Gram and Gramp Camp 2013

This year's annual Gram and Gramp Camp included two new grandkids - Logan and Olivia!  From feedback I've gotten from all 5 grandkids who attended, this year was a hit!

 

I rode the train up to Ogden and picked up the two Mason boys.  We did some Batman activities as we rode back to Salk Lake City.  Dave picked us up at the train station.

 

 

Holly and Cody had driven their three kids down to our apartment. They arrived shortly after we did. 

 

After a very quick meal of pizza at our apartment we had everyone change into clothing they could get wet.  We gave everyone sunglasses for two reasons. 1. To protect their eyes from the sun.  It was 103 degrees outside.  2. So they wouldn't get squirted in the eyes when we had our water fight.

 

Two apartment buildings up the street from ours we found this grassy spot for our water fun.

 

 

It was so hot that we were glad to be a little bit wet.  And we enjoyed a snack of Dippin' Dots under the trees back at our apartment building.

 

 

We changed our clothes and watched the movie Matilda before going to bed.  (Holly and Cody had been to dinner and a movie downtown and picked up Olivia that night since she is still a bit young for a sleepover.)

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, we drove over to "This is the Place Heritage Park".  Cody said this picture of the kids looks like it should be the cover of their new album.  Haha!

We started off at the petting zoo.

 

 

The kids really enjoyed going into the pioneer homes.

The train was fun.

In the pioneer schoolhouse.

Everyone got a shave at the barbershop but Logan.  He chose not to have one.

They all said the pony rides were one of their favorites parts of this day.

At the Indian Village they made necklaces with beads and real arrow heads.  The Native Americans that helped them were all Navajo people.  One young Navajo boy did a hoop dance.  It was awesome.

The kids liked the ship and mini train.

Panning for gold.

Kneading bread and eating donuts.

We finished up Gram and Gramp Camp at the food court in City Creek Center.

All four of the kids napped on the ride back up to North Ogden.  It was a memorable two days for all of us!

Niederhauser Family Reunion 2013

It was Debbie and Mike's turn to plan our reunion this year.  They chose Manti for our three day, two night family reunion with my parents, all of my siblings and many of their children.  It was a great choice and we all had such a great time!

 

Thursday afternoon we arrived at the Temple Hill RV Resort.  Ashley and Jud were already there with their motor home. A combined family dinner was on the itinerary at the motel where Mike and Debbie and several other's were staying.  It was about a ten minute bike ride from our campground.

I love Ash and Jud's bike set-up.  A tandem, an extra child's bike and a trailer transported their entire fam.

We pedaled past this gorgeous temple.  This is a view of the Manti temple from their motel - appropriately named the Temple View Lodge.

We all enjoyed a taco meal together. 
The kids' table was all smiles.

It was nice because there was this huge grassy area at the lodge.  They had even set up a big tent/awning for us, complete with picnic tables.

  

Water balloon volleyball was a hit with the young 'uns.

The next morning all of the adults went to an endowment session in the Manti temple.  Only this temple and the Salt Lake temple still have "live" sessions.  It is a very special temple.  It has a definite pioneer feel.  The interior is one of the most beautiful I've seen, rivaling the Salt Lake temple in its intricate details.

 

Holly and Cody arrived early that afternoon and we watched their kids so they could go to a session in the temple.

The quarry where the early saints got the rock for the temple was right next to our campground.  We took a little "hike" over there to let the kids pick out a small piece of "temple rock".

 

 

Lily is our "Craft Queen".  I always try to have a craft table set up when we are camping with the grandkids.  She painted and glued for hours.  The other kids would join her from time to time but she was unrelenting in her pursuit of creativity.

Dinner that evening was at the Manti Tabernacle where we dined on Moroni Turkey and all of the trimmings.  Delish!

Our campground used to be called the "Yogi Bear campground".  I didn't notice Livie being held up by Cody until I put this on the blog.  :)

Then we walked over to the temple grounds to watch the Mormon Miracle Pageant.

We had all gone over earlier int he evening and saved seats with our blankets so the whole family could sit together.

The little kids were already in their jammies.  It didn't even begin until 9:30 pm, which was way past their bedtime.

How nice is it when two of your very best friends just happen to be your sisters!

Can't get enough of this dude.

 

 

The next morning we made Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.  Then we hung out until just before noon, when we had to check out.  It should have been a two hour drive to get home.  Not.

 We stopped in Moroni, which we thought would be maybe a ten-minute stopover to buy some of their famous turkey.  When we hopped back in the truck it wouldn't start.  About 2 1/2 hours later we finally got a tow truck to show up.  They put the truck on the bed of the tow truck and towed our trailer behind it.

 

Wellll.  Who would have guessed the tow truck would overheat?

 

Long story short - we were towed from Moroni to Centerville where our most awesome nephew-in-law Riley fixed our truck by putting in a new starter for us.  Love that kid!  And then he and Alyssa even towed our trailer back to Bountiful to our storage spot for us so that we could keep our promise to Roo. 

 

Alex had given the three of us his Ogden Raptor tickets for Opening Day/Night.  We got there in the bottom of the 5th inning, about 8:30 pm.

 

 

 

 The moon was full as it came up over the mountain.

 

The Raptors won.  Then they had fireworks.  I love me some fireworks in the summer.  These may be the only ones we get to see this summer so that made them even better.

It was a memorable few days.  We were blessed with some tender mercies.  I love family.