Family Reunion Saturday 18th

 My fabulously creative Aunt Kim came up with cute crafts for the reunion including keychains/necklaces that the kids got to make and this wonderful quilt for Grandma.  Everyone picked out a fabric that described them and she pieced it all together with everyone's names to make this.  With the rest of the fabric everyone got a pillowcase (pillow included), with our names embroidered on them.  They all turned out so cute!

 The group of us playing bingo.  We had the cutest bingo cards with everyones pictures for the spaces.  When you got bingo you got to pick a present.  Stealing of course (white elephant) style for the adults and the little ones with gift picked out just for them.  Some of the hot items were a $50 visa card, a Cabella's gift card, nice towels, and more gift cards.  Scott ended up with a 6-pack of fancy flashlights that glow and everything.  I got a queen size blanket that is so soft and warm, Alden got Spiderman monster cars, Dallin got a Lego airplane set, Brig got a big box of matchbox cars, and Lila got a cute shape-sorter shaped like an elephant.

 After bingo we had the nativity story and some songs and games.  The kids had fun shaking their bells and marachas to the music and dancing around.

 They also had fun shaking the pom-poms off the parachute.  Jennifer put this activity together and it was a lot of fun.

 Dallin and Kariah hanging out with gpa and gma.

 Brig was so brave to speak in front of everyone in the microphone.  He was scared to death to do it but did a great job.  The kids got $2 bills from great grandma for sharing their thoughts. She also let them earn a $2 bill for memorizing a scripture. 

 Dallin and Lila goofing around.

 Brig making music. 

 We were privileged to have a visit from Santa too.  Uncle Duane made a great Santa Claus the kids loved him all except Lila, Holly, and Andalie.

 Alden sitting with Santa

 Brig with Santa.

 Dallin with Santa.

 Lila having a screaming fit with Santa.  The funny story about her is that the next day we were eating lunch at Texas Roadhouse and the boys spotted a guy that looked just like Santa he had a long white beard and white hair with glasses and a maroon jacket on.  As soon as they pointed him out she started freaking out yelling "no mommy" it was so sad, but funny.

 Santa gave all the kids their pillows/cases and they had a blast having a huge pillow fight with everyone.  I think Uncle Scott St. Clair was the favorite target among the kids.

 After we got some energy out it was time to settle down on our pillows for some family videos and a Christmas story.  Aunt Laurie picked out and read "The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree" and each family recieved a copy.

 Lila eating a candy cane and laying on her new pillow.

 Everyone listening to the story. 

 Finally Lila crashed for a quick 30 min. nap. 

 My dad closed the reunion with some very touching words. followed by a sweet blessing for his brother Brent who has been sick and not feeling very well lately.  There was such a strong spirit in the room I didn't want it to end.  It was the perfect way to close the reunion. I am so proud to be a part of such a wonderful family where there are so many magnificent examples and awesome people to learn and grow from.  The theme was "No Empty Chairs" and I can't imagine not spending eternity with my family, all 63 plus!!!!

 That evening we got together with the Walkers across the street in a parking lot to have a mini snowball fight with the little bit of snow that was left on the ground.  The kids had a blast and then we went to eat dinner.  Sunday morning we headed down to Pine Valley to stay at the cabin for a couple days.  It poured rain all day Sunday through Tuesday (including the ride home to mesa) but no snow so we were kind of couped up in the cabin. It was nice to relax though and have nothing to do.   

The St. Clair family put on a wonderful reunion.  There are not words to express the gratitude we feel towards them for all of the time, money, and effort they put into getting us all together.   Everything was so perfect and fun and we will have these wonderful memories forever.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Darla and Scott!!!

Family Reunon Friday December 17th

 Friday morning we all got together for pictures.  The top picture is all 63 of us.  Aunt Kim did a great job getting us all in a group that everyone could be seen.  Keeping all those little kids happy was definately a challenge.  My cousin Jessica was smart enough to bring a package of M&M's. That was a brilliant idea!

 
 All the siblings with their spouses above from left back Grandma Dot, Alice, Laurie, Kim, Scott, John
Front row: Brad, Brent, Duane, Darla and Dorea.

 Siblings picture Dori, Darla, Grandma, Brad, Brent and Duane.

