Williams Family Vacation

My aunts all call it a reunion, but let's be honest.  When we get together once a week, it's not REALLY a reunion when we go to a cabin and play more.  It's a vacation.   I've mentioned on this blog how important family is to my grandparents, so we've all stayed pretty close over the years.  Here are a few pictures to document Hidden Springs Ranch.


We gave my mom a ride up there because my dad wasn't coming until the next day, so we put both the kids in the back so my mom could be up by us and talk.   However, about 15 minutes before we got there, Eden started whining (very unusual) I kept asking her what was wrong and she wouldn't tell me.  Suddenly, there were throw up noises coming from the back.  Bless her heart!  She had no idea what was happening and it totally freaked her out.  Good thing my mom was there because she jumped in the back and used Nate's frisbee to catch the rest of it.  You can tell the woman has had 8 children; you've never seen such lightning reflexes in the face of throw-up!

We pulled over, got Eden out of her clothes and kept her naked just in case it happened again before we got there, threw away the books and coloring books that she hit with the lovelies, wiped down her seat as best we could and then moved her seat to the middle.  I had the thought to pull out the camera before getting back in the car.  But it felt so wrong to stop comforting my 2 year old to take a picture while she was sobbing her little eyes out.  Never fear though, as soon as we put her boots back on her, she was golden.

I will regret it if I don't document that my mother and I both took the opportunity while stopped to squat amidst the sage brush and take care of our own business.  I may or may not have somehow gotten a pokey in my bum that I had to fish out before I could sit again.  Classic.

As my mom says, "if things go perfectly, you don't remember them."  She just loves a good adventure where nothing turns out the way you planned.  I love that from my mom.  I need to try to remember that in my day-to-day life.

So, after our adventure, we arrived at the Cabin and jumped right into a game of soccer.  This family doesn't get together without some serious sports, water, and healthy competition.  There are a PLETHORA of teenage/young adult boys in this family.  Along with 5 young brother-in-laws they turn everything into a competition.  They spent every night on the ranch playing volleyball and basketball until 1-2am.

 
The next day, we found a lizard and while Katie's boys (Kyson and James) wanted to catch it and touch it, Eden watched from afar and was interested but nervous and Brigham was totally oblivious! I apologize in advance for the crazy bright pictures.  The sun was SO direct up there and it was midday.  Don't feel bad if you need to grab your sunglasses for a glance:)

The next evening, we had a Minute-To-Win-It competition.  We were split into age groups and each age group had  2 games to play.  Don't worry that Nate and I were in the 23-40 year old category... we dominated.

Aubrey took the first round for the young teens by keeping her two balloons in the air longest. #sheplaysvolleyball

I believe she also tied at stacking the most dice on her Popsicle stick.

Deep conversations occured while the other age groups competed.

The 16-22yr old group was a hoot!  Have I mentioned they are competitive?  They had to pick paper bags up with their teeth without kneeling on the ground and then run them across the room.  This is Ty and Levi representing.  Ty's long legs were a serious downfall in this game.

They both excelled at the tennis ball in the Nylon game.  They had to knock over water bottles with it on their head faster than the other players.

I took the Penne on a Spaghetti noddle challenge.  Although if you talk to Nate, he's sure that he is, in fact, better at this; his simply fell off before the time was up.  What he won't tell you, is that he cheated and placed the noodles all facing the right way before we began.  Karma came back to get him.

Nate totally conquered at candy cane golf.

 It's never a real Williams Vacation without a little dance party.  James took this very seriously and I don't think Eden ever let go of those balloons.

Kyson had his own dance style all together.  Like Eden, the 2 balloons were a must but he simply side steps around the whole cabin for the duration of the dancing.

There was also a rock wall that occupied most of our time.  It was quite challenging.  I didn't take my camera each time, so I only got a few people climbing, but here they are.

My mom and Brigham watching.  P.S.  It was HOT there.  We were in the shade but Briggs was still dying.

This is Eden trying to act sad so that I would take her back to the Cabin to go swimming.

Everyone waiting their turn and cheering on the others.

Kyson loved the rock wall and would climb about this high before letting go to repel down.  He loved that thing.

Eden wanted to climb but was scared of the belt, what a conundrum!  So this is what she looked like the whole time.

My dad was a total champ and I believe he made it the farthest out of everyone over 30.  He was high enough to ring the bell, but his arms were crossed and he slipped when he reached for it.

Katie will want me to mention that she also reached the bell like a boss.  I had a wonderful dismount technique called leaning back a tiny too much and my feet would somehow fly out in front of me and I'd somehow be on my back.  This was seriously the funniest thing in the world.  I could not gain my composer after that happened again and again.  Kyson even thought that's how you were supposed to do it.  His technique was flawless.  I will mention however, that after laughing at me like crazy, both my mom and Katie did the same thing. 

It was an awesome "reunion" and we were so blessed to have my grandpa with us.  We got a picture taken of all of us, so I'll have to get a copy of that to put up here.  He is still pretty weak, but we somehow talked his insurance people to let him come up.  He is still on a feeding tube, but he is able to get up by himself now and walk with his walker.  I'm so lucky to have that man in my life.  What a soft spoken, spiritual giant he is.  We love him and are so happy to have created more memories with him on this trip.