Jana's Favorite Reunion Memory

I remember this reunion more clearly than i remember anything else before i was 10. I was 7 years old and it was a Gunderson Reunion at Moon Lake. As we were driving up i was really excited and had to ask mom if EVERYONE was going to be there. She said everyone would be there eventually. She said that everyone was coming but, Uncle Steve (Gunderson :) ) was going to come up one day late because he had work.

To me, coming late to a reunion because of work was nothing short of a sin. I decided he needed to learn a lesson.

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So, a couple of days later dad was filling up water balloons. we had a water fight planned at the beach. Dad said that we would have teams and rules and...stuff. Because we begged, me and a few of the other little kids, including Kara, got just 1 balloon. At first i wanted to keep the precious present. Then i saw Steve. he was sitting in a circle with the other grown-ups. I stood between two white metal tables. i decided it was time for him to learn his lesson. I aimed and threw the balloon as hard as i could. I missed. It hit the tree a foot behind his head.

The adults looked over and laughed at me. Saying "oh you're lucky you didn't hit him" I was determined. I turned to Kara who was standing next to me the whole time holding a great big blue balloon. She was only 3, poor kid. I begged her to hold her balloon for just a second. she refused but, i was persistent. Through whatever lies i told her i got that balloon. I wasted no time in chucking this one also. this one hit the target right on his right shoulder. Kara was probably crying at this point and in the future i did apologize but, at the time, the only thing i cared about was my uncle who had stood up and ran over to the water pump. I guess he got my aunt Tricia because before i knew it they were both coming at me! Tricia went to one side of the table and Steve to the other. I was trapped. I tried to think of ways to escape. Running one way then the other. Finally i resigned myself to running straight for the other grownups, in front of me, and hoping i could make it. As soon as i stepped out of the tables they both got me at the exact same time.

That was how it began. The biggest water fight of our lives. Everyone got cups and water balloons or got out of the way. my dad was at the water pump filling up water for everyone and advising them on who to get next. At one point i saw the younger kids, the ones i played with, all hiding and sniffling up by a tent with my aunt Phyllis. I went up there and tried to feign innocence but, Phyllis wouldn't have it. She sent me away. So, i was the youngest one in the water fight.

When it finally ended I asked my dad when we were going to do the normal water fight. He told me that we ran out of balloons. I never really wanted to do that one but, it was a shame it ended. He said "but, this one was better" I smiled, dripping at him and said "yeah it was"

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July and August Stories

July is almost half way through! I can't believe it! I thought that for July we could share favorite stories from Family Reunions. This could include from our own family reunions or from other family reunions.
For the stories in August, I thought it would be fun to share stories of our grandparents. I know that some were shared at the Thomas reunion last weekend about Grandma and Grandpa Thomas. It was fun to hear about them. Remember you can e-mail them to me or if you are an author on this blog, you can post it yourself. If you have any questions, let me know.

My Daddy by Camilla

One memory of Daddy is that when I was five I was able to go to work with him and he couldn’t get in the house so he opened the window, then he and all his friends looked at me. I had no idea why they were staring at me , but dad asked me to go through the window. It was one of those small windows so I’d have to go unlock the door and then let them in. I was worried about the landing but there was a poster so I slid through the window and opened the door and let them in. I’ve had to do that with his truck when he locked it.

Memories of Our Dad (Dan)

Jarom's Memory:

I remember when Dad took me and Jared to drive his mini-excavator...

Dad took me to work with him one time when he was working on a house in Provo. There was a leak in the house so we got to use the mini- excavator! Dad let me drive it and i backed it up and put the bulldozer blade up. I got to scoop it too. It was a lot of fun!

Kara's Memory:

I remember when Dad gave me a black eye...(No, i dont have an abusive dad.)

I was six years old. Dad said i was big enough to go to Seven Peeks with him, Krista, and Jana.

I was excited and scared. I didnt know how to swim. When we first got there Krista and Jana wanted to go down a big slide.

