The last week of July was the Martin Landon Ladwig Reunion for 2010. We decided to play it low key this year and go to Harding Haven (a cabin owned by my Mother-in-law's family) at Bear Lake. Since Landon grew up as an army brat, moving every few years, Harding Haven is one of the most constant things in his life. It is the closest thing he can call a childhood home. This is the place where they would return every year and have for his entire life. What a better spot for us to have a family reunion?
The first day was packing and traveling. Our kids did great!!! Every year when we do our vacations we try to get a movie to take with us that Landon and I like to listen to. You know, something that won't make us want to claw our eyes and ears off. This year we went and bought "The Princess and the Frog." It was so fun to get to hear our kids singing the songs from it the whole week. Totally cute.
After every one arrived, (minus Steven and Lindsay, we missed you guys!) the following day was a beach day. I LOVED IT! The cabin is a beach front property so it makes it nice and cozy with our own personal water access. Steve Porter brought his dad's boat for us to use and we were able to take the kids on rides and I skied for the first time in probably 2 years. I literally cannot explain the release of emotions that came with that. It was like all the frustration and craziness of the last two years was wiped away with just a little wind being whipped through my hair while I rode on top of the water on my ski. LOVE IT!
The kids had a blast on the beach and needless to say, we all burned. And when I say all, I mean all. Renee seemed to hold up the best, but the rest of us adults need to take some of the advice and lotion we were dishing out to our kids.
Maggie and Adasyn were absolutely adorable playing on the beach together. These little girls are only 2 weeks apart and boy are they cute. 
Grandma Ladwig with Brenen and Levi.
Isn't this sand castle amazing. We did such a great job don't you think?
Okay, so really we didn't make it. The part of the Harding Family that were there the week before us did, but Carson and Ellen sure had fun adding their own parts to it and playing with it.
They were hard little workers that first day on the beach, adding their own creativity to the project. By the end of the week the little boys had gotten a hold of part of the castle and it lay in ruins, but it was fun to see it while it lasted.
Maggie and Adasyn's first time in Bear Lake.
Carsonator!
Uncle Steve and Maggie enjoying the rays. It was amazing that Steve was as mobile as he was. He had been in a fairly serious motorcycle accident about 6 weeks prior and had to have complete reconstructive surgery on his knee only a few weeks before this trip. The Lord really blessed them in so many ways with it and as small as it might seem, this was one of them. Steve was without crutches or cane for the entire trip. Including the day at Minidonka Caves.
My poor little Levi meant felt horrible this whole day. We couldn't decide if it was heat stroke or what, but he was miserable. He just laid on the beach or right on my chest the whole day. He woke up the next morning with his nose out of control and goopey eyes. We had to make a fast call to the pediatrician to get him another dose of antibiotics for his ear infection. He was able to enjoy the beach a couple of days later after the antibiotics kicked in.
A few weeks before the trip I decided that we needed to restock our beach toys for this trip. I bought each of our kids a little floaty when I did this. When I showed these to Landon he scoffed at the idea of Trevor staying in a boat. Boy was he wrong! Trevor loved his pirate boat and could be found in it most of the week. In fact, all of the kids loved the flotation devices. I wasn't able to get a picture of it, but it was extremely common to look out at the lake and see Grandma wading up to her waist in the water with all 5 of the big kids floating around her in a circle.
After a long day at the beach who doesn't want to just run around naked in the sand? Braiden was supposed to be getting his clothes changed, but decided he needed a break in the middle of it. This swing was the coveted item of the reunion. I don't think there were very many times that you would look out and not see at least one child playing on it, if not all of them sitting in chairs watching one of them play on it and laughing hysterically. Cousins are fun!
Waking up after a good nights rest in the tent.
I had to include this picture for future blackmail on Ella. Really, I took about five or six of these pictures trying to get a cute one, and none of them really turned out. Oh well, got a funny one of the girl at least.
