If you haven't read last week's post on the Almond reunion then you should go back and do so. It was a great time with great people. It was also really busy and crazy.

During times like this I have found it therapeutic to do something intentional to catch my breath before setting off again for new adventures. That was this week.

On Sunday morning I woke up early and took a walk along the boardwalk in Coeur d'Alene. As far as I could tell, I was the only one up, and I enjoyed the stillness of things. The sun was just starting to rise. The sounds of nature filled the air with the crispness of a new day- small waves, birds, and the occasional jumping fish.

Here's a picture I took on my walk

After my walk I ate breakfast on the deck of a small cafe' overlooking the river. In an hour I would meet my family at church, and the day would take off from there. This morning, however, was a time to just breath and enjoy this beautiful life we live.

*****

As for activities this week, I'll keep it brief. I want to give Rachel time to write about the big Hazard reunion she went to in Utah.

So...It's summer time, and for us that means boating! This year has been a little (a lot) frustrating, as we've gotten a late start and ended up putting a whole new motor in our boat. I'm happy to say that things run better now than ever before though, and you can probably catch us on the water several days a week. Skiing, tubing, swimming, and just putzing around are the normal weekday fare, while other more elaborate plans and outings are in place for the weekends.

Rachel and Jackson went and spent a day together at Silverwood theme park. Jack is the first of our kids to do the biggest water-slide, although he still isn't too thrilled about the bigger coasters.

I would never have gone on this slide without Jackson persuading me! I hope my kids are always challenging me to do things outside of my norm.

While Rachel and Jackson were out, me and the kids went swimming at the beach at City Park. There was also a country band up on stage and their vibes filled the air as we took in the cool water.

*****
And now, I'll turn things over to Rachel. If you remember, I had some time to myself a couple of weeks ago. I went to an outdoor concert, climbed a mountain, and volunteered for Free Dental Day. While I was doing these things, Rachel and the kids were in Utah enjoying the Hazard Reunion. As a preface, I want to include my Grandpa's synopsis:

Our family reunion is nearly over. 65 folks were in attendance at one time or another...Daughter Jill, this year's planner, organizer and coordinator, suffered a nasty broken arm that will require surgery on Monday, but she saw the whole thing through and did a great job of getting things on track. Daughter Natalie suffered a broken or badly sprained wrist, with swelling so large that there could be no x-ray diagnosis until she sees a doctor this week. Son Greg banged his head on the floor so hard that we thought it might be a concussion, but he has recovered. Weather was 100+ each day, but we did a lot of water stuff that moderated the effect. One more day of fun and bonding today then everyone will take off for home. Lots of good memories!

Yes, the Hazards know how to party.

Flashback to the beginning of our marriage

Getting married and blending family philosophies is not always smooth, and I remember a vivid incidence where the Hazard and Almond families clashed a bit.  It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and as per tradition, Logan and I were at my apartment cooking up a variety of new recipes for an inventive Sunday dinner.  As I pulled our new concoction out of the oven I brushed my thumb against the top and scorched my skin!  I was horrified and I immediately put it under cool water as I fought back tears.  As soon as Logan caught on to what happened he made sure I was alright, but at the same time he had the gal to let a little laugh bubble up.  I was appalled!  How on earth could you laugh at a time like this!  My reaction was probably a bit unexpected and we ended up talking about the Hazard family and how bumps, bruises, and even broken bones are something to take care of, quickly move on, and even, yes, to laugh about.  Previous Hazard reunions and epic family trips have, honestly, included multiple injuries and crazy set backs, but if you can laugh at yourself and keep on moving they just become awesome stories. These moments are quickly adopted into  'classic' Hazard lore.

"... Do you remember that reunion when Jill broke her arm on the first day? She was a bit put out by the inconvenience of going to the ER, but insisted on attending everything and still running the show- that was a classic!"

I must admit that today I am more inclined to let a little laugh bubble up when minor or major crazy setbacks occur.  This attitude has seeped in and affected how I react to life's unexpected twists and turns. I can sit up straight, smile, and think about what an epic story we are creating together.

Lets get on with the rest of the reunion where many, many more memories were made.

I smiled, I laughed out loud, and I felt loved all while just looking through the pictures that were taken of this reunion.  It is amazing to me how a large group of people, who definitely all have their quirks and personalities, can get together and have an excellent time, create great memories, and build on their previous relationships.

Here are some awesome people, fun activities, and great memories.

I tried in vain to get a good group picture at Classic Roller Skating, but the stars were not aligned.

