Each year, we have had the tradition to get together as family--Diane and me and our posterity-- for a couple of days.  This year, we opted to use bonus time at Park Plaze Resort in Park City, Utah where Diane and I are owners.

The six families (ours and our five children and their families) took three one-bedroom and one two-bedroom lodging June 7-9.  Our son, Matthew, and his family had one of the single rooms; Aaron, our son, and his family had a single room; Chantel, our daughter, and her family had a single room; and Diane and I, Paul (our son) and his family, and Melanie (our daughter) and her husband shared the two bedroom.

After everyone arrived, we helped each other get settled on Thursday evening, and before long the grandchildren were in their bathing suits and swimming in the indoor pool.  We used the patio area for our evening meal, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the break from our daily routines.  During the course of our stay, the grandchildren really seemed to make good use of the swimming pool, and the adults generally watched them while we relaxed around the pool (at least some of us were there whenever someone was swimming.

Kristina and Tori really liked to spend the time swimming along with the younger children.  Diane had injured her leg, and spent a bit of time in the hot tub one of the evenings with me, and although it may not have been the most healthy thing, she said she didn't care.  It felt good.  She has always really liked to soak in hot tubs.

Daniel (Jean) and our daughter Melanie came up quite late, and did shopping before they came.  Daniel had the Friday evening meal--pork spare ribs, and all the trimmings.  Our son, Paul, fixed the Friday morning breakfast of stuffed french toast (stuffed with strawberries). During the day, while some of us just relaxed, most of the grandkids and their parents went to the alpine slide area and enjoyed riding the slide and the ski lift, etc.

In the afternoon, everyone gathered behind the resort in a small area where we had relays, games, and just plain fun with the goal of building relationshps and bonding.  On Friday evening, we had a devotional that Paul had prepared, after the kids did modge-podge of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple on a stained board that Aaron had prepared for the crafts, and Lori took charge of that activity with Melissa's help.  Although the devotional was fairly short, I shared the experience that it seemed like timed passed very slowly while Diane was delivering our first child, Chantel, and the trauma that she and the baby were experiencing.  Dr. Francis remarked that such a delivery was what made doctors go grey!  Paul reviewed his feelings of being able to see Aaron while at the Oakland Temple as he was prepaing to leave for his mission and Aaron was already out, so it would be a couple of years before they would see each other.  He talked of the close feelings he had when he first saw Aaron after being in a different temple session and being greeted by him.  For our family, this was a very unifying and spiritually uplifing experience.  We felt that the goal of bringing the family closer together was accomplished.

One of the highlights of the reunion was when Melissa took photgraphs of each of the families, and also group photos of the entire group.  This was just across the street from Park Plaza in an open area next to one of Park City's restaurants.

OUR POSTERITY

Family Groups (From left to right) - Melanie & Daniel ; Melissa & Matt , Kayli, Austin, and Tori; Lori & Aaron , Garrett, Zack, and Cameron; Me (Golden) & Nana (Diane); Paul (holding Kyler) & Jenny , Ammon, and Ashlynn; Joseph (Joe) and Chantel , Suzie, Jenna, Ryan, and Kristina (June 2012).