One of my favorite yearly vacations while I was growing up was to a family reunion. My mom’s dad’s brothers and sisters and their family’s get together every single year for a reunion. When I was growing up the reunions lasted several days. Sometimes they were held in McCall, Idaho, or a campground near Lake Alturis in Idaho, once we camped in Paris Canyon (outside of Montpelier, Idaho). We also spent nearly 20 years going to Camp Atoka Lodge near Pineview Reservoir. My sister’s and I were some of the older ones of our generation and enjoyed playing with the younger ones as they came along. Now, Those younger ones are having families of their own. From The original Standing siblings (Jack, Keith, Ben, Harry, Joan & Madge) there are now well over a hundred. I come from a relatively small family so it is always so much fun for us to get together with this side of our family.
Jack Standing is my amazing grandfather. I could go on and on about all of the things that I have learned from him. Maybe I will another day. I have great memories about all of his brothers and sisters and their families and the things I have learned from all of them. I learned how to shuffle cards and do the “bridge” at the end of shuffling cards from my uncle Keith. My uncle Ben is the best story teller. He also taught me “Star light star bright first star I see tonight”. Harry is the youngest of the family. He always has so much energy. When I was younger he would bring his boat to all of the reunions and would water ski and always encouraged me to try – which I was only brave enough to try once. Aunt Madge could snore. WOW. She loved her husband more than I think I have ever seen anyone love their spouse – you could always see it in her eyes when she looked at him. When her husband passed away, she went shortly afterwards. Aunt Joan just has a love of life and family. She is always dependable and has the greatest laugh.
As time goes by you would think that people would quit coming to these types of functions, I guess to a point this is true, but not really. My mom and her cousins still sit and talk and talk. Grandpa always brings his family history to update – several in the family work on family history. Everyone is interested in what everyone else has been doing. Those of my generation stay more with their families than interacting although we do to a point. You can always find a fun card game to get involved in. I still look forward to these reunions every year. Instead of the several days they used to last, they are now just a Saturday afternoon in the park. I am so grateful for my cute grandparents who continue to organize this awesome reunion every year for all of us to enjoy.
Jack Standing is my amazing grandfather. I could go on and on about all of the things that I have learned from him. Maybe I will another day. I have great memories about all of his brothers and sisters and their families and the things I have learned from all of them. I learned how to shuffle cards and do the “bridge” at the end of shuffling cards from my uncle Keith. My uncle Ben is the best story teller. He also taught me “Star light star bright first star I see tonight”. Harry is the youngest of the family. He always has so much energy. When I was younger he would bring his boat to all of the reunions and would water ski and always encouraged me to try – which I was only brave enough to try once. Aunt Madge could snore. WOW. She loved her husband more than I think I have ever seen anyone love their spouse – you could always see it in her eyes when she looked at him. When her husband passed away, she went shortly afterwards. Aunt Joan just has a love of life and family. She is always dependable and has the greatest laugh.
As time goes by you would think that people would quit coming to these types of functions, I guess to a point this is true, but not really. My mom and her cousins still sit and talk and talk. Grandpa always brings his family history to update – several in the family work on family history. Everyone is interested in what everyone else has been doing. Those of my generation stay more with their families than interacting although we do to a point. You can always find a fun card game to get involved in. I still look forward to these reunions every year. Instead of the several days they used to last, they are now just a Saturday afternoon in the park. I am so grateful for my cute grandparents who continue to organize this awesome reunion every year for all of us to enjoy.
This was the "welcoming committee" bench. Everyone seemed to gather around this bench. It is aways fun to see people gather and update everyone on the goings on in their families during the past year. This year we had members from every family represented. Since we have family all over the state and country, this is pretty amazing.
Here's my mom knitting - of course. I can't imagine my mom just sitting anywhere. (Her hands have to be moving.) My cute grandma is talking with Aunt Colleen (married to Uncle Keith) and Shelley (daughter of Aunt Joan)
Here's our pavillion. Thank heavens for the shade. It rained a little earlier in the day, but it sure was hot by the time we all gathered. Lots of visiting going on.
This was one of my favorites. My dad and mom's cousin Gary talking guns or something (normal conversation for them). Then all sorts of cousins from different families talking about who knows what. Isn't family great?
The boys discovered slides and swings. So much gun!!! Mom took a turn playing with them on the slides too. The kids had so much fun on the playground. There were plenty of kids to play with too. For a while Rachel and Sarah were the only only ones big enough to play - now they have friends.
They clearly had fun playing....it was a little hot.
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