Ely Reunion at Aspen Grove

My parents organized our 4th Ely gathering at Aspen Grove Family Camp.  It is one of the best vacation spots ever!  The kids love it because they have a lot of freedom to roam and play with each other and the adults can relax and have fun too without the stress of cooking and cleaning and worrying about the kids.

My parents, siblings and spouses and all the grandkids were there, probably for the last time since Sam is leaving on his mission and there are so many to soon follow.  The best part is being together; the conversations, the cousins all running around as best friends and watching all the relationships as aunts and uncles, grandparents etc growing into eternal bonds.  

And now our wonderful retreat in many, many pictures and a few words here and there.

Pretty girls, Jessi, Cadie and Sara

Nellie and Tim

Aaron and Dandi

Nan and Ella

 Nellie and Tori making their own gang signs

Tim and Papa

Blue Eyes!  Sam and Grammy

Emmett and Auntie Steph

Sara and Mom

Ah... Susanna

Justin, Heidi, Laney and Wilson were in the same group.

The paintballers

Aaron, Ben, Gav, Steph, Sam, Jessi, Richard, Nan, Josh and Dandi

The ladies with Aaron, who made sure we all participated even if we weren't sure it sounded like fun to be pelted and bruised.  Love that guy!

Nan, Dandi, Aaron, Jessi and Steph

It WAS fun! Although, I was not one of the ones who ended up with bruises and welts.  This is Richard's arms.  Jessi got a huge welt on her backside.  I will not be posting that pic. hee hee

Nate and Tyson

Nate, Wilson, and Tyson

Ready... Set... Go!

Andrew, Tyson, Nathan and Lilli

Susie conquering the mountain!

Drew and Nate

They have a high ropes course for adults and kids 11 and over.  It is pretty scary looking, but the kids did awesome.

Drew's first attempt

Nate

Laney

Tori and Jessi

Frontier Night at the cowboy town

 Heidi, Susanna, Laney and Daniel

Rich, Heidi, Daniel and Laney

Steph and Lucas

Sara, Vivian, Stephanie and Tim (new friends from Savannah, GA)

Ryan

Ben and Papa

Papa and Gram

Gram, Nate and Papa

 Our church friends, the Watkins, happened to be there the same week as us.

Brianna and Nate

Drew

 Daniel

Tim

Marian and Steph

 Susanna and Papa

The mountain view are AMAZING!

Tyson, Papa and Drew

Susanna and Tyson

Steph and Ben

Gavin, Peter, Cadie and Freddy

♫ Sisters.  Sisters.  There were never such devoted sisters. ♫

Steph, Jessi and Dandi

 Drew, Lilli and Brianna

 Tyson and Jessi

 Look out Daddy,  Laney is going to get you!

Nate, Rich and Laney

 The snow cone eating contest winners! They got a little frostbite on their lips.  

Lilli and Drew

 There was a common area outside our rooms that we were able to gather in for the evenings.

Look out world Susanna knows how to shuffle and deal cards!  

Susie and Jonah

 Pottery fun
Cadie

Drew conquered his fears and did the whole high ropes course.  He got his BYU Aspen Grove hat as a badge of honor for his bravery. 

 

Papa had his birthday while we were there.  Nan brought lots of fun decorations for his door.

We got everyone gathered together for when Papa woke up so we could sing to him and we all wore our matching orange shirts (Papa's favorite color) in his honor.

Lots of hugs and kisses

Grammy and Sammy

Sara, Lucas, Gram and Sam

Gavin, Cadie, Peter and Freddy

Laney and Daniel

Harry Potter Day with their leader

 Drew had some creative face painting, he is not really injured.

Susanna and Daddy

Daddy and Laney

Zanna, Madi and Ella

Drew, Zanna and Nate

Wilson and Daniel (photo bomber Drew)

Fearsome badminton
Jessi and Ben vs. Dandi and Aaron

Tim, Laney and Sara

Gram, Jess and Laney

Papa and Danica

Richard and Jessi

Wilson and Justin

Steph and Ben

Brother Eggett is the Provo MTC music director.  He was one of the speakers while we were there.  Sam told him that he would be seeing him soon!

Tori ready to do her thing in the show that the kids put on for the parents. Looking so pretty!

The big brothers, Josh and Sam
Makes my heart melt!

The cool ladies, bustin' a move or something
Dandi and Jess

Emmett and Jessi

Gram, Drew and Papa

Sara and Ben

Here is the whole Ely clan.

And the best parents ever! Aren't they cute!!!

Thanks Mom and Dad for make it all possible!  Love you and all the wonderful memories!

Pioneer Trek

Our four oldest got to go on the pioneer trek together this summer.  It was 3 1/2 days of hard work and spiritual growth.  They were excited to go.  Sara looked so pretty in her pioneer clothes.  I didn't get a before picture of the boys.

I am posting lots of pictures so you can get a feel for the experience.

Because Richard and I were not with them, all of our trek photos came from the trek photographers.  So they are not as zoomed in on our kiddos as they would have been if I was there.  I am grateful for the pictures though.

Sara, Sam, Tim and Josh

  

Tim in the green sunglasses

Josh

At one point they settled for a while and "built" the Kirtland Temple.

Sara

Sara

Sara

Sara (head looking away)

Sara (in the middle)

Tim

Josh

Tim (in the middle)

Josh (at the back of the wagon)

Sammy

Tim

Sammy

Sam

Sam

Sam

Sam

At one point, they have the girls pull the hand carts by themselves.  The men are "away" serving in the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican-American War.  The real pioneer women were left to keep going with out them for a year.  Our girls had to pull on one of the hardest hills while the boys stood watching, not able to help.   Sam has such a tender heart.  This photo is so sweet.  I think it nearly broke his heart.  The girls said it was the hardest thing they had ever done, but that they felt the power of the Lord with them as they pulled.

Tim's "family" (you can see his green glasses)

Josh

Tim

 Tim

Josh

Josh and Tim working on making a pioneer toy.

 Josh

Josh and Tim

Tim

Sam (middle back)

 They brought all there clothes, toiletries, mess kit, scriptures, etc in a 5 gallon bucket and carried them on their hand carts.

Sam

Tim (back right)

Josh

Tim (in the back on the left)

Josh (middle left)

Tim (in the green glasses)

 All our cuties together!

They said it was hard and they hated parts of it, but that they loved what they learned from ALL of it and are tremendously grateful to have had the opportunity to go.