The Lively Family Reunion

This last weekend the Lively family, that's my mom's side of the family, got together for our annual reunion. This year we went to aunt Kim and Kris's house in Prineville, and boy was it a treat! We had such a great time getting away and spending time with family. The boys definitely had the times of their lives. Prineville is in the central Oregon high desert area, so it was quite toasty and and between the nice cool breezes and the boys playing "baking" in the sand, we stirred up a lot of dust! Most of our time consisted of eating, of course, and just sitting around talking. The boys enjoyed the swimming pool that Kim and Kris got to cool off in and looked like little sugar cookies after going back and forth between the pool and their sand digging spot. They also found a new hobby of instead of looking for bugs, they were looking for lizards in the rocks. They spent a lot of time peeking in nooks and crannies for lizards! Kim and Kris were also kind enough to let us use their trailer and the boys thought it was the coolest thing and often wanted to be in the trailer and roll around on the bed with their flashlights. John was able to go out fishing with uncle Mart and uncle Jay which was a nice get-away. They did not return with anything, but that was not the point anyway! On Saturday we had a big breakfast and a family picture in our matching shirts that aunt Kim had presented to us the night before. It was really neat to see everyone with Grandma and Grandpa Lively. Then we got another treat as uncle Jay and aunt Kim brought their boat and we spent the day at Lake Prineville. It was so much fun! We played in the water, floated on this barge boat thing that the boys liked a lot because it filled up with water and they could splash around, kayaking, tubing, wake boarding, boat riding, and just sitting on the shore. Eli even went tubing....twice! Eli and Evan also enjoyed kayaking with Kim and Kris and got to paddle as well. John and I also got in on the fun and went tubing too. We are going to be and already are quite sore!

It was a fantastic weekend and I am so thankful and grateful for our extended family. Everyone had a great time and were so great with the boys. We are so blessed by all of you and thank you so much for an awesome weekend!

It is thought that this juniper tree is about 800 years old, which was the family picture spot!

Cooling off in the pool

...and then getting absolutely filthy!

sometimes all you can do is have a seat and a good cookielizard hunting, and the lizard to the left is not real, it is plastic
a friendly game of Candyland

Eli and Evan had a good time with Jenny, Grandma and Grandpa Lively's dog, and no we do not want one despite the suggestions!

Evan trying to free Jenny from timeout. He was successful after awhile.

aunt Cheri and uncle Mart preparing the BBQ lamb. It was quite tasty!

Eli and Evan and great-Grandma and great-Grandpa Livelyin the evenings the quail would come through. There was a rabbit that would come in the morning, but I never could get to my camera before he would hop away. We did squat down once to look at him, and he came real close to me and the kids. I did have to inform them to not pet it.

What a cute couple

Since a neighbor came over to take the big family picture, we thought it best to just use one camera, so once I get the big picture, I shall post that toosome things never change!Prineville LakeEli and aunt Kim kayaking

Evan and Kris kayakingEli and daddy tubing

I realized as I was posting pictures that they all pretty much have the same fuzzy spot and I looked at my lense and it had a finger splodge on it, so that explains some of the bright fuzziness. This is not one of our better pictures as I fried my face and Evan was done for the day, but it is not too bad.

Headed home with smiles on their facessome high desert scenes


And now for some movies!

The first is of Eli and daddy on their tube ride. He later went again with my cousin, Ashley


Evan and his new best friend, Jenny


Eli and uncle Mart taking a three wheel ride. There are pictures of me and Jessica doing the same thing at the same age!

Thank you again Kim and Kris for all of the work that you guys did to have us there for the weekend. We love you guys lots!