Cowabunga Bay was a blast! We had a lot of sun and some short conversations between taking care of the littles!  I was pleasantly surprised that the majority of my kids were pretty independent.

This picture makes me happy.

We went to an awesome park with the best splash pad I have ever seen.

Jack immediately found a group of 'friends' and became the leader in building dams to block off the rivers of water.

This girl is just happy wherever she is!

 We had a picnic and soccer game in the car in 100 degree weather. Luckily we found a Gigantic Tree that provided all of the shade we could possibly need.

During the soccer game our kids represented well! Bennett and Addy played tough ball and Lindsey and Fife got in on the action for a while.

Our kids are like fish in water and I think they would swim for 24 hours straight if there was no one there to interrupt their fun.

In case you were wondering, this is what a bubble machine looks like. Everyone got in on the action at Jill's backyard pool party!

This was my favorite night of the reunion. We had a cousins night where all of the grandparents took the kids and we hung out together. Good times!

Brynne was awesome with these three littles!

I love family reunions and this one did not disappoint! I wish I had more pictures of the group. Please send me pictures if you happen to have some good ones and I will add them to the post. Thanks! 

Three family reunions down and great memories where made from all of them! Success!

Have a good week!

(This picture was borrowed from the Greg and Nancy Hazard reunion, but it makes me smile!)

If this summer is a roller coaster then we just did the part where it plunges you into a free-fall, looping around twice and doing a triple corkscrew- all at the same time!

It has been a while since we crammed so much activity into so few days. Those who follow this blog know that for us, that means something crazy happened. And it did. It was crazy good.

Rachel's whole family was able to come up and spend the week at our place. Sixteen people under one roof. The preparations had all been laid ahead of time, we had tons of ideas lined up because of where we live, and as a result the reunion went off without a hitch. It was even better than I expected.

The activities we did provided a picturesque backdrop to the conversations we had and the memories we made. Old relationships were strengthened, and new ones were formed. We went to bed each night completely worn out from the day's activities, and woke each morning ready for new ones. There was time for both adventure and for relaxation, with lots of good food in between.

What a week!

Get ready for pictures!
(Note: I think that if you click on any of the pictures then a larger, higher resolution version of that same picture will come up.)

We eased into the reunion with some simple activities. Huckleberries are in full season right now and we thought it would be nice to collect some for easy snacks. Unfortunately, other people had the same idea in the spot where we decided to go and there were none left. What we did find though, were lots and lots of wild raspberries- in my opinion, even better!

There are tons of beautiful trails that wind along the lake and into the forest. This particular one ends at a park with a huge splash pad and playground. All together, these are perfect activities for working up an appetite for Gooeys!

On Thursday night we got a babysitter for the kids so all of the adults could get out together. We went to the marina and ate good food while listening to live music and taking turns on the dance floor. As the night wore on we moved to the beach area where we sat and talked while watching the dwindling light of sunset dance across the water. It was a beautiful evening.

Since our cellphone pictures turned out so good during the adult night, we thought we'd try again the next evening with all the kids. It turned out pretty good (mostly).

On Saturday we were feeling nice and rested so we packed up our mountain bikes and set out for the hills. "The Route of the Hiawatha" is an extremely scenic path built over what used to be an old railroad. As such, the grade is gentle, the features (tunnels and bridges) are interesting, and the landscapes are striking.

One thing about the bike ride- it was a beautiful day, which meant that we all got a little bit warm. The next three days would be spent pretty much entirely in the water.

First of all, a little swimming. We had to get used to the water.

Fish!

On your marks.....get set....

...GO!

I kinda have a hot wife :)

Then we went out onto the lake for some boating. Not much to say here- lots of hours on the water. Lots of good times.

I have never met anybody as passionate about boating as Brandon. He looks like a sailor.

Addy just chillin' on the deck

Lunch time!

After our first day on the lake we all decided to go to Paul Bunyan for dinner. As far as I am concerned, this place should be famous. Best burgers and shakes ever.

More lake time. I'd say that on this day more time was spent in the water than on the boat.

Kaylee had her birthday a little while ago, but we decided to celebrate it as a family...because why not have two birthdays? Any excuse for a cupcake.

In short, we had a fantastic week that was full of good things. I feel like I got to know people better than I did before, and that I have new memories with them to keep these relationships fresh. It's good to be a direct part of each other's lives, if only for a week, to remind us how important our family is. These are our people- our tribe.

"The Originals"

Have a good week!