 All the first cousins.  I love my cousins.  They are all so awesome and talented and I am so glad that our parents did such a good job keeping us close so we know each other. 

 Great Grandma with all of her Great grandchildren. 15 from Brad's family, 3 from Brent's and 1 from Duane's.





 After pictures we all met up for a huge lunch at Bucco Di Beppo.  The food was really yummy and it was so fun to hang out with everyone. 

 Uncle Chad helping Dallin with his crossword.

 Another birthday to celebrate...Holly turned 1.  I don't think she liked the cake.  The kids had fun singing to her though.

 After lunch some of us decided to go ice skating.  Our boys have only ice skated one other time and it was a year ago.  They are naturals at it though and had a blast. Above is Alden, he ended up taking off his gloves, hat, scarf and coat and was just in a long sleeve shirt cuz he was so hot he skated so hard.

 Elena and Micheal talking while Jonah and Marcus try to skate.

 Dallin skating around trying his hardest to stay up with Alden.  He is a little competitive and doesn't realize that Alden is almost 3 years older than him.

 Me and Brig.  He had a harder time and wanted to hold on to the side but I kept trying to get him to just hold my hand and skate around.  By the end he was doing much better.

 Lila thought it looked like fun and kept trying to run out on the ice.  It was really cute to watch her but too crowded I was worried she would get run over so she had to stay on the side. Luckily Uncle Scott bought her a soda pop to keep her occupied. 

Here is the whole group.  Those of us who actually skated anyway.  Out on the side was Scott and Darla St. Clair, my Scott, Lila and Dori.  In the picture is John, Branden, Jaime, Jonny, Breanna, Alex, McKenzie, Ashley, Micheal, Elena, Brig, Aubrey, Abby, Alden, Dallin, Jonah and Marcus.

After we skated we went to Target to get some Christmas shopping done and then Scott and I went to the Tabernacle Christmas concert with David Archuleta.  We went with Tanya and Nick. We were right on the isle way down on the 4th row and President Monson and Uchdorf along with Elder Holland and a few other general authorities walked right past us it was really cool to see them so close. 

Verland and Dorothy Thurston Christmas Family Reunion December 16-19, 2010

We left on Wednesday the 15th and headed up to St. George where we stayed the night at my awesome Aunt Dori's house.  She has the cutest house and her family is fabulous.  I happened to mention that it was Dallin's b-day the next day and they ran to the store at midnight after asking him what he wanted for his birthday breakfast and he responded french toast.  They made a huge breakfast that was so yummy and we even followed it up with cupcakes!  I wish I would have had my camera out for pictures but it was packed somewhere in the over crowded car.

Thursday we finished driving the rest of the way to Salt Lake City where our family reunion was being held.  We stayed in the Little America Hotel and it was soooo nice.  Someone else was smart enough to take a picture of the room. ours was similar but we had two beds.  everything else was just as fancy though. Aunt Darla put together these fabulous gift baskets with so much food we barely made a dent in it.  Again I was not smart enough to take a picture so i had to steal someone else's and ours was similar only i think twice as big!

One of the many other gift we recieved was a manger for our family to add hay to the bed by doing service for each other.  I really like this and think it will be a new tradition in our family.

Everyone got a shirt too.  The front says: "Got Family?"  and this is what the back looks like.  At the bottom it says "63 and still growing."   Thursday we just got checked in and went swimming and had fun catching up with our cousins.  We had a great time with Jennifer and Gerald and Elena's family eating pizza and catching up for the evening. 

Lila's new "spots"...

 Lila loves to carry anything around with a strap or a handle of anykind such as her play purse, the boys backpacks, and my decorations.  She is so funny!

 Lila has recently discovered that she is the perfect size to sit on the little table by our front door.  She sits there all the time and either just talks to herself or brings her little toys over there to play with them.  It is really cute.  It is like her own little spot where her brothers leave her alone. 

 Look at her messy hair! Can you believe I actually took pictures of her without fixing her hair first?  Ha Ha! I know, I am a freak!

Last but not least, she has figured out how to open the door on the clock.  She is constantly playing with it and putting stuff in there.  Anytime we are looking for a remote, or anything, that is now the first place to look.  She apparently decided it is a good place to keep things.  Capri Sun anyone???