I had been looking forward to the Allred Family Reunion since Laura, Tyler, and Benjamin started planning it last year. We hadn't seen most of our Allred cousins or Grandma and Grandpa Allred for years--since we were kids, we've always lived on opposite sides of the country and it was rare for us to get together. I was excited to meet my cousins spouses, see their kids, and of course introduce George and my kiddos to them. It was going to be great!
We landed in SLC late Thursday night and headed straight to the cabin where we would be staying for the next three days with the entire Allred clan. The cabin is owned by Tyler's uncle who graciously allowed us to borrow it for the weekend.
Tyler and Laura were already there with their boys, so Tyler met us in Coleville around midnight that night to take us the rest of the way to the cabin. It's a good thing he did. The dirt road went up through the mountains, across pasture lands, and around free-roaming horses and cattle. The road stretched on for a good 15 minutes and we had to stop about four times to open and close gates along the way. By the time we got to the cabin, we really were "in the middle of nowhere".
We settled right down to bed, only to get up with the sun around 6 a.m. The cabin had limited electricity (think no fridge, lights we could only use at night, and if too many people plugged their phones in to charge, it would shut off). It was great because there was literally nothing to do except play outside. It. Was. Awesome.
The first things the boys had to do was to climb the mountain next to the cabin. Mason had already done it and showed Lance and Jude the way. I couldn't believe how fast they managed to scramble up.
(Lance is way up at the top, shirtless.)
We left Jude and Lance at the cabin with the Calderwoods and with Cole and Lily in tow George and I made the hour+ trip to Provo to get groceries and pick up Amy.
By the time we got back later that afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa had arrived, as had Nathan with his two cute kiddos Alivia and Grant.
Grandma holding Austin
Lily liked the horse on Grandpa's shirt.
George, Tyler and I drove back down the road to Coalville to guide in Caleb and Mybree who were on their way.
Just a glimpse of the road we got to drive:
The road went right through this pasture with horses and cattle. A few times we had to wait for the animals to get off the road before continuing.
How do you know your uncle is cool? He lets you ride in the back of his truck and open the gates along the way. Lance thought this was fantastic!
(I won't tell you that Lance actually started out standing in the doorwell outside of the truck holding onto the handle through the window as Tyler drove. What kind of mom would let their kid do that?)
While we waited at the gas station for Mybree and Caleb, Cole entertained himself with the dandelions he found.
Love this kid.
Back at the cabin while George was cooking dinner, Lance got a little shooting practice in. Nathan had brought this awesome rifle just his size and Lance had a great time shooting targets on the side of the mountain.
Cole of course wanted a chance to try. Nathan was so nice to help him out.
Jude found treasure after treasure outside and brought them in for all of us to enjoy. There was an abundance of deer and cow bones that he and Mason collected over the three days we were there.
Jude and Alivia showing a bug to cousin Caleb.
These two were inseparable the whole weekend. They really do enjoy each other.
Alivia, Nathan and Millie's daughter. Millie wasn't able to make it to the reunion because she had just given birth a couple weeks earlier to their third child Everett, so Nathan drove to UT with Alivia and Grant.
Little Grant.
Cole. That pizza he's holding was from lunch earlier that day while we were running errands in Provo. He wasn't able to finish it then, so he saved it for later and ran around with it for probably an hour before it was gone.
The last time we saw Grandma and Grandpa was when Chad graduated from Columbia's Dental School back in 2011. This was Lily and Cole's first time meeting them. It was so good to have them there!
Lily made friends fast! Mybree is so sweet and good with the kids.
And of course we couldn't keep the kids off the mountain.
Alivia wanted to climb too, so Uncle Caleb helped. I didn't realize how steep this mountain was until I tried to help Jude up it. It was almost straight up and and down!
We made it all the way to the top, though, and back down. Honestly, coming down was harder than the climb because I was constantly afraid we'd slip and just keep falling.
We ended the day with marshmallows by the fire...
...and a shrimp boil while we waited for Stephen and Corinn, Aunt Dorene, Maya, and James to come.
All the activity of the day caught up with Jude.
Like Dr. Seuss says in his "Sleep Book"
Today was good.
Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
We landed in SLC late Thursday night and headed straight to the cabin where we would be staying for the next three days with the entire Allred clan. The cabin is owned by Tyler's uncle who graciously allowed us to borrow it for the weekend.
Tyler and Laura were already there with their boys, so Tyler met us in Coleville around midnight that night to take us the rest of the way to the cabin. It's a good thing he did. The dirt road went up through the mountains, across pasture lands, and around free-roaming horses and cattle. The road stretched on for a good 15 minutes and we had to stop about four times to open and close gates along the way. By the time we got to the cabin, we really were "in the middle of nowhere".
We settled right down to bed, only to get up with the sun around 6 a.m. The cabin had limited electricity (think no fridge, lights we could only use at night, and if too many people plugged their phones in to charge, it would shut off). It was great because there was literally nothing to do except play outside. It. Was. Awesome.
The first things the boys had to do was to climb the mountain next to the cabin. Mason had already done it and showed Lance and Jude the way. I couldn't believe how fast they managed to scramble up.
We left Jude and Lance at the cabin with the Calderwoods and with Cole and Lily in tow George and I made the hour+ trip to Provo to get groceries and pick up Amy.
By the time we got back later that afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa had arrived, as had Nathan with his two cute kiddos Alivia and Grant.
Lily liked the horse on Grandpa's shirt.
George, Tyler and I drove back down the road to Coalville to guide in Caleb and Mybree who were on their way.
Just a glimpse of the road we got to drive:
The road went right through this pasture with horses and cattle. A few times we had to wait for the animals to get off the road before continuing.
While we waited at the gas station for Mybree and Caleb, Cole entertained himself with the dandelions he found.
Back at the cabin while George was cooking dinner, Lance got a little shooting practice in. Nathan had brought this awesome rifle just his size and Lance had a great time shooting targets on the side of the mountain.
Cole of course wanted a chance to try. Nathan was so nice to help him out.
Jude found treasure after treasure outside and brought them in for all of us to enjoy. There was an abundance of deer and cow bones that he and Mason collected over the three days we were there.
Jude and Alivia showing a bug to cousin Caleb.
These two were inseparable the whole weekend. They really do enjoy each other.
Alivia, Nathan and Millie's daughter. Millie wasn't able to make it to the reunion because she had just given birth a couple weeks earlier to their third child Everett, so Nathan drove to UT with Alivia and Grant.
Little Grant.
Cole. That pizza he's holding was from lunch earlier that day while we were running errands in Provo. He wasn't able to finish it then, so he saved it for later and ran around with it for probably an hour before it was gone.
The last time we saw Grandma and Grandpa was when Chad graduated from Columbia's Dental School back in 2011. This was Lily and Cole's first time meeting them. It was so good to have them there!
Lily made friends fast! Mybree is so sweet and good with the kids.
And of course we couldn't keep the kids off the mountain.
Alivia wanted to climb too, so Uncle Caleb helped. I didn't realize how steep this mountain was until I tried to help Jude up it. It was almost straight up and and down!
We ended the day with marshmallows by the fire...
...and a shrimp boil while we waited for Stephen and Corinn, Aunt Dorene, Maya, and James to come.
All the activity of the day caught up with Jude.
Like Dr. Seuss says in his "Sleep Book"
Today was good.
Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
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