There and Back Again: Utah Family Reunion

Last weekend, Steve and I attended a Loveridge family reunion in Springville, Utah. I attended one previous such reunion many years ago, and was completely overwhelmed. I did better this time, recognizing more people and feeling a little less awkward. 

I check out traincars in a park in Elko, Nevada on our way.

Steve's brother Ed in the background with our delicious Basque dinner leftovers. Nephew Camdan checks out the car behind me.

Steve and I decided to camp in our car (the back seats come out allowing us to place an Ikea foam mattress inside) instead of doing the whole tent thing. Turned out to be a good decision, since occasional pouring rain and thunderstorms made sleeping outside a bit of an uncomfortable proposition.

There were a lot of crafts and activities, good conversation, and games.

Steve and many relatives (including brother Philip, brother-in-law Richard, sisters-in-law Jenny and Stacey, and nieces Libby, Brooke and Sage) play volleyball before the storm comes in:

I asked Steve and his brother Philip to pose for me because I was so amused by their very different fashion choices:

Nieces Sage, Rosie and Libby and nephew Camdan launch rockets with Steve's Uncle Mack:

The rocket activity was pretty ingenious. Using PVC pipe as a form, each participant first wrapped a piece of paper around the pipe (to create a base cylinder) and then wrapped the paper in layers of duct tape. The duct tape is tough enough to create a surprisingly durable rocket, which is then blasted skyward (often repeatedly) by compressed air.

The young woman in the red shirt in those photos is my niece Libby (Steve's brother Lee's daughter) who, once upon a time, was the first baby I ever held. Time sure does fly... as do rockets.

Steve is on the young end of his generation within the family, and doesn't know his extended relatives as well as his older siblings do. He only has one first cousin younger than he is. But we were able to chat with a lot of great people, and we were definitely glad we went. 

We take a short break at the salt flats on the long drive home:

Hard to know where life will take us in the next couple years, but if things work out, we'd certainly be glad to see everyone again at the next reunion.