Best Vacation Ever: Part 2: Robins Rendezous

Seriously one of my absolute favorite things in the whole entire world is family reunions.  I'm not kidding.  I love them.  The bigger, the better.  So of course I planned my Utah trip around not one, but two family reunions.

Reunion #1: Melvin and DeLouise Robins Rendezous.  This is a five generation reunion where I am a great-grandchild and my children are the newest generation--the great-greats.  By some estimates there were 120 people out of 160 in attendance (thanks Leigh).  What other five-generation family do you know of that can produce those kind of results?  The Robins.  And the even more amazing part--I actually know most of them. and they know me (thanks Blogger).  

As mentioned, Greg and I started off Thursday the 25th with a trip to the temple, then we quickly packed up our stuff and headed to our hotel in Ogden so Alice wouldn't miss her nap.  Greg worked while Alice slept and Rex and I swam (as a side note, Rex jumped in the pool without his life jacket on and was literally 5 inches away from the rail and nearly drowned--as in got the glazed over look in his eyes and started sinking.  I kept thinking he'd reach out for the rail but he didn't.  I pulled him out.  When I'm done with this, I'm finding him some swim lessons.)

Alice woke up just as my dad arrived with my sister and Autumn and my brother and this Asian doll baby, whom I had never met. (She's not really Asian--she's half El Salvadorian and half white but seriously looks like an anime character--in the most adorable way possible).

 The three Brian Robins granddaughters hanging out in the hotel--notice how Alice had already stolen Korey's toy, and Autumn's sick black eye.

 Rex, the only boy, osterized to the other bed, watch inappropriate cartoons while we hung out.

 Then we went to dinner with the whole Melvin clan at Maddox's, where the kids had a super good time listening to the adults talk.

 Friday morning the plan was to go to Brigham City temple, but as mentioned, it was booked a week in advance, so the Greg Baker clan went to Promentory Point, where we saw a reinactment of the west train and east train pulling up to the meeting point to place the Golden Spike.  Rex was terrified--seriously, he's afraid of just about everything.

 Here we are in front of one of the trains, being photo bombed by another family doing the same thing.

We went straight from Promentory Point to Brigham City pool to meet the Melvin Clan again.  Rex had so much fun he just about fell asleep standing up so I stuck him on a chair under a towel to avoid skin cancer.

 That night we met up with the whole Fam-Damily again for ice and playing at a park.  (Check out those mountains--there's reason why mountains and temples are synonymous in the Old Testament).

 Saturday I ran a race with some of my first cousins once removed, but it was so amazing it's going to get it's own post.  Then we headed to the park again for crafts, lunch, and socializing.

These next two pictures I stole from my first cousin once removed Leigh's blog.  This is why I love the Robins family so much.  I have 6 cousins (or sort of cousins--mostly second cousins, a sister, and a first cousin once removed) within just a few years of me.  You should be jealous.

 Mostly though, Robins Reunions are great because of these lovely ladies.  Robins Reunions started before any of us were born and we've spent every reunion together since.  Whitney being president at Bundha for like 10 games straight.  Leigh always being super clean and well-dressed because her parents got a cabin when the rest of us camped.  Spending hours looking for each other because there were so many stinking people at the reunions.  Good times ladies, good times.  And in case you're wondering the relation (left to right): Rex, my son, photo bombing.  Me.  Whitney, second cousin (my dad's cousin's daughter).  Leigh, first cousin once removed (my dad's cousin).  Amber, sister.

Saturday at 4 we said closing prayer and were off--or at least we thought we were.  I put Alice in the car and sent Greg up to the playground to get Rex.  Then I see Greg coming back, but no Rex.  He disappeared in like five minutes--one of my cousins had seen him at the park as I was putting Alice in the car.  So we leave Alice buckled in and almost frantically recheck the lawn for Rex.  Ask who had seen him.  I head back to the playground where a few non relatives are now playing.  They had been there for ten minutes and hadn't seen Rex.  Now I was worried.  They got their dog and we headed off in the opposite direction from where they had come, when I look over and see Rex.  He's in a tube with his feet up.  I thought he'd fallen asleep.  Nope, he just didn't want to leave.  If I hadn't been so thankful that he wasn't dead/kidnapped, I'd've killed him.  That kid...