Adult Family Reunion

This year, I am in charge of the semi-annual family reunion for my side of the family. I worked and looked and researched, but I just wasn't having any luck in finding places to stay that were 1) fun, 2) not too far away, 3) in our price range, and especially 4) big enough for all of us. Our schedules were a challenge as well, trying to find a weekend when everyone was not already scheduled.

I finally gave up on the traditional reunion and we came up with a new plan. Every month we will have a reunion-day on a Saturday when we will go out and do something fun (what the kids want to do). Like a series of mini-reunions. In addition, we would have a three-night getaway for the adults, when we could stay in and just hang out (what the adults want to do). Tada! Everyone is happy.

We've never done an adult getaway before, and we all loved it more than we thought. I loved hanging out with these four sisters-in-love. We went for a walk in the middle of a dust devil. We painted our nails.

We played lots of games. More correctly, they played games and I watched. Playing games isn't my thing but it was all ok, and that was the point.  Without needing to tend to our children, we could do whatever it was we wanted to do!  Or nothing!  In fact, we purposely didn't plan a whole pile of activities. We could be spontaneous. It was wonderful!

We talked and talked until I was hoarse. I guess I don't talk enough at home. We hashed out difficult parenting issues and tricky personal issues. It was so great to feel their love and get their good ideas and drink in their wisdom. I need to record a neat technique I learned about how to deal with interpersonal conflicts. Stay tuned for that update.

We spent some quality face to face time together. Mostly.

The guys played a very long game of Lord of the Rings Risk. It went on and on and on. Finally, they threw up their arms and yelled "yes!" Hooray! They are done and we can do something else! Our excitement was cut short by the realization that the guys were done... setting up the game. THEN they started to play. Sigh. Maybe it would have ended sooner if my first brother had been there to win quickly and decisively and sneakily, because that's how it goes sometimes.

Oh, so fun.  I love these people!