Star Valley Peck Reunion

We spent last weekend at the 5th Annual Peck Reunion. Chad's family is so much fun to be around--there are 10 kids so there is always someone to laugh with! Everyone was present (except for Chad's sister Kami who lives in Omaha and the 18-hour + drive wasn't very enticing!)

We (well, I can't really say we) camped in a beautiful place with trees to provide shade and a little creek (or 'crick') that the kid weds threw rocks in the entire day. Myself and Myka decided to 'rough it' by sleeping in a little motel right around the corner. I know, I am a tent-slacker. Truly though, I did it for Myka. It turned out for the best, because the second day she came down with some runny-nose-yucky-cough thing that would not have gone well with paper-thin tent walls.

We arrived Thursday afternoon looking like a bunch of hill-billies. We were loaded to the max. Camping is a lot of work (and requires a lot of crap)! Chad and I decided we need to become a 'simplified' camper...We take too much stuff. It's because we wanted to do EVERYTHING. We took four-wheelers, bikes, tennis rackets, fishing equipment, golf clubs, cook stoves, tables, chairs, etc. and beyond etc.

The first evening was spent riding doom-buggies and four-wheelers and helping to set-up camp. Carsen immediately fell in love with the doom-buggies and was begging anyone to take him for a ride. (Myka even liked them; but she just wanted to crawl all over them and see how they tasted).

Friday morning my sister-in-laws Robyn, Candi and myself hopped on bikes and headed out on a bike ride. I was already exhausted of chasing Myka all around the camp (and up on chairs and tables), so I loaded her in the bike-trailer and we went out on a 15-mile bike ride around Star Valley. It was beautiful! (And Myka took her morning nap)!

That afternoon we went swimming at the pool and the guys went golfing. I tried to get Myka to take a nap in her pack-n-play under a tree--but that didn't work. She kept seeing people and saying, "hi."

For dinner we headed to a near by town where we ordered some pizza and let the kids play at a park. Chad said it best when he described the park by saying, "Whoever built this park did not like kids." It was a suicide park! The slide was monstrous and so fast, and the teeter-totters were a sliver waiting to happen! The kids loved it, but we adults had to stand by and make sure no one got hurt. The night was ended with a campfire, some sticky s'mores and fun-family stories.

(Myka has a new face she pulls when hold up a camera. She squints her eyes and does a silly smile.)


Saturday morning we took a nature hike to Period Springs, which was absolutely amazing! All of the kids were such troopers and hiked all the way to the top of the geyser--I opted to not risk falling on Myka so I stayed at the bottom.


We went swimming again (and the guys took the chance to go golfing...again). That evening was the traditional "Survivor" amongst all of us. Evey year a different couple is in charge of planning (before the reunion) some games which test each couple's skill. We used to vote people off, but now we just use a point system for elimination. Chad's brother Jared and his wife Candi were in charge of the games this year--and they did an excellent job. (I will also add right here that they drove all the way from Arizona! What a drive!) I had to eat a powdered doughnut dangling from a string held behind Chad's back while I was lying on the ground.....just to give an example of some of the games we played. Everyone looks forward to playing, and this year Chad and I were first-time winners at the end of the events.

Sunday morning we wrapped things up and headed home. My kids were so exhausted they slept the entire 4-hour drive home! Another successful reunion, and the next one is already in the works. We are hoping to do something a little more relaxing next year and go to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico! (Crossing my fingers that it happens!)