Reunions, Rappelling, Tie-Dye and Denture Cleaner

We did a lot of traveling for reunions this year and I decided mountains really make a landscape.  Without them it would be very boring indeed.

We had a great time at my family's reunion  We ate and ate and ate and even when we didn't need to eat anymore, we ate.  As my hubby put it, "We ate like kings!".  There were scones with homemade honey butter, divine dutch oven potatoes and chicken, delectable treats and puddings and fine soups and the most thick and creamy Alfredo and every other imaginable delight possible.  It took me two weeks to recover.

Our more active activities consisted of hiking, rappelling, singing, learning about our ancestors, exploring water-filled tunnels, crafts, and experimenting with denture cleaner, water and film canisters...so much fun. You must try it.  Seriously.  So easy and so very cool.  I think alka-seltzer works as well.  You just put about an inch or so of water in the film canister, drop in half a tablet, put the lid on, turn them upside down and wait. The canisters SHOOT into the sky from the built up gasses inside.  It's pretty much awesome.  And such a clean activity.  We just had to gather up film canisters and lids.

Both Mr. C and Miss B rappelled but I wasn't there to get shots of Mr. C.  I was glad I was at least able to watch Miss B.  She first scaled the mountain and then rapelled back down.  I think it was a really great experience for both them as they were able to accomplish something hard and then step back and look at that giant cliff and appreciate their hard work.  My seven-year old cousin also rappelled down the biggest cliff without batting an eyeball.  A cousin-in-law rappelled down that same cliff face first...running.  

 

 

My brother and sister and I played around with my new macro filters.  And I can't figure out why I didn't buy them ages and ages ago.  We had such fun.  We took pictures of people's eyes, tiny leaves and flowers, dew drops, etc.

The big girls treated all of the little kids to face painting.  The kids were also able to decorate shirts and enjoy a fish pond put on by my grandma (always a hit).

For my hubby's reunion we had an equally grand time.  Reunions are just so great.  You get to see family you don't get to see often, you rekindle relationships, you laugh, you relax and you eat good food.

We made tie-dye shirts for EVERYONE.  And I mean everyone.  My sister-in-law read about tie-dying with kool-aid packets and vinegar and so we set out to tie-dye massive amounts of shirts.  Soon into the process, we ran out of vinegar and so we started using watered down food coloring and then Kool-aid without vinegar.  A few of us stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing the last ones.  We used every last bit of color we had....literally scraping the bowl.  And we laughed hysterically.  It was such a fun night.  Also note that the Kool-aid and food coloring washes out and stains bodies...but it sure was fun for that super colorful day.  We also successfully made a couple of reverse tie-dye shirt using colored shirts and bleach.  

There was also a fish pond, tin foil dinners, crafts, minute-to-win-it games, songs by the campfire, mountain mini golf, slack rope, and a hike with every member sporting their fancy new tie-dyed shirt.  It was quite the tie-dyed sight.  Another hit was the Country Store where family members donated items to sell (proceeds to fund the next reunion).  We scored some fancy hats, homemade jams, and jewelry.  

Phew.  What a summer.