Oregon Coast Part 2: I Really Like This Family That I Married Into

I REALLY think that they are all really COOL.  And there are a whole lot of them.  

It all started with these 2:

Jennis + Robert = true love FOREVER (and a family of 161 ...[I think that is right anyway] one more too be added on December 6th [way to go Trent and Katie!] and at least one more great-grandbaby on the way.  Their youngest grandchild is a mere 3 years old, so great-grandbabies will be coming for a long time still.)  

Pretty awesome, if you ask me.

So, because of Weston's Grandma and Grandpa (Robert and Jennis), all of these people got together...

Okay, so this is 76 of them.  83 were not at the reunion.

...and hung out at this place: a camp about 20 miles inland where there is a huge 3-story lodge that everyone can play, chill, and sleep in;

where there is a nice covered basketball court with a fireplace, and softball field and other field behind it;

where moss drips from ancient and super tall trees, ferns are as high as your hips, and nothing ever gets dry when you hang it out to dry because it is like a rainforest;

and where slugs are as big as Grandpa's hand.

It was a cool place and very beautiful.

It was great chillin'.  There was a lot of ping-pong, fusball, games, and chatting going on.

Sweet Ji 

Bekah, Violet, Taylor and Spencer

Who da man? E da man!

Little Annika, Amy, Angela and Justin

Weston, me, and sleepy Ji-guy catching up with Uncle Jim

Spencer and Weston's cousin, Joshua (8) were pretty much attached at the hip the whole time

part of Spencer, Weston, Megan, and half of Rachel

Lots of outdoor play.  We played back-to-back sports on Tuesday:  kickball, ultimate frisbee, and basketball.  It was SO fun and I felt SO great afterward.  We don't really have many organized sports where we live, so Weston and I were taking full advantage of it all.

Tuesday night we sat around the fire out in the rec place, or whatever it's called, and listened to Uncle Jim tell zoo stories.  Spencer was mesmerized the whole time, especially when Jim was telling about when he had to help someone when their full-grown chimps escaped (not at the zoo, somewhere else in the city) and they were tearing up the inside of their neighbor's house, complete with broken glass and blood everywhere.  That was exciting.

too many people to name

l to r: Justin, Brynn, Elise with Luke, Mark, Weston with Ezra, Elaine, Katie, me, Nate, Jennis, Kate

After zoo stories, we watched a little basketball: old guys vs. young guys.  Weston was on the old guys' team, playing with all the uncles and his oldest cousin, Rob.  It was fun to watch them. 

my father-in-law and grandfather-in-law

Melissa (in the black sweatshirt) has a field hockey sweatshirt on! I miss that sport and that cute girl with her little Virginia accent! I used to talk like that. 

Go old guys!! Give those young'uns a CLINIC! (Does anyone even say that anymore?Yeah, probably not.) I think that the old men won. Woohoo!

Wednesday, we went on a 3 mile hike to a waterfall. 

This cracks me up.  The cross-eyed shot.  Justin and Megan rode with us to the trail head.  It's okay, Justin, I can't cross my eyes either.  Maybe it's because your mouth is closed; everyone else has their's open, you see.
 I've known these kids (who are now in college) since they were teeny tiny. I love them. 

Cutes W and J

freaky suspension bridge...it was a looong way down

Gary with Joy, Sherry, Dan, and Grandpa

From way up here you all look like little ants.  I took this from the bridge.

There had been a rock slide a couple of weeks before we went there.  It was a luscious green wall behind the waterfall, with the water pouring into a beautiful pool  (there was a picture on the sign at the trail head of the before), but now it's all rocky and pretty dangerous for little kids.  But it was still fun.  I LOVE hiking, by the way.  Always have, always will.

Spencer down low left, Justin up high right

Justin, Rob, Cole, Ezra, and Weston catching minnows
Uncle Robert with his granddaughter, Emi, and Cody and Kristen

Yeah, so, end part 2.

3rd, and final, chapter later.  

I'm sure you can't wait.

Mmmhmm.

p.s. Most of the pictures were taken by my father- and mother-in-law.  Thanks M & T for sharing.