Days 66 & 67 – 6/19 and 6/20 -
S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E!!!
A large portion of my mom’s side of the family was gathering in Northern Indiana for a weekend camping trip. Brett and I decided while we were in Vancouver that we would like to surprise everyone and join in the camping trip.
After watching many states go by in a somewhat daze, we were happy to make it into Indiana – until we got out of the car that was. The mosquitoes were everywhere. It was the first time on the trip that we had to wear insect repellent. It was also ridiculously humid. We would have kept moving on, if we weren’t there for a very good reason.
We arrived at the campground Friday mid-afternoon before most of the family had arrived and enjoyed seeing people’s surprised expressions when they saw us.
At the Saturday afternoon family dinner, we did a head count: 70 family members and 5 guests plus some babies on the way. There were so many people!! It was crazy fun. There were more desserts than even 75 people could eat plus balloon animals, water balloon toss, and a 16-team corn hole tournament.
8 Aunts & 6 Uncles:
Aunt Susie & Uncle Steve; Aunt Ann & Uncle Jim; Aunt Carol & Uncle Joe; Aunt Debbie & Uncle Ken; Aunt Debbie & Uncle Dave; Aunt Dawn; Aunt Stacy; Aunt Nancy & Uncle Dave.
23 Cousins (plus their spouses and their families):
Steve & Beth plus Issac, Lauren, Eli; Matt & Angie plus Dillon, Riley, Cooper, Ava; Adam & Linda; Ryan & Collen plus Keagan and Jameson; Chris & Julie; Jenni & Jason; Melissa; Matt; Beth; Julie; Shawna & Don plus Shea, Ty, Kiera, Kalen; Jamie & Matt plus Carter; Holly & Justin plus Ceili and Keaton; Megan; Julie; Monika; Erik; Andrea; Tony; Nathan; Natalie; Nicolas; Nolan.
Plus Grandma & Grandpa; Mom & Dad; Sarah, Hunter & Marilyn.
Great Pictures!! I like the one of Chris and Julie holding hands!!
[...] 5: The Northeast After a short but wonderful visit with my family at the family camping trip and then afterward in Indianapolis, we jumped back in the car and continued East. We detoured [...]
[...] Leg 4: The West From Vancouver we drove several hundred miles west through the Canadian Rocky Mountains along southern British Columbia enjoying absolutely pristine landscapes. We then cut southwest through eastern Washington, the panhandle of Idaho, and landed in Montana. Montana surprised us and left us in awe. From there we were busy – we visited Yellowstone’s sulfury wonderland, enjoyed Grand Teton’s wildlife, shopped in Jackson Hole, cheered at a rodeo, and then took on South Dakota: Black Hills, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Wall Drug and the Corn Palace. Then we made a mad dash through the Midwestern states of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana to make a surprise visit at a family camping trip. [...]