Larry Christensen Family Reunion

My family is starting to get big enough and spread out enough that Mom suggested doing our own family reunion this year. I adore my extended family reunions that have been a tradition for 30+ years, but my cousins now have kids and grandkids of their own, and my children don't know any of them. Mom hoped this smaller reunion with just our family would be more comfortable for them and easier to plan. It turned out so fun, and I hope it will become a new tradition!

Sturgeon Fishing

One of the coolest things we did during the reunion was go sturgeon fishing. A man out in Parma created his own sturgeon pond and filled it with fish. Schwartz Sturgeon Pond at Poor Fish Ranch was such a cool place. For a day fee, everybody got a pole, tackle, and some training on how to catch sturgeon. Nearly everybody there caught at least one fish, and it was such a unique experience. The sturgeon were huge! The small ones were over a foot long, and the big boys we caught were 4-5 feet long. Reeling one of those in was hard work, but so awesome! Once you catch them, you wade into the pond, and carefully turn them over. You can then get pictures, take the hook out, and release them back into the pond. Joe was our designated sturgeon handler. He helped all of the kids (and some of the adults) with the fish. All of my boys caught a fish, and even though they were too scared to actually touch them, they were still pretty thrilled with their efforts. I caught two average sized sturgeon over the course of the day and could have stayed there for a couple more hours because I was having such a good time.

Family Proclamation

At all of our big family gatherings, my mom has been very conscientious about making sure that she does something spiritual along with all the playing. I admire this so much and am so grateful that she has taken the initiative to do this. I think it is so important that the kids see their uncles, aunts, and cousins in a spiritual light. I think this really teaches them that they are part of a legacy of faithful ancestors, and that family and faith are most important. 

For this reunion, mom and dad decided to focus on The Family Proclamation and its importance at this time in the world. She asked that each family take a paragraph of the Proclamation and present it to the family during a special Family Home Evening. Our family was given the second paragraph. We spent the weeks leading up to the reunion memorizing it together. When it was our turn, we nailed it!

All Human beings--male and female--are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual pre-mortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. 

It was so wonderful to see all of my siblings and their kids participate in this activity. After we each had our turn, my mom gave us some special Proclamation books that she had created and printed. They go through each phrase of the proclamation and include pictures of our family through the years. They were very special, and I am grateful that she put so much effort into helping build testimonies.

Backyard Games

One of the best things about being with my family is that everyone loves to play games. When we are all together, we play pretty much nonstop and just enjoy each other's company. Board games and card games are always a favorite, but this time we also spent a lot of time outside. My parent's backyard is a magical place. It is big enough for everyone to be together without feeling cramped. There is plenty to do for the little kids (swings, slides, trampoline, etc.), and activities for the adults too. On warm summer nights, we love to spend time playing Corn hole or Kubb together, watching the amazing Idaho sunsets. 

This time, we also did some new things for the kids. Grandma created an enormous slip 'n slide. Aunt Claire soaped it up good, and then the kids went down it hundreds of times. They thought it was pretty much the best thing ever!

Jonathon and I were in charge of the water rocket launch. First, we had all the kids create their own rockets out of two 2-liter soda bottles. They got to decorate them with duct tape, add fins, and name them. When they were ready to fly, we set up the rocket launcher that we borrowed from Jonathon's dad. You fill the rocket up part-way with water, add air from the air compressor, and then let them fly! They shot over a hundred feet into the air and were quite a sight to see. Jonathon and Hannah were good sports and launched the rockets over and over and over again. They got a bit wet in the process, but the kids loved it!

On another morning, Aunt Claire ran a little soccer camp for all of the kids. She is quite a good soccer player, so she can actually teach them some skills. She has also earned a bit of a reputation for being the favorite aunt because she is always willing to go have fun with them. They spent about an hour learning techniques, going through some training drills, and then playing an actual game. It was a great activity for all ages.

Fourth of July

I always like to spend the 4th of July with my family down in Melba. We went every year when we were little, so it's a little like going home. We have so many friends down there, and the small town has changed very little over the last 35 years. Everyone gathered down at the parade route early in the morning to get a good place along the parade route. I was excited for the parade, but it wasn't as good as past years. Maybe I am getting old or maybe it has gone downhill a little, but it definitely lost some of the magic. The kids were just happy to get some candy, so it wasn't a complete bust.

After we got back from Melba, we went swimming at Uncle Mike's pool (always a favorite activity), had a barbecue, and did some face painting with the kids (and adults!). Mom put me in charge of getting a family picture. We all wore our matching shirts, and got set up in front of the farm. There was some grumbling and impatience, but I worked as fast as I could and actually got some really cute pictures. I took one of the entire family, one of Grandpa and Grandma Ogborn with the great-grandkids, and then pictures of individual families. No one loves having family pictures taken, but I am so glad that we made the effort. They will be great memories as the years go by. Later in the evening, Ben, Joe, and Dan put on a firework display for us all to enjoy. Grandma has really upped her firework game, and it was a pretty impressive show. Overall, it was a lovely day! 

The Family Reunion was the highlight of the Summer for us. We loved spending time with everyone and making memories. I know it was a lot of work for Mom and Dad, but it was worth every second! I hope these reunions continue for a long, long time.