Finch Family Reunion 2011

 This year Jeff was in charge of his family reunion so we invited everyone down for the Balloon Festival which happens the last weekend in June.  Jeff's brothers Jason and Evan and their families came Thursday night so Friday morning Jeff saddled Moqui and Bud and took the kids for rides. 

 On Friday after more of the family showed up, there was a balloon parade.  Balloonists pack up their baskets into the back of their trucks and drive down main street.  We almost missed the parade but got there in time to watch the motorcycle cops do a little routine. 

There were also a few vintage cars.

And a favorite of mine - Smokey the Bear.  I can still sing the song I learned in grade school - well mostly.  Funny thing is when I got home to look at the pics - I didn't really have any pics of the balloonists!

 Friday night after McKenna got home from a week long SUU Health Careers Camp, she had made us a little scavenger hunt around our great town.  The rules were everyone had to be in at least one picture out of 17 stops per team.  Each of the 4 teams had different stops so we all got a little different look at Panguitch.  She loves Panguitch and she wanted to share her love of it with the relatives.  So skip through the next several photos or enjoy a scenic snapshot of Panguitch. 

Who would have ever thought there would be giraffes in Panguitch but there are!  There are 3 giraffes just across the highway from our house Addison found to pose with!

This one required a bridge which Carly is standing by:

The skate park and Ryan:

Garrett met John Wayne:

Landon found the Internet Lounge at the new Gem Theater.

Jay found the fire station:

 Leighton and I found the Quilt Walk Statue:

Ryan found a bobcat

McKenna found the old fire station in the background: 

Jason found 10 boxes of cereal:

McKenna found an old shed:

 Jessica found the pop room:

 It was a great scavenger hunt - many more photos not included here but we all had a great time!

The next morning after breakfast burritos and watching the balloons float by our house we loaded up in search of some ice caves up near Panguitch Lake.  On the way there we passed by this huge sink hole of volcanic rock.

Garrett and Ryan walked nearly to the bottom of the sink hole until they were called back up to get on our way.

We stopped for lunch (or nooned as the pioneers would have said) along a meadow.

 

Leighton was quite the adventurer.  She walked or scooted over many a bump in the road while we were stopped for lunch.

Of course Jeff brought his glock and several took turns shooting it.  

This little guy - Kyle - just made me smile the whole time.  We bought a bunch of spray bottles - instead of squirt guns - and while we were stopped for lunch he just walked up and attacked Garrett!  Loved it!

We started out through the trees to look for these allusive ice caves.  It reminded me of tromping around with my dad - "Oh I know it's around here somewhere - just around that next bend!"

Garrett found several trees like this to jump up on.

A view half way up to the top.

Finally we found a way up and standing on top of the world!  Beautiful view!

I asked Garrett to get some shots of the ice caves while I waited with Leighton (I am also extremely claustrophobic).  He said they really opened up once you crawled inside - but alas no proof!  Maybe we will have to make another trip!

MMMMM!!! Leighton raiding dad's backpack - wonder what else is in there?

What adventure like this wouldn't be complete unless you have a vehicle meltdown?  Our truck got a flat on the way back but with so many to help we were back on the road in no time.

Ahhh - the piece de resistance - the Balloon Glow!  Saturday night all the balloons line main street and fire up just enough to stay inflated.  It's a wonderful highlight of the weekend.  The town turns out and many other people which makes us wonder where do all these people come from! 

This pic is a bit blurry but I love the view of all the balloons just going up. 

So many girls, so many booths, so many balloons, so many bands, so little time! 

"Don't mind me I'm just walking here."  Leighton refused to be carried - she just wanted to walk it on her own!  Quite a challenge considering all the other pedestrians out?

Back in time - at the house Jay had brought a little campfire that the kids just roasted marshmallows around.  My hardest part with this was not tossing any garbage into it!

The last morning of the balloon festival a balloon landed just right next door to us in the neighboring field!  There were about 25-30 balloons out and about!  Just a fun time!

 

All in all it was a great reunion.  It was great to share our little town with Jeff's family and we loved the time visiting with them.  

Who's on for next year!?!

Lovely!

I don't know what it is with me and cameras.  My new camera broke when the microwave came crashing down one day last month.  But my camera that was once lost was found.  However - it doesn't have the panoramic view on it like my old one did.  But I do love this pic anyways.  How many people can say they are this lucky to take a shot like this from their back door!  Simply wonderful!

A fishing tale....

 The other day Garrett asked Jeff to hang some hooks in his room where he could hang his fishing rod.  He had already hung two of Jeff's cork handled fly rods and wanted a place to put his own spinner rod.  Leighton picked up the rod and decided to do a little fishing of her own and looked what she reeled in!  I offered to take it out myself  - I've seen it done a time or two in the ER, but Jeff opted for the doctor. 

 I consented, not knowing if it was in his eye or just in the eyelid.  Dr. Miller numbed up the site and proceeded to cut off the other barbs and then nipped the skin where the barb had just entered the flesh and the rest of the hook fell out. 

 All that was left was a tiny wound where the barb had entered.  All is well!  Actually the most interesting part of the whole thing (besides the hospital co-workers getting a good chuckle out of it all) was when Dr. Miller injected the eyelid with lidocaine.  I have seen skin "bleb" up so to speak hundreds of times but never an eyelid!  The skin was so thin that it looked like a massive blister about ready to pop.  It was so cool!  I wanted to just poke at his eye to watch the fluid move it that little pocked but I resisted ... well, actually ... Jeff wouldn't let me!  Darn it - oh well - it was interesting being on the patient side of things when I am usually on the nursing side of it all - I guess I did do his charting and paperwork - so maybe this time I was on both sides of it all!

Stake Pre-Trek Activity

 Saturday - June 18th found the Panguitch Utah Stake at Panguitch Lake for a Pre-Trek Activity.  This coming August will find roughly 350 Panguitch Stake Youth and Leaders at Martin's Cove and Rocky Ridge Wyoming for Youth Conference.  Saturday was a prep day.  Our Youth Committee planned a wonderful day.  The Ma's and their daughters crafted dolls for their family to carry on trek, the boys crafted a satchel.  They pulled handcarts, refreshed their first aid skills, danced and made new friends.

 The first night at Martin's Cove we will be having a square dance.  Here they all brush up on their skills of the Virginia Reel. 

 They also practiced their Oh' Johnny dance and with a little extra time to spare before dinner played a impromptu game of Lover's Leap. 

 It was quite a warm day for the activity and we got a very small taste of what it will be like to be trekking in August. 

 Above: the line up for the food.  The stake YM President was wonderful in teaching the boys that ladies go first and asked all the boys to move to the back.  The girls were ecstatic! 

 After dinner, Royce and Debbie Pollock talked to the kids about the history of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies fated trek and encouraged them to make the most of their own experience. 

There was a first rescue when the Valley Boys rescued the weary and starving Saints on the Sweetwater River.  There was a second rescue when the residents of the same area found and performed the temple work for all those that died on that fateful journey.  Now we are hoping for a third rescue - the youth of our stake.  I can't help but think of how many youth will be strengthened by this experience.  I am honored to be a part of this amazing journey.  I am privileged to be able to be there with McKenna and Garrett.  I am so grateful for my ancestors, some of whom walked this same trail, some of whom whose stories have made a deep impression upon my heart and spirit.  This gospel of Jesus Christ is a wonderful and amazing gift!