Family Lake Weekend 2013

This year's family reunion was one of the best yet. It was just a calm and relaxing time of all being together. The ONLY bad thing was that we were short a few people who weren't able to make it. :( It rained all day Friday which is usually a bad thing but it allowed us to pretty much all stay inside together for the day and just play games, eat, relax and be lazy. Good times!! The weather was great on the other days so we enjoyed the usual swimming and boating and the guys got to golf as well. In the evenings after the kids were in bed, us adults enjoyed wine and games, the feature game this year being Taboo. We had a blast even though the guys beat the girls most games! For a long weekend, it sure flew by fast! I am so thankful for my big family!

Graham coaxed Collin and Cody into playing Uno with him

 Sweety Reidy

Jack chillin' watching Madagascar

We girls talked baby names quite a bit!

Here are Graham and Nick playing Uno:

Graham is quite the gamer! Here he and Grandad are playing Guess Who

Everyone playing games!

Brooklyn kissing Reid

Brooklyn wanted to swim in the rain...so she did! And several others joined in!

Mumo and Papo brought a memory box full of pictures, letters, etc.

Taboo!

Time to hit the lake!

Brooklyn's first ride on the tube

Graham is an old pro. He kept wanting to go faster and faster!

Swimming

My little golf cart driver

Birthday celebration for Randy, Adrienne, Judy and Mumo

We gave Mumo a memory book that Nancy put together, full of pictures from the anniversary party earlier in the summer. It was full of quotes from the speeches made by friends and family as well. Beautiful book!

And here is Graham playing another game...this time he is playing Sorry! by himself. :)

Hare Family Reunion

During the second week of July, we were so blessed to spend time with my dad's family, many of whom I had not seen in about 15 years!! The occasion for getting together was that my cousin David, his wife Stacey, and their four children are heading to Cameroon, Africa within the next year to begin their lives as missionaries doing Bible translation. They will be gone for four years at a time and then home for a year so before they head out, they are making the rounds to see family and friends in different parts of the country. We are so excited for them and are thankful for their faithfulness to God's will in their lives. During this trip we were able to see my other cousins, Melissa (and husband Oleg and daughter Emma) and Heather, and my Uncle Mike (dad's twin) and Aunt Colleen. It was so sweet to spend time with cousins that I haven't seen since childhood. We spent every Thanksgiving break together growing up so I have so many fond memories with them! It was a blessing to meet their spouses and children as well.

While they were here, we enjoyed spending time swimming in the pool, having great meals together, and one day we all went on an outing to the OKC zoo. It was HOT outside but it was lots of fun especially for the kids. Here are some pictures from the week:

The kiddos minus Graham (who wasn't cooperating) and Emma (who was sleeping): Zoey, Jack, Kaden, Elias, and Makyra.


The kids love the "little pool!" Mom, Melissa, Colleen, and Dad with the kiddos.


Emma and Graham


Kaden and Jack taking pictures with my phone


Me and Stacey with Makyra


Me, Dad, his aunt Sandy and his cousin John


Oleg with Emma- she was a great little swimmer!


Dave, Stacey, and Melissa


You can't tell from the picture but this was a crazy game of keep away! I believe the participants were Mike, Randy, Oleg, Stacey, Dave, Heather, and sometimes Jack. :)

Family Reunion at the Lake

This past weekend, the Vaughn side of the family gathered at my parents' lake house for a fun getaway. This is the second or third year we've all gotten together at Grand Lake and was even more fun and more chaotic than ever! Each year we add a few babies to the picture and this year was no exception. We had Claire and Jacob for the first time, not to mention the other kids have grown up so it is one loud house when everyone is there. Of course, that's what makes it fun. That and boating, tubing, skiing, swimming, golfing, croqueting, bocce balling, golf cart riding, eating, eating, and more eating. We managed to fit all of these things in before the sun set and even managed a mid day nap each day for the kids and some adults. :) After the sun set, it was more bocce ball and card/board games. I just loved being with everyone and apparently my kids did as well. Graham commented on Sunday that he was "really, really sad" because he was leaving the lake house and Jack has mentioned numerous times that he would like to live there permanently.

Moments from our trip that stood out above the rest:

- Graham's injuries, including one severe knock to the head that scared the living daylights out of everyone within earshot. We were sure he had cracked it open or that he had a concussion but of course my hard headed guy cried for only about two minutes before declaring, face still covered in tears, that he was "all better!" and subsequently summoning Cody to begin running/wrestling again.
- Jack tubing. Jack is not my daredevil child so all things that can be done behind the boat scare him a bit, but he did get out there on the tube this weekend with Aunt Hayley and I am SO proud of him!!
- Playing Garbage with Mumo, Hayley, Nick, Randy, and Nancy. Mumo taught us to play this game when we were little and it is always a hit. I was so happy to spend time with her and play our favorite game. How Nick managed to win is beyond me though! :)
- Cody tubing. That kid is very resilient and brave and I'm surprised he still has both arms!
- Charlie and Graham sharing. Both boys really love Lightning McQueen and it was so sweet to watch them playing so nicely in the pool and taking turns with their "favorite taracter!"
- The kids spotting a dolphin in the lake, a parrot outside, and a monkey in a tree. I can't say that I saw these things myself...
- Playing Catch Phrase with Mumo, Papo, Mom, Dad, Judy, Nancy, Randy, Collin, Cody, Hayley, and Nick. There was definitely some hilariousness happening.

Can't wait for next year! We'll definitely be adding two babies and hopefully Daniel, Adrienne, and Brooklyn will join us as well!














Update with more pictures: