we are family

We traveled to the country this weekend for a family reunion on my dad's side. It was held in his childhood hometown and it also coincided with the Pioneer Days 24th of July celebration.

We got to be in a parade. Grandma was the Grand Marshall. Here she is putting on her best parade wave.

Let me introduce you to my extended family (which includes only my paternal grandmother and grandfather's descendants):

don't forget the other side:

Rumor has it that there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 of us on the back of that truck. Amazing, right? Grandma and Grandpa have 172 descendants with more on the way!

I have something like 42 1st cousins, just on that side. I don't claim to know all of their children's names, in fact, if I even know which cousin they belong to, I'm doing well.

So much fun was had in the 2 days, I'm going to go ahead and break it down into highlights:

• Grand Marshall Grandma on the flat bed, sitting in a lazy boy chair and holding a pink umbrella.
• 50+ people on the float all hurling candy at the spectators simultaneously. Some kids were giving themselves 'bonus points' for a direct hit.
• The fire truck running out of water at the end of the parade, but then hooking up to a hydrant to drench the hot kids who had been waiting for an hour just for the fire truck.
• Spending the day outside, letting the kids run around free.
• Adults not having to worry about their children, because the entire place was fenced in.
• Kids getting roped by Uncle Norman.........until someone got hurt.
• Paige finding a new BFF by the end of the night.
• Games of cards, volleyball, baseball, frisbee football and more.
• Gabriel wrestling with all the big kids. He had more attention from more people than he knew what to do with.
• A nap in the shade.
• Kids playing Red Rover.........until someone got hurt.
• Endearing stories of Grandma and Grandpa told by their children.
• Taylor riding a dirt bike on his own for the first time.

Fun times, Crosbys!