louise reunion convened up there. We split up into 3 cabins with about 49 people!
We had a lot of fun doing things like floating down Big Springs which is very calm water, and then later in the day floating down Box Canyon, which had some very rapid waters. And, it was Samantha's first floating trip! The worst part was really just the first 10 minutes and she cried most of that time because everyone was screaming from getting wet. We were in a raft with my uncle Alan and all his family, most of them clinging to the side of the raft in tubes! Samantha didn't much love having to wear her lifejacket either. I think I may have surprised a few people by taking her out on the water, but it ended up being a fun adventure and after those 10 minutes, she fell asleep for the rest of the trip. :)
Each night we would get together for dinners and we all took turns cooking for everyone, which worked out really well, and each family made great food! The rest of the week included activities like golfing, West Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Mt. Sawtelle, and swimming at Buttermilk Reservoir. We had a lot of fun with all the Taylors. Samantha loved all the attention she got from everyone....well most everyone! :)
We also celebrated Samantha and Annie's birthdays while at our cabin too, which was great to be able to do so with my side of the family. Her official first birthday was on the 20th, so she is now officially a year old! Where has the time gone???
The very last night we were there with just my family, and we did something that we have never done as a family before. We floated down Big Springs in 3 rafts at 10:30 at night! it took us about 2 1/2 hourse but it was so fun! We thought it would be fun to listen to the sounds of nature at night, but mostly it was sounds of laughing, talking (loudly), screaming (loudly), and singing (very loudly). The screaming came because we thought the big moose we had just seen was going to eat us because Ben pushed us into the side of the river where the big animal had just been and was probably waiting to attack! There was probably a bet among the bears and moose who could eat us first just to shut us up! So after that moose we didn't see much else, because of the fact that we were so loud! We did hear trees cracking and bushes moving which was just as scary though. It turned out to be a lot of fun though, and will hopefully be a yearly occurrence after this year!
It ended up being a great vacation with all of the family. I am definitely proud to be a Brewster, and a Taylor! Thanks for all the fun fam!
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