Neibaur Family Reunion

I have to say that I really did not want to go to the Neibaur Family Reunion this year. Not that I don't love my family, I just thought it would be really acward with out my mom there. On the same hand I really felt like I needed to be there.

Everyone ready to start the hike. 

Early Friday morning, July 27th, my family (Dad, Jeremy, Jakob and Angie, Kyle, Tami and Jayson) along with my Aunt Vicky and her daughter-in-law Camille, Aunt Cindy and Suzy, Aunt Lanette and her daughter Brooke, and my Aunt Juliet and her son Trea all started out to hike Haystack mountain for my mom. (If you live in the Marsh Valley Area you probably know what mountain I am talking about.) Being seven months pregnant I was not able to go, so I stayed back and watched Ethan, James and my nephew Quort. It was kind of hard because I really wanted to be there for my mom, but I knew it was really not safe for me to try doing such a strenuousness hike. I also wanted to make sure it got done and was worried if we waited any longer it would not happen, so I was glad to see this accomplished for my mom.

Jayson, Jeremy, Brooke and Tami on the trail.

My dad is like the perfect hiker. 

Just a little back story: When my mom was the Young Womens President in Lava they hiked Haystack for girls camp one year. Two of the girls had to go back early because their parents were coming to pick them up, so my mom went back with them. She did not get to make it to the top and always said she was going to go hike it one day and make it to the top to put her name in the can that they have up there. At my moms funeral Vaneta Wellard shared this in her talk and said we should do that for her and put her name in the can.

My family at the top.

Everyone made it to the top.

Everyone made it to the top! My brothers built a rock monument that they put a canister in with my moms name and all of their names saying that they hiked it for Trish. If you hike Haystack you will have to look for it and add your name. I hope to make this hike soon and add my own name. I am grateful Jeremy was willing to take work off and represent our little family as the boys and I did not go.

The rock monument and canister they made for my mom. 

That night we got together with more family to roast hot dogs in my Grandpa and Grandmas grove behind their house. There are not fires allowed because of how dry it has been, so we did the best we could with just coals.

The Grove

Playing in the hammock in the grove. 

Saturday was a full day of reunion. We started by cooking breakfast in the grove. Then after it was all cleaned up we played some minute to win it games. Jeremy and I did not do as well as at the Merrill reunion. There was some tough competition. Ethan and James even got to participate in a few games. I was glad to see Ethan make a new friend with my cousins son Creg.

Ethan was suppose to put the ball between his legs run down and throw some binge  bags then put the ball back between his legs and run back. He just held the ball and slowly walked down. threw the binge bags and slowly walked back. He did a little batter at stacking the dice on a Popsicle stick. 

Jayson helped James stack his dice. 

As it started to get hot we put the boys in their swimming suits and headed to a hay bell pound to let the boys try and catch some fish. If you don't know how this works we make a pound out of hay bells and tarps. Fill it with water and let live fish go in there. Then instead of using a fishing poll, even tough that is what Ethan kept asking for. ("Mom I need a rope with a stick to get them.") we have the kids catch the fish with their hands. Ethan really did not want to get in. He was saying there were sharks in the water. He wanted to be able to sit on the side, lean over and grab one. He did this with my help but quickly let it go. James on the other hand we could not keep out of the water. He really did not have any interest in getting the fish, but he liked to splash. Finally at the end Jeremy got in and helped the boys catch a fish that my dad eat for lunch (Thankfully! Jeremy and I don't like fish.). Don't worry all the fish were ether eaten for lunch or frozen to be eaten latter.

I think this show our boys reaction really well. Ethan did not want to get in and James was splashing away. 

The fish they got with Jeremy's help. 

After lunch it was time for the big slip n slide down the hill. James and Ethan took turns going down with Jeremy, Aunt Tami and Uncle Jayson. When the kids were done it was time the the grown ups to go. Always fun to see how crazy they can be. I was wishing I could go, but once again seven months pregnant.

We ended the night with some yummy dutch oven cooking and said good-bye. I have to say that it was a good reunion, and that I am so glad we went. I was worried it would be acward, but it was not to bad. We love our mom and so does all of her family. There is a little bit of her in all of them, just like there is part of her in us.