Dad said he would take me down it after them. I was SO scared! Krista and Jana went down and said they would meet us at the bottom. We sat on our tube and waited for the signal to go down. "Lean back when you get to the end." the lady said that worked at the top. WOSH! we went! I screamed most of the way down. When we got towards the end dad said "Lets lean forward." I stupidly agreed. so we leaned. when we got the end the tube went flying over us. Dad reached for me and the tube at the same time. when dad grabed me his hand went POW! He hit me in the eye! When we got out of the pool of water Krista and Jana kept asking me if i was ok, "Sure, i'm fine." i kept saying. we were walking towards the Wave Pool when Krista looked at me and laughed. "Whats so funny?" I asked. "Nice eye." she answered. i touched my swollen eye. i hadnt felt the pain but now i did. Boy, did i have a nice shiner!

Dad by Pam

What I remember most about my Dad during my growing up years was his love for sports and the support he gave to his kids in their various activities.

He coached all three brothers little league baseball games. If he wasn’t coaching he was the umpire for the other teams and Mom was the official score keeper, which kept them at the baseball diamond all summer long. We still like to talk and reminisce about the early years of baseball when Dad was trying to teach his young team the basics of baseball and his outfielders were out looking for asparagus, or doing summersaults, or simply daydreaming and not paying attention to the game. Dad could not understand that all boys weren’t into sports like he was

Dad was detected a time or two skipping work to watch Brent and Randall practice high school basketball and football. I played basketball during my junior high and freshman years and I remember one time during a junior high game in the middle of the day looking up in the bleachers and there was Dad there to support me. He traveled all over the state to see his kids participate in different events, and I usually went with him, I enjoyed a good ball game too. I was known as the “I want to go” girl.

The girls all played right into to Dad’s hands because we were all on the drill team and we performed at all the half time shows, so Dad could watch a good high school game and see us perform at the same time.
I always knew when I got off work late at the Polar Queen, Dad would still be up watching his Braves and I’d sit down with him to see how Murphy was doing.
Growing up, the girls often wondered if our t.v played anything other than sports. We still wonder that when we go home to visit and still give him a hard time for it. Jarom’s favorite thing to do at Grandpa’s house is to sit on his lap and watch whatever game Grandpa is watching or play ball with him.
Until a few years ago, whenever the family got together Dad got a ball game going. Whether it was basketball, football or softball it didn’t matter as long as we were playing something. There is still a game being played when we gather, usually football, but now that Dad is past the age of man he no longer instigates it or participates, but it a spectator. He and Jarom are at the same speed now.
I now think one of the greatest pleasures in Dad’s life is when the whole family is together having a great time and also when we all leave and his remote to the his t.v is still by his chair.

Memories of my Dad

I have a lot of memories of Dad. I had an opportunity to spend time with him in a one on one setting for several years. Mom was serving in Young Women's. Each week Stephen, Ruth, and Mom would go to Mutual. That left me home alone with Dad. Sometimes we would talk or watch TV together.
I remember one time when we had some used birthday candles. We took a tuna fish can and melted them altogether in it. I know that is a random memory, but the thing that stood out most to me was that we were doing something together. At that time in my life that was important for me. That time on each week on Tuesday night helped me get to know Dad better. We never did anything too exciting and some weeks I would wish that I could go with the others, but little by little it helped to bring us closer together. Thanks Dad!

Memories about dads

Last weekend we (Dan, Pam, Jessica, and I) were talking about recording memories from our childhood. One idea was to pick a topic and have each person write about it and then put them all together in a book at the end of each year. I thought maybe doing it via the blog might work out nice. Please let me know what you think.
So the theme for this month (June) is fathers. You can write about a memory with your father, father-in-law, or about how you feel about being a dad (if you are one). You can e-mail them to me and I can post them or you can get a g-mail account and post it yourself (let me know and I'll add you to the list.)
I think this will be a great way to record our memories and for everyone grow closer together. Also for July the theme will be "Family Reunion Memories".