Reunion time

My mom came from a large farm family.  She is the oldest of 9 (living - 11 total I believe) children.  I was not short on Aunts, Uncles, and cousins my own age to play with growing up.  There are so many reasons that I feel blessed to be a part of this huge, loving family.  Lately I have really appreciated living closer to my parents and extended family and watching my children begin to get to know my extended family.  Before we moved back to MN, we visited them once a year maybe.  Now we get to see them monthly and I love that my children are starting to build some of the same memories that I had of growing up of visiting and playing with family out on the farm. 

So the reunion was this past weekend.  The first ever.  I think it was a huge success.  Lots of food, laughter, crazy antics (a must right) and a trip to the farm my mom and her siblings grew up on.

 

So the festivities started Friday night.  We went for a little cookout and a turn on the homemade zip line.  Yes...you heard it right.  A homemade zip line....here is a look at the rigged up craziness that is the Reiniger Zip Line:

Do you like how the two ladders are held together? Seriously.....  So I said I would be the 5th one down (since I figured I could watch 4 people successfully/unsuccessfully go down this zip line - which also by the way was being held tight by 3 guys and then loosened accordingly....don't think this would pass an inspection but ANYWAY).  My cousins came and told me I was up....right after I watched one of my cousin wipe out on the landing.  Now or never right?  I didn't know if I would even get the chance to go down a zip line like this again so I did it and had a VERY successful and fun ride (minus the fact that I lifted my hand up at the end and could have lost a finger or two...but I still have all ten digits so we will count it as a success)

Saturday was filled with conversation and food.  My Aunt's Cheri and Terry bought loads of presents for the kids to have on a scavenger hunt I designed around the farm.  Kids ran to the mailbox, pool, woodpile, birdbath, firepit and patio.  It was pretty fun having little kids around who got excited about scavenger hunts and prizes.  The two oldest did the balloon popping (to get the clue out) and reading of each clue.

 

 

 Caleb didn't stray to far from his momma during the scavenger hunt and we had fun!

Had to throw the picture of the water slide my uncle Greg constructed.  Complete with a sump pump that pumps water from the pool up to the top of the slide to be then pumped down the slide.  Uncle Greg - you are the most resourceful person I know.  Seriously.  McGyver has nothing on you.

 

 

 

Next up, visiting the farm my mom and her siblings grew up on.  I don't have a memory on this farm that doesn't include running wild with my cousins.  In the grove, in the barn, in the hay loft (even though that was off limits) in the corn crib, down by the river (with permission), camping in the tent in the backyard.  I cherish these memories.  Even though I don't see my cousins as often and we don't keep in close touch I LOVE that we share these memories and moments from childhood...these are some of my favorite memories of childhood and no matter how much our grown up lives take us away from each other....I will always have a special place in my heart for all my cousins.  

 Andie checking out the barn....looks the same from my childhood!

 Time to pet the pet goats on the farm....they were just running around the farm...no pen for these guys!

 One of my favorite things to do when I came to the farm was to hold the baby kitties.  Andie and Isaac loved it too!

Doesn't get more picturesque than this:

And this is what it looks like to have a good time on the farm:

My cousins and I (that were here....I think we were missing 8-10).  We lined up (starting in the back) oldest to youngest (youngest in front).  I am fourth oldest, next to my older brother.  The back row are my childhood buddies, people who make up the majority of my memories on the farm.  I love the front row as well....I remember a lot of them as babies!

 

Showed them the old corn crib (just the base now) where we played house in for HOURS!

Next generation (two of the moms are holding their babies)  We took many pictures like this growing up.  These are all my cousins and my children.  I wonder if they will have memories of playing with one another?

 

So Reinigers....I love you.  So blessed to be a part of this wonderful family.  You know how to have a great time (although the zip line might have bordered on the dangerous/great time line).  You are some of the most generous people I know.  And you really know how to love one another.  I think sometimes we all do a great job of being considerate and loving people besides our family and then we take our family for granted but you really love each other and show it in millions of little ways.  You help when help is needed, you laugh when laughter is needed, you cry together in times of sorrow and you make the world's craziest, most pieced together zip line that is so ridiculous it is fun and scary all at the same time.......