Family Reunion and Bear Lake

We just had our bi-annual Toomer Reunion in Paris, Idaho! (Sat. 8/22) It was so much fun. Here is a picture of my daddy (in the Superdad t-shirt) and his siblings. Sometimes when I think of how old we all are getting I get a bit sad-but there is so much love and joy in our family it's hard to stay that way. My Aunt Cheryl-back left in the purple-is insanely fun! She lives in California but always seems to make it back to Idaho for these reunions. Then there's my Aunt Janene- the oldest of my dad's siblings and the bossiest! (hee hee) Seriously-she keeps the family together and organized and we love her to pieces! My Aunt Eulita is from Texas and we don't get to see her at every reunion so it's a special treat when she does make it. Then on the front is my dad (he is awesome)- my Uncle Jack and my Uncle Roger. Uncle Jack and his wife Aunt Norma have had a lot of health problems but they still made it and I'm so glad. I used to stay with them when I was growing up- they were so good to me and I loved being with them and my cousin Pearl Ann. Last of all is the baby of the family- Uncle Roger- he was one of my heroes when I was a kid. I remember when I was in grade school and he was on the high school football team. I'd take my friends to see him at practice and sometimes he'd let me hold his glasses... wow- did I feel so cool?!??! :)

After the reunion, a bunch of us went to Bear Lake for the rest of the day. I was in HEAVEN! Growing up in Montpelier, we would spend our summer weekends alternating between camping and going to the Lake. I've only been a few times as an adult and I have sorely missed it! I am so glad we went! I think my kids and I will be making it a tradition to go at least once a year! Heather and her kids and Donnie & Katie and their kids had a blast too! I wish I could post ALL the pictures- but it would take pages! So here are just a few to kind of give you a feel for the Lake. It is one of the most beautiful places in Idaho. You can wade out in the water it seems like forever before it gets at all deep, so it's especially good for the kids. The water is fairly warm too (at least mid to late summer) and the beach is terrific.

This is Molly and Nash- these two little cousins love to hang out together. I just had to show them off. Heather forgot to bring Molly's suit so she got to swim in the bloomers to her sundress outfit- she didn't care- she just loved the water.

I told the kids the story of the Bear Lake Monster and it was pretty funny. At first Mailei got a little scared so we assured her it was just a story--then she kept coming to me and telling me she was sure she saw the monster out in the deep water. I told her how I used to get up early in the morning during the summer and sit outside on our porch and listen for the Bear Lake Monster.... in my little girl mind, the morning whistle at the train station was the monster waking up and I just knew some morning I would see her taking a walk through the park across the street from our house. 'Course it helped that I had this wonderful daddy who told us all kinds of stories... like the haunted shack on the way to the lake- or that Bloomington (Bloomertown) was named that because ladies hung their bloomers out on the line to dry and everyone could see them when they drove through.... he had a story for every where we went-camping, swimming- wherever....
Anyway- it was a wonderful weekend. The only sad thing for me was that Jim was not able to be there too. We're really hoping that we can get ALL our kids out to the lake sometime... what a great family party that will be.... Jim and I and our kids and our 27 grandkids! Look Out Bear Lake- here we come!