This July 4th weekend we headed up to Arkansas to attend our family reunion. The best summer memories I have as a child are of family reunions and I couldn't wait to share the fun with Shawn. The Otto family is my grandma's dad, so my great-grandfathers. He has long since passed and only two of his children still get together, my grandma and her brother, Uncle Joe. There were four Otto families represented at the reunion: Uncle Joe, Grandma, Uncle Mutt, and Aunt Blanche. We had a blast and Shawn got to meet MORE cousins. All weekend he kept saying, "All of them are my cousins too?"
Here are some pictures from the reunion. Much thanks and kudos to my cousin, Laura Jean who did all the planning and organizing. Thank you for taking on such a huge task. We had the lake mostly to ourselves and the scenery was absolutely beautiful!
Ethan had no problem feeling right at home.
The lodge where we had our meals, games, and fellowship.
Cousin Gary modeling a lovely 3-Musketeers hat. He's such a character!
Shawn watching some games on the back patio.
Laura Jean planned lots of activities and tournaments, this was the canoe races.
Jacin and I even got brave enough to take Shawn and Ethan on a canoe ride too. The picture of Ethan and I isn't the best, but it's actually the best picture I have of his canoe ride so I'll sacrifice and post it anyway.
Jacin and I even got to sneak in a "romantic" canoe ride of our own but it only lasted ten minutes because it started to rain.
Shawn found this water toy and liked it better as a land toy.
The boys liked using the water noodles as big swords and had little jousting tournaments.
Ethan, of course, liked playing ball and would play with anyone that was walking by.
There were lots of games.
And lots of food. Here is a picture of Laura Jean, the mistress of ceremonies.
My cousin Kimberly and her son Cope.
Shawn and Ethan found this little wall and the loved climbing it, it was like their own little rock wall challenge.
On the last evening, Laura Jean surprised my Grandma and Uncle Joe with a birthday cake for their dad. The family reunions are always 4th of July weekend because his birthday was July 3rd. They cake was very special to them and they truly enjoyed it. The top picture on the cake is my Great Grandfather and the picture on the bottom is of my Grandma and her brothers and sisters that started the family reunions.
Here are a bunch of family pictures we took together. You should have seen all the running and scrambling it took to get all these pictures done.
Grandma and her brother Uncle Joe
Everyone headed out for pictures. Laura Jean had reunion shirts made for everyone so we all coordinated very nicely in the pictures.
The San Antonio Otto's- Grandma's family
My mom, Uncle Charlie, Grandma and Aunt Debbie
The Oklahoma/Arkansas Otto's- Uncle Joe's family
The Amarillo/California/Louisiana Otto's- Uncle Mutt's family
The Oklahoma Otto's- Aunt Blanche's son
The Otto men
The Otto women
More Otto men
Shawn and Ethan were very patient waiting for all the pictures to be taken, especially since we were in the hot sun.
The whole Otto family, four generations worth!
All in all, everyone had a blast and we can't wait to make this an annual Otto-Lyon family tradition.
