Camp Black - Brighton

We drove to Utah for my family reunion (July 31-August 9). Unfortunately, Sam had a pretty rough time on the drive. He gets terribly car sick and threw up once just outside of Frisco (about an hour and a half in to the trip) and once in Price Canyon (about an hour and a half from my parent's house). We mopped him up as best we could both times (the second time, he was wearing a bib, so it was better) but it was pretty awful. Everything was soaked and reeked of vomit. We had to keep the windows down or the stench was just too much. I felt so bad for him. Luckily, we made it and as soon as we were out of the car, he was his happy, busy self. Poor guy! He definitely inherited the carsickness from me. I used to get pretty sick as a kid and once, I threw up all over my grandparents' new baby blue Cadillac. Boy, was my grandpa mad!


The reunion itself was so wonderful! It was first time in a couple years that all of my siblings and nieces and nephews were together. I love my family!

We got to Utah the Saturday before the reunion started so we could get some mountain biking in before everything got under way on Wednesday. Don had bought me clipless pedals and shoes for Mother's Day so I was itching to try them out. This picture was taken before we started the downhill, which is when I started crashing...a lot. I just could not get my feet out of the pedals. Once, I was standing on a ledge above the trail and fell down on to the trail with my bike on top of me and that left some major bruises that were green, black, purple and yellow for a long time. I was really shaken up after my first fall and so I was lacking any confidence going downhill. I crashed in front of a bunch of boy scouts on a really steep section and they all screamed and screamed as I slid down the hill with my bike attached to my feet. I got a lot of good scrapes from that crash as well. One of the boy scouts was extremely concerned about me and kept telling me, "You know, you should really not ride down this stuff. It is really dangerous. You should walk your bike." 

It wasn't a great first experience with my pedals and I am pretty nervous to ride on a single track trail with them again. I made Don take them off before we rode with my brothers later in the week.

My mom took me, my sister Kerri, niece Rachel, and sister-in-law, Jana, for pedicures right after I got home from biking. I'm sure the lady doing my pedicure was a little freaked out by my scraped and bruised legs. It was just what I needed, though. So refreshing and calming after my stressful and scary bike ride.

On Monday night, I made a peach pie and while it was cooking, my mom and dad watched Sam so Don and I could go hike the Y. We'd never done it together while we lived in Provo so we made a date of it. 

We got there just in time to watch the sun set and the stars come out. It was such a perfect night to just sit up there and talk.     

Wednesday morning, the reunion started in earnest. A bunch of us went to the temple and did sealings together. My sis-in-law, LeAnne, had found some family names. I had never done family names before so it was a great experience. I love being in the temple with my family.


After the temple, it was family picture time. Here are a couple pictures of Sam with the great grandparents and with my mom and dad and the cousins.

After the pictures, we headed up to Brighton to stay at this fabulous cabin. 

It was such a neat place and the older cousins all shared a room with a bunch of bunk beds. You can tell how thrilled they were about it. 

Here is a view of the living room from the balcony upstairs.

Mom working hard in the kitchen, as usual.

It was raining when Don, Sam and I pulled in to the cabin (we took it slow and stopped a bunch so Sam wouldn't get sick). After the rain stopped, there was a rainbow and one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen.

My sis-in-law, Amber, organized the newly wed game for us. It was hilarious! Kerri and Paul, who have been married for 20 years, won. Don had gone on a really crazy road bike ride with some friends on Tuesday morning and had gotten a terrible UTI, so he missed out on the game. His UTI did become a rather inappropriate joke throughout the reunion. We played pictionary and my brother Dave drew a very anatomically correct picture which was rather embarrassing for my 12 year old niece. My sister was not happy about it either. Family! So much fun!

On Thursday morning, we went on a hike up to Twin Lakes. The lake in the background is Silver Lake, which is right outside the door of the cabin we were staying. What a beautiful place to be!

Don, Sam, my mom, and my niece, Rachel, had a great hike.

The wildflowers were beautiful!

A steep section of trail just before we got to the lake.

Up at Twin Lakes (which is really just one lake.) 

When we got back, me, my mom, my sister Kerri, and my cousin's wife, Meghan, planned a scavenger hunt for the kids. I think that we had more fun planning it than the kids had doing it (which says a lot; they had a blast.) All the clues rhymed and were quite clever, if I say so myself.

The kids lined up and ready to start the hunt for "Black Brighton Treasure!"

Reading clues. Searching for clues! What fun!

Just a sweet shot of Bradley, Sam's cousin closest in age. Doesn't he look so much like my brother?

Here is it! The Black Brighton Treasure!

Gummy worms, Swedish fish, and gold coins. Sydney is pretty proud!

Breanne, Logan, Madeline, and Sydney devouring their treasure on the porch.

I loved this picture of grandma. Isn't she a beautiful lady? She's turning 86 this Sunday! I hope I look that good at 86!

More treasure devouring going on with Rachel and Madeline.

Jana and the newest addition to the fam, baby Elyse.

That night, I went on a nice walk around the lake with my sister and her three girls, Rachel, Caitlin, and Courtney. 

