CRAIG FAMILY REUNION 2010 - Pagosa Springs, CO

Woot Woot! I have a love-hate relationship with family reunions. I love them because they totally rock. I hate them because they end. Here are some things we learned from our family reunion this year.

Some people own and rent crazy huge houses. This is the backside of the house we stayed in.

Pagosa Springs is where cows come to fatten up before being butchered.

Pagosa Springs and Chimney Rock are beautiful.

If your son is SO excited to fly on an airplane for his first time, when he actually sees a plane take off from the ground, he will YELL "OH YEAH!!!" for all those in your gate to hear.

Little boys love having their own bag to carry through the airport and everyone will smile at how cute they are.

If you think that the President of the United States coming to a high school to speak in your hometown means that Air Force One is likely flying into your town and that you are going to avoid him and the mess his posse will bring...you're wrong. He is not only going to fly into the same airport you are flying out of (Grand Rapids), he is going to fly in and land RIGHT when your plane is ready to take off. He is going to make you wait for 45 minutes to take off. Thanks, Mr. President. I hope you liked Kalamazoo.

Our children live in a day and age that they are too pampered - listening to ipods while riding a machine that takes you up in the air and you make it to your destination in the fraction of the time to drive...or ride or horse...or walk alongside a wagon.

Sister-in-laws always bring fun things to do - making necklaces, "painting" with frosting on graham crackers and decorating with candies, and "fishing" for little toys. It doesn't matter how old these kids get or that they know their uncle is behind the blanket putting the toys on the hook...they love it!

Sister-in-laws are also great at face painting...and being patient enough to paint the same faces again and again since the kids go swimming, and then want newly painted faces.

Being out in nature makes you want to throw rocks in the water. And stand next to roaming cattle. No matter how many times children see cows and horses they will point them out. EVERY TIME.

Boys could throw rocks all. day. long. And hope to hit one of those leeches their uncles found.

All those cattle got there by a big truck that takes up the whole road so you can't get back to the house...but that's won't stop your husband from finding a way around them.

Hot Springs are....really hot!

Too hot for little boys - at least if it goes above their knees it is so hot they will whine.

Cousins give awesome horsie rides and they don't tire as fast as mom and dad!

Even if you wear a hat on a hike and throw rocks with your adorable cousin, Olivia, you can still end up with a tick on your head that your dad has to pull off. And if your dad manages to pull the tick off with the bugger's head still attached, you just might find a piece of your scalp in his mouth. Eeeewww.

Walking sticks are a must for all grandchildren hiking to the waterfall.

If you are only 45 minutes away from your great friends, the Stradlings, they will meet up with you for dinner and eat lots and lots of green chili and sopapillas with you! YUM!

Cousins are inseparable...

until their mean parents pull them apart and make them go back to their own houses in distant lands...and then they completely lose it and cry the whole way to the airport.

This guy does not like being on a boat.

But these guys do.

Family reunions will
WIPE...

YOU...

OUT.

When your Friday night flight gets cancelled because of tornado warnings in Denver, you stay one more night with everyone at the family reunion, and wait the 24 hours until the next flight.

Then, to pass the time, you eat lunch at a Texas BBQ joint.

And then have some...

ice cream at the airport...

for dinner.

And that makes it all a happy ending!

We also had a talent show, an ancestry night, a family home evening night. It was all wonderful. We were amazed by all our family and their talents!

Grandpa
Grandma
7 children
7 spouses to those children
26 grandchildren

It rocked. I am so sad it's over.