Saturday morning we got up, ate breakfast and changed into our still wet bathing suits to swim before the reunion. It's amazing to watch Ammon swim. He's tentative at first to swim in water over his head. Then once he starts he won't stop. He kept jumping in the 5 foot area and swimming back and forth. He has really become a fish in the water. Simeon didn't need any encouragement to jump into the deep area and practice his swimming. Rebecca LOVES the pool and with her floaty swim suit on she goes all over the place. Her skinny legs kick fast and move her wherever she wanted to go. Corrine was loving using the kickbaords to race across the pool.
Saturday at 11:00am we went to Discovery Park for the actual reunion. Discovery park has so many different things to do. It's divided in half by a pretty busy street. The side we were on had a big shelter with a grass area and sand area for the kids. There was the Discovery center(nature center) across the parking lot. They had lots of hand on attractions for the kids and even 3 birds outside in cages. There was also a fishing pond and paved walking/biking trails. On the other side of the street there was a giant play structure, frisbee golf course and hiking trails.
Simeon was excited his arm span was the length of a red-tailed hawk.
Saturday morning the sky was very dark and stormy. We could hear thunder as we pulled up to the park. We were hoping that the storm would go north and pass us. Within an hour of getting there it started to rain, but luckily it only lasted for a few minutes. Another hour passed and the sky to the west was black. Then we could hear thunder and the wind was picking up. We headed to the nature center to wait out the storm since I didn't want to be in the shelter in a lightening storm. We played in there for a while, but got bored and it hadn't started raining yet, so we headed back to the shelter and then the sky opened up and rained. It was pouring hard and blowing in on us. We decided that the rain wasn't going to end, so we got a big family picture taken and headed back to the hotel for more swimming.
We got all the younger cousins (Johann's and his cousins kids) together for a picture. Sophia, Libby's 2nd daughter was the only one not there this weekend. Trying to get 12 kids to all look and smile at the same time is quite an undertaking. One little guy decided that he wanted to sit in every place he could for the pictures so he was on the move the entire time and is in a different spot in almost every picture.
A close up of the 3 little girls. Audrey 22 months (Jake & Marcia), Isabella 16 months (Sam & Amber), and Rebecca 26 months (our sweet girl). These 3 are going to love having playmates their age at family reunions.
The plan for tonight was a boat ride on the Mississippi river. We really wanted to go on it, and were hoping that kids would be in the mood to go too. All day Ammon kept asking how much longer until the boat ride, he couldn't wait to go. None of the kids have been on a boat, and I don't think I have been on one either. When we got to the river the kids were so stinken excited for the boat. It was a side paddle boat named the Pearl Button. We went on board, met the owners and the captain and his wife and looked around. It had 3 levels, with the top level open.
The kids all wanted to be on the top level. The boat owners moved chairs to the front of the boat in front of the captain for them to sit on. Oh were they in heaven! Rebecca and I headed up when we heard that the kids were going to get to steer the boat. When we got up there the captain asked Rebecca if she wanted to steer. She wasn't so sure about it. All the kids got a turn steering the boat. Luke (Amber and Sam's 3 year old) decided that he wanted to not just hold the wheel, but turn it in a circle!
Ammon, Luke, TJ, Joslynn, Simeon, Brooklyn, Corrine and Austin on the front of the boat.
The boat was build in the 1980's and is the last remaining registered side paddle wheel boat in the US. It had a single paddle on each side with a small motor in the rear to help it along. The boat only goes 6 miles an hour.
On the ride we went under a bridge. When the bridge was originally built the builder put colorful lights on it that reflected down on the water. It was really beautiful from the pictures we saw. Over the years the lights broke or burnt out and replacements are no longer available, so the bridge is no longer lit up.
After we went under the bridge we noticed flashing lights on it and police officers looking over the edge. We could see them looking over the edge, talking to someone, and it looked like putting someone in a car. We had the kids wave at them, but they just stared at us. I took a picture of the bridge with the police car. I got teased that they cops were going to come take my camera away for taking pictures of them!
We then turned around and went the other way on the river. We were able to see the sun setting through the clouds. It was just beautiful. Then as it got darker the lights from the streets reflected down on the water making it feel almost magical. It was so beautiful and peaceful out on the river.
As we headed back to the dock an ambulance speed by with lights and siren on, then a few minutes later a firetruck sped by the same way. Then finally a train blew it's horn and went along the river. The kids were excited to see a police car, ambulance, firetruck and train all while riding on a boat!
Right before the ride was over we went exploring on the bottom deck. Ammon wanted to go back by the paddle. He discovered that the paddle brought the water up onto the side on the boat and that some ended up in the boat making a puddle that was fun to walk in! He kept going there and stepping in the water until his shoes were soaked. Silly kid!!
Before we knew it we were back at the dock and getting off the boat. The kids had such a great time. They thanked the crew for the great ride.
They had shirts you could buy on the boat, so Rebecca is the new proud owner of a Pearl Button shirt. She wore it to bed Saturday night and talked about going on the boat. I can see her talking about the boat ride each time she wears her Pearl Button shirt.
Sunday morning we went to Brunch at the Pearl Button Restaurant with everyone. We had a big party room with one of the longest tables I've ever seen. It was really nice to see everyone one last time. I really wanted to take some pictures with Great Grandma Smith but with the rain Saturday I wasn't able to get them. Our last picture with him was 5 years ago also at a reunion. Grandma was so sweet with the kids. He wanted to talk to them and ask them all sorts of questions and really wanted to get to know them. When we went to take the picture he was so busy talking with Ammon that he's looking at him, and Ammon is answering a question. It was such a heart warming time to see them together.
Great Grandpa Howard Smith's brothers Tom and Al were also at the reunion. Tom came from London with his girl friend and Al came from Chicago. Great Grandpa Smith now lives in Washington State. It was really neat to get this 4 generation picture today. We knew that this was probably our last time to get one.
Since we had gone to church before brunch we were all in our church clothes. I couldn't help but take a few pictures of the kids all dressed up. I love this picture of the kids. Corrine was the only one that took her eyes off the horse drawn carriage in the parking lot. I like the way it turned out because it puts all the focus on her even with the other kids sitting right there with her. I couldn't have posed it any better if I had wanted to.
After brunch we headed back to Discovery park to play on the giant playground that the kids were drooling over yesterday. We told them if they were good at brunch that we would stop there, and they all earned this park play time. Some of the cousins also had the same idea and came to play too. Rebecca fell asleep and missed out, so we took her to a park near out house that night.
We had such a great weekend! The kids got to know their cousins better, the adults got to talk and so many wonderful memories were made. Here's looking forward to the 2012 Smith Family Reunion!!
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