The boys did a lot of fishing. My brother Brian is helping Jesse and Logan prep their poles for a little dusk fishing.

The canoe was great for this little lake. My brother Steve and his kids are paddling around in this picture.

Mom with the girls.

There was a hot tub on the deck that we all enjoyed very much.

And the kids loved playing in the pool, which was filled with warm water. There was a LOT of splashing going on!

I went biking with Don and my twin brothers, Steve (L) and Dave (R). 

This is a wicked steep hill that we rode up.

Cresting the top of the hill.

The view was pretty spectacular. You could see all the peaks on both sides of the ridge. 

The boys showing off their amazing biking leg muscles (or doing a plie, in Dave's case. :)

Happy to the be at the top...and the bike was too heavy for me to hold up for long enough to get the picture.

A happy thumbs up from Don on the way down.


When we got back, I taught the kids a music class like the ones I teach on Thursdays in Family Housing. I think this was one of my favorite parts of the reunion. The kids get so excited and just love learning the songs! 

Rachel, Abby, Jesse and Logan, singing along. I love Sam running in the background in his strange man-pri pants.

"Two little blackbirds sitting on a cloud!"

I love Courtney's little face here.

My sister, Kerri, and Courtney singing along.

Sam running around like crazy the entire time, just like he does when I teach my class for FH.

"One named soft. One named LOUD!"

Tickle bees!

"My carrots will grow all straight and tall!"

Sam's bathtime in the cool old fashioned claw-footed tub! Such a happy boy!


My sister-in-law, Jaclyn, took some family photos for us (which I'll post about later) and then, it was campfire time!

Logan, Jesse, and Isaac having a great time with sticks! These are three of the 7 kids who are within  a year of each other. So fun to have so many cousins so close in age.

Singing campfire songs. "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes! Woot woot!"

Roasting marshmallows. 

Jaclyn, Gabe, and Grandma Black.

Camille being so cute and silly.

McKennan, Abby (who'd had a nasty bike accident that day), and Courtney fascinated with some little computer game.

Mom telling us stories about our ancestors.

Caitlin's great big beautiful blue eyes!

Amber and Sydney enjoying the s'mores.

My brother Dave rigged up a climbing line on the chimney of the cabin. We had a great time trying to climb it. There weren't very many good handholds and there were small rusty nails all around, but we had a great time.

Check out Don's wicked forearm muscles

Me and Dave giving it a go.

Logan and Jesse - such great buddies and partners in crime.

Sydney and Isaac - sweet twins!

Courtney and Caitlin - another pair of sweet twins. Caitlin is about a head taller than Courtney, so unless you knew they were twins, you might be confused about two kids being that close together in age in a family.

On Saturday afternoon, Don and I went to the Spruces (just down the canyon from Brighton! How handy!) to the Cooper Family Reunion. We got to see all of Don's aunt and uncles on his mom's side and a bunch of cousins we hadn't seen in a long time. It was such a great time. We also went on a great hike to Donut Falls. I'd only ever been there in the winter, so it was fun to see what it looked like unfrozen. 

Don and Sam hanging out with Aunt Jini, Amy, Aunt Carol, and Grandma.

Something about the backwards hat just makes him look so much like a little boy and not like a baby at all. He is growing up too fast.

Sam had a great time swinging with Uncle Rex

On the hike to Donut Falls with Ben and Wendi. Sam was so excited he just kept leaning over Don's shoulder like this the whole way. He loves being able to see what is going on. 

Such a happy hiker.

Here we all are at the base of Donut Falls.

Amy, Matt, and Carol taking a break after the hike.

Don and I laughed at this picture of us because we just look so cheesy. The falls are behind us. We didn't hike up to them because it wasn't steady enough footing with Sam on Don's back. 

On our way back with Wendi, Ben, Matt, and Mark.

Once we got back to my parents' house in Orem, we had a fiesta, including a pinata and Cafe Rio style salads. Then, we had our family talent show and dress up fashion show. The kids were so cute with their talents and dancing in the dress ups.

Hammock time!

All the awesome dress ups. I am particularly a fan of my brother Dave, the gypsy woman.


On Sunday morning, my brother Mike blessed baby Elyse. We were there for the blessing and as soon as it was over, Don drove home.

Mom and Dad with their newest grandbaby.

She is such a sweetie and has the best redish blonde hair. I hope one of our kids gets the red hair gene! 

Mike and Jana and their beautiful kids.

Camille always has the most mischievous expressions. I just love her little face! 

Logan's face particularly cracks me up. Classic family shot.


So, Don drove home and I stayed two more days to help my mom with the Menlove family reunion.  I also got to go shopping with my grandma and hang out with my cousin, Livi. I was glad I stayed, although I wasn't any help at all at the reunion (the whole point of my staying) because I was chasing Sam around the entire time. I definitely missed Don. I was happy that I got to fly home, though, because Sam was so much happier on the plane than he would have been in the car and he didn't throw up (major plus!) 


I'm always sad to leave my family because I have such a great time with them. I am already looking forward to next year (we're staying in the same cabin! Hurray!) Thanks for a great reunion, Mom! You're amazing!