The Blanchherd at Bear Lake {7/17: Tony Grove, Arrive at House}

We were super lucky to spend a few days with all* the Blanchards (*minus Ryan, who was quarantining in West Haven with Covid! Boo!) in Bear Lake this summer! We all gathered from all parts of the country (Ryan came in from a work trip in CA, Lea and the kids from VA and NC, the Farrers from CT, the Wihongi's from SLC, Paul and Kim from West Haven and us from Eden) and met at Tony Grove on Monday (17 July) afternoon. We snagged the picnic spot at the end and just plopped there for a little while to visit and reacquaint ourselves. Some folks took the walk around the lake, while others rested in the shade or played in the water. It was a lovely way to start the week of togetherness!

We got there first, and I took a minute to read
in the shade while we waited for everyone to arrive.
It took me over a month to read, which is pretty slow for me, but well worth sticking with it) and ... wow. That’s all I can say. Such a (real!) story, and I just keep thinking that he was 9 years old (!!!) when he made the journey from El Salvador to La USA with strangers who became family. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. 

The flowers were pretty, though not quite at peak.
But I was just glad there wasn't any snow left!

After Tony Grove, we headed to Bear Lake and our home for the reunion. We got a nice, new, big house with plenty of rooms and beds and bathrooms for the group, and we even paid a bit more to have access to the lake. Well. We did have