On our way home from McCall and the Hill Reunion, we stopped in Murtaugh for the Egbert Reunion. It has been a few years since we have been to an Egbert event, so it was fun to get to see everyone again. The main gathering point for the reunion was at Aunt Sue's house. We arrived just in time for a big Hawaiian haystack dinner with amazingly delicious brownies for dessert. We chatted and played lawn games for a few hours, and when it got dark we went to Anna's house for an outdoor drive-in movie. We watched the Apple Dumpling Gang. Anna and Theron had a huge screen set up, and they even had a radio station that we could tune into to listen to the audio. It was a pretty sweet set up.
A bunch of the teenagers skipped the movie and went out on a boat with Rod to watch the fireworks for the Fourth of July. The kids were so nice to invite Christian and Andrew to go with them. I wasn't sure how it would go since they didn't know any of the kids, but they seemed to have a good time. I'm glad they could get to know their extended family a bit better.
We stayed in Anna and Theron's camper trailer that was parked next to their house. It was huge and really nice. After this trip, I can definitely see the benefits of camper life. They are so convenient, but I'm sure also very expensive to buy and tow.
The next day was all about our pioneer heritage. The Egberts are really into Family History and like to do these kinds of things at their reunions. The whole day turned out really great! They had a series of stations set up with activities to do, and we rotated through them.
Brick laying: We each got a brick that we wrote our name on and a goal for how we could come unto Christ. Then Liz taught us how to make cement and build a fire pit using everyone's bricks.
Fabric Scrap Rugs: Aunt Janie taught us how to make rugs out of long strips of old fabric scraps. We tied them together, braided them, and then used some thread to stitch them together into a circular pattern. Making these rugs is a long tradition in the Egbert family, so it was fun to actually be able to participate in the process.
Prairie Diamonds: Rod ran a station where he helped everyone make a prairie diamond (pioneer ring). Since the pioneers did not have money or access to fancy jewelry, they made rings out of horseshoe nails. Rod made most of them, but he allowed the older boys to help make their own. They got to hammer and shape them to fit their fingers. It was a really educational experience for everyone.
Candle making: Anna taught us how to make candles by repeatedly dipping them in wax. It was the end of the day when we finally got there, so the wax was full of chunks and wasn't very smooth. The kids didn't care though. They were happy to make candle blobs instead.
Ink and Quill Writing: At the last station, we got to use a feather and ink pot to try to write notes. It was surprisingly difficult to make the writing look nice. The feather tip was inconsistent, and it was hard to keep the ink smooth. I gained a lot of respect for people who had good penmanship back in the day.
The last event of the reunion was the auction that we do every time. People donate items and services to auction off. The money that is raised goes to the organizer of the next reunion to help pay for everything. It is a fun and unique way to fund future reunions. Everyone gets really into the auctions, and the kids especially love them. Hyrum had his heart set on a shark lamp, so he saved all his money until the very end and won it. He was so happy!
After the auction, we packed everything up, grabbed a sack dinner and started the drive back to Provo. We had already been gone a really long time and needed to get back for Jonathon's work. We had to leave the reunion a little early, but we were grateful we got to go to most of it. Our whirlwind reunion tour was so fun and special. I am grateful for the amazing families that we are part of. We are very blessed.
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