It was the week of the EFR.


We managed to get this big group picture under our favorite tree
outside Zion Lodge.

THE ELTON FAMILY REUNION!!!  Huzzah!  Cheers!  Hurray!

Fun times!  This year's EFR (which is held every other year -- to the chagrin of many -- though not enough apparently to change to yearly), was held at Zion Ponderosa Ranch just outside the eastern entrance to Zion National Park.  It was a very pretty place!

This is the view from the blacony above the pool.

Our campsites were in among the trees.

We arrived Wednesday in the late afternoon.  After we all set up our sites and had some dinner, most of the kids headed straight for the pool!  Those of us who could wait, got started on our visiting.

This actually wasn't Wednesday, but it looked kinda like that!

Thursday, we had a birthday party!  Thursday was Kayla's birthday and Friday was Becca and Emily's birthday, so we had one giant party!

Complete with pinata . . .

. . . presents and cupcakes!

The rest of the day was spent in the pool!!  Though we did get out for meals.  We also did a lot of visiting!  That night we put our chairs in a big circle and talked.  It was campfire time minus the fire -- having a fire would have gotten us a $1000 fine.  Ouch!  Dad and I talked about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea because it was our family book club book.  Not many readers this year!  We also passed around bags of chips, licorice, and jelly beans.  Our family circle was too big to hear the people on the other side.  Next time we will have to smash up together better.

On Friday, we packed everyone up and headed into Zion's to go for a hike!  That's where we took the picture under the giant tree.  We had lots of fun on the hike.  Friday was overcast with rain on and off so it was perfect for skipping the pool and going hiking!  Waiting for shuttles also happens to be a really good photo opportunity.

When we got to the Lodge, we goofed off a little bit more and then headed up to Emerald Pools.

After ice cream and some picnic lunches, we headed back to Zion Ponderosa for a little bit more swimming before the rain completely claimed the day!

We kept each other warm.

Since it rained and rained during the couple of hours around dinner time, Gillespies, Skinners, and Grandma and Grandpa escaped to the pizza place we spotted on the way into Zion park.  We cheated and it was yummy!

That night, our campground offered (for a small fee) a zipline -- in the dark!  We had some excited kids who wanted to go!

The zipline started from the top of this three-story barn.

 I am told that it was, and I quote, "FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!"

The rain had cleared that evening for some nice zip lining weather, but sometime in the night the rain started again.  It soaked the campsite and several of our tents.  The next morning, everyone packed up as quickly as possible.  It was time to get home and dry out!



My brother Pete's family.  Monica stayed home since she is
scheduled to have a baby next week!  He gets Father of the Year Award!
Go Pete! 

Us!  (Less Bethany who was playing with Emma someplace else!)

My brother Dave and his license plate!

My sister Amy's family.  They stayed upscale in one of the cabins!

My sister Diane's family's car.  They ran inside it when it started
raining instead of posing for a picture!  Weird, huh?

I have this other picture of them, tho, remember?

Mom and Dad!  They smiled at me from inside their car.

And my sister Maggie's family!  They got to take down in the rain!!
 They loved it.  We stayed to help. 

Overall, it ended rather wetly, but it is safe to say that a fun time was had by all.  I'm so glad that we do it even if it is only every other year.  It is so great to see everybody in my family all in one place.  It's so great to have the cousins get to know each other and play together.  It's great as the years go speeding by, to get these snapshots in time. So, hurray for the EFR!  May there be many, many more!!