Families are the best!

We spent a wonderful week in Oregon all together.  It was the first time in a VERY long time that we were all able to be together.  I rented this home in Lincoln City, on the coast.  It was wonderful--ust a short walk to the beach and the home was full of all kinds of entertainment--shuffle board, pool table, ping pong, video games, game table and the best company in the world.  (Good thing too, because the rain was plentiful!)

The cousins has such a great time together.  Grandma treated the girls to "Fancy Nancy" pj's complete with feathered slippers and the boys had matching surfer jams.  Have you ever been around 7 squealing little girls?   Before becoming a grandmother it would have made me crazy.  But now it's music to my ears.  I painted all the toes and all the fingers in pink glitter nails.  

The boys declined the invitation to join in on the nail painting.

Instead, the "big" boys decided to spend a "men only"  day on a charter fishing boat.  Even though it was a bit on the cool side, they all had a great time and brought home some wonderful fish and crabs.  Not only did they bring it home, they cooked it up and treated us all to fish tacos and steamed crab for dinner. YUM!

We normally only get crab on New Years Eve!!  It was a real treat.

Of course, since getting together is such a rare event, we took MANY 

family photos (Over 2500).  Here are just a few of my favorites.

Here we are in our reunion shirts, designed by Amy and Matt.  And I love the color.  I'm glad we did blue.

These four babies are so much fun.  They really loved having someone their size to  hang out with.

We had a tough time getting Lucy to smile for the camera, but I caught this next one of her at the wedding.  So we know she really is a sweetie pie!

Sam went to some real extremes to get the kids to smile for the pictures.

I think this one will be a family classic.

Like father, like son.  These two boys sure do love their dads.  

I guess I should have reversed that:  these two dads sure love their boys.

These are four of the best dads on the planet.  And I really mean that.

(One rose among the thorns.  Hang in there Abby.)

Look at those smiles!! And at the same time!

Those new ears that Uncle Sam was sporting seemed to work like a charm.

I thought this was an amazing photo.  I'll admit, I de-colored most of the photo to highlight Hannah's hair.  But I only got the idea to do that because the original photo did that on it's own to a large degree.

Thanks Jessica for taking such a great photo.

Do these guys look like they're having fun?  Ya think?

We owe this wonderful vacation to these love birds.  Thanks guys for being the inspiration behind this great week together!

Words really can't describe the warmth, the incredible joy that I felt being together with my family. That's one of the advantages, I guess, of living so far apart.  We really do treasure the time that we can be together.  I know of many families who all live within 100 miles of each other who never get together or when they do, they really don't appreciate what a great blessing that is.  Some even let pettiness and disagreements rob them of the great joy of family. 

I want to thank all of my children and their spouses for being 12 of the most amazing people I know.  I feel so blessed to have you all in my life.  I love your commitment to the gospel, and to your families.  I love knowing that my grandchildren are growing up in the Lord.  I know the sweetness of the fruit of the tree that Lehi partook of and empathize with the pain of his longing for his rebellious children to partake of that fruit.  This is what God wants us to have for eternity--the love of eternal families. I love you all.  I feel so blessed.

Thank you Linda, for the napkins that express exactly how I feel.  (No Empty Chairs)