After our long day on the beach we decided the next day better be one where we didn't do any more damage to our already bright red skin. That meant it was Cave day. We went to Minidonka cave all wearing our matching Family Reunion shirts. It was fun to have us all be banded together and recognizable as a group.
This is the one rock you are allowed to touch in the cave. The kids thought it was sooo fun. They really loved the cave, especially Ella. She actually listened to our guide and learned some new things.
This is after we came up out of the caves and Levi was released from the back pack. He looked so stinking cute I had to take a picture. Immediately following this picture he got excited to see me and starting running toward me, tripped on the gravel and took it face first. He got a mouth full of gravel and a big old scratch on his lip to go with his double ear infection that we were already fighting.
Meal Time!
We took Ripley with us on the vacation. He was in complete heaven. Really this dog needs to be a farm dog. He thrives on being able to run open and free. We really wore him out he day at the beach (he is a total water dog) and he was still trying to recoup the next day.
The last day we were there Landon's cousins started showing up for the GJE family reunion. Unfortunately we couldn't stay for the whole weekend, but we were able to spend some good time with some of them. The above picture is cousin Sharon with Maggie.
One of Landon's cousins has a little girl that is a year older than Ellen. Sammy and Ella became fast friends once her family showed up. They spent as much time together as they could even eating meals together. When we were getting ready to go and had Ella buckled in the car Sammy had just come up from the beach. She broke down in tears because she thought she wasn't going to be able to say goodbye to Ellen. We pulled Ella out and let them hug and say their goodbye's. They would hug and then hold each other's hands and make promises about seeing each other again and then hug again. This went on for a couple of minutes. It was really sweet and I love that the next generation are making bonds.
Levi says it all. We were not even a half a mile away from the cabin headed home when he passed out in his chair. It was a great week and we loved, love, loved getting to spend it with the people we love the most. Very successful family reunion.
Waking up after a good nights rest in the tent.
I had to include this picture for future blackmail on Ella. Really, I took about five or six of these pictures trying to get a cute one, and none of them really turned out. Oh well, got a funny one of the girl at least.
After our long day on the beach we decided the next day better be one where we didn't do any more damage to our already bright red skin. That meant it was Cave day. We went to Minidonka cave all wearing our matching Family Reunion shirts. It was fun to have us all be banded together and recognizable as a group. 
This is the one rock you are allowed to touch in the cave. The kids thought it was sooo fun. They really loved the cave, especially Ella. She actually listened to our guide and learned some new things.
This is after we came up out of the caves and Levi was released from the back pack. He looked so stinking cute I had to take a picture. Immediately following this picture he got excited to see me and starting running toward me, tripped on the gravel and took it face first. He got a mouth full of gravel and a big old scratch on his lip to go with his double ear infection that we were already fighting.
Meal Time!
We took Ripley with us on the vacation. He was in complete heaven. Really this dog needs to be a farm dog. He thrives on being able to run open and free. We really wore him out he day at the beach (he is a total water dog) and he was still trying to recoup the next day.
The last day we were there Landon's cousins started showing up for the GJE family reunion. Unfortunately we couldn't stay for the whole weekend, but we were able to spend some good time with some of them. The above picture is cousin Sharon with Maggie.
One of Landon's cousins has a little girl that is a year older than Ellen. Sammy and Ella became fast friends once her family showed up. They spent as much time together as they could even eating meals together. When we were getting ready to go and had Ella buckled in the car Sammy had just come up from the beach. She broke down in tears because she thought she wasn't going to be able to say goodbye to Ellen. We pulled Ella out and let them hug and say their goodbye's. They would hug and then hold each other's hands and make promises about seeing each other again and then hug again. This went on for a couple of minutes. It was really sweet and I love that the next generation are making bonds.
Levi says it all. We were not even a half a mile away from the cabin headed home when he passed out in his chair. It was a great week and we loved, love, loved getting to spend it with the people we love the most. Very successful family reunion.
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