Highlight #2 - Nicholia Ranch

Every other year my side of the family has begun doing a family reunion. This summer was our second biannual event and we held it at the same place - Nicholia Ranch. Why have a reunion in the same place 2 times, because it is so dang fun for everyone! There are fishing ponds, horses, a plethora of 4-wheelers, hiking, games...the perfect adventure for anyone under 90. The cousins love to explore together. This year the favorite place for the 9, 6, 4, and 3 year old boy cousins was the junk yard. Can you imagine? Old cars, rusted metal, glass chard's, dangerous flamable material - pretty much anything you shouldn't burn. Yes, this was very exciting for the boys, and nerve racking for the rest of us! But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Before we got to the ranch, we all made the time to stop and visit my Grandma Rydalch. She was 91 years old and this was the last time my kids or I were able to see her as she just passed away last month. What a wonderful person and a great experience this was. I really hope Peter will remember her always.
While at the ranch, Grandpa put together a treasure hunt for the grandkids. This was no ordinary hunt, however. The cousins found themselves digging for treasure, fighting bad guys with their swords, drinking magic potion for more energy, and following maps and compasses as their guide. It was a definite highlight for us all during the vacation! Here are some pics....





We also went on a little hand-cart trek - it was only a couple miles, but carrying one inside me as well as 1 on my hip, it was more than enough to give me a great appreciation for those dear pioneers who walked across the plains for religious freedom.

My dad was ingenious when he thought of bringing these along....the pieces to build our own marshmallow shooters! They were a ton of fun, and Elsie and Eden enjoyed the spoils of the battle. Lanita, in the background, just got a marshmallow shot down her throat - hence the lovely expression.

There was so much more we did. We flew kites, made movies (Thanks to my award-winning brother-in-law, Micah, for being the director and shooter), and played a rousing bean-bag game we couldn't get enough of. We rode horses, which Elsie LOVED. She would giggle and laugh all the harder the faster the horse would go. She is definitely a thrill seeker! Peter earned the fisherman's award. Every time I turned around he was trying to talk an adult into going fishing with him. He would cast all by himself over and over until he'd catch a fish. He wasn't afraid of their slimy, gross scales and flipping bodies as he pulled them out of the water. It was great. We had a lot of fun. A big thanks to my Uncle Carl for letting us use his place. It gave us all such great memories for a lifetime.