Family Reunion Friday

After we picked Cecilia up at 9am in Chicago, we drove home, got the run down of events from the sleepover from my mother in law, and started the process of quickly unpacking and repacking for our family reunion in Wisconsin Dells.  

Aunt Kennidy and Joel

Bianca, Kasi and Cecilia

It was a bit crazy in our house!  Two nights before Diane and everyone came over for a sleepover at our house we moved beds around upstairs.  If I had known everyone was staying at our house I would have waited.  The changes meant the double bed that was a guest bed went in Joel’s room and the crib/toddle bed went to the attic.  During the night my poor mother in law ended up sleeping on a twin mattress on the floor that is the dogs’ bed.   It was the result of her letting some of the kids have our bed, my niece being scared in Vince’s bottom bunk and wanting to sleep with Grandma, an air mattress that slowly deflated, and her really wanting to get some sleep.  I hope all the grandkids realize how lucky they are the Grandma would sleep on the dogs’ bed to keep them happy and comfortable.  

Grandpa Summers and Jan

Mark and Alyse

We managed to pack up the motorhome by 2pm.  It was slightly chaotic.  Our departure was a little delayed because our steps on the motorhome decided they were going to stop working and just stay down.  Brad got them to go up and stay up, but we needed them to work again once we picked up my grandparents on our way to the Dells.  I didn't realize it but Brad was worried the whole time that they would come down again while we were driving.

Mitch and Annie

This reunion is the Cady/Phelps family reunion.  That is my Grandma Pat’s side of the family.  She has 2 sisters and 2 brothers and this is only our second reunion in 8 years.  There have been a few weddings in between, so it isn’t like we never see each other.  There were a few new people for us (Brad, the kids and I) to meet.  My Grandpa Summers (Dave’s dad) came along for the reunion.  He brought along his new bride to be, Jan.  It was the first time we had met her and she is so nice and just wonderful for Grandpa.  Then we got to meet Bianca, the foreign exchange student staying with my family this year.  She is from the Netherlands and from the little time I have spent with her so far, she seems great!  Then there is LeAnn and her son Alex.  LeAnn married my mom’s cousin Greg the Friday of our family reunion.  She is very nice and so is her son, they fit right in and are as competitive at the rest of us!

Uncle Joe and Cecilia

Friday night we had Greg and LeAnn’s wedding and reception at the resort we were staying at.  It was our first chance to see everyone and it was fun for us.  The boys found it a little boring until we found a kids room in the lodge and then they were happy to have a play room.  My cousin’s two boys are a year older than Vince and Joel, so they had fun playing together.  It had been a couple years since Vince had played with Elliot and I don’t know if he had ever played with Nolan.  The only thing Joel cared about Friday night was the wedding cake.  Joel loves cake and once he knows there is cake to be consumed he is a little obsessive.

Nolan getting ready to go down the slide in a box.  Joel trying to get out of the way.

While we were at the reunion Brad and Joel slept in the camper and Vince, Cecilia and I slept in the condo with the grandparents.  There was only a small bed in our room and we didn’t think Joel would sleep on the floor and Brad and I didn’t want to sleep on the floor.  So Vince and I shared the bed and Cecilia slept in the pack n play.  

Elliot supervising Nolan

 Friday night after everyone went to bed I realized half my clothes were at home sitting in a nice folded pile on the floor of my closet.  I had my pajamas, undergarments, socks, bathing suit, dress clothes and that was it!  No shorts, no t-shirts, no everyday clothes!  I was so happy Brad was out in the camper and not there to see me panicking.  I probably wouldn't have heard the end of it.  In the middle of my packing Cecilia needed to be fed and then I apparently forgot to finish packing and told Brad to take my bag to the motorhome.  Great job Kelli!  Over pack for everyone else and forget your clothes.  I may have panicked just a little and started texting my sisters in the other condo.  It turned out they had a washer and dryer so I was able to wash my shorts and I didn’t have to wear my pajama pants and new family reunion shirt all weekend!  I tend to forget at least 1 thing every time I pack, with any luck this will be the last time to forget my clothes.

Cowboy Joel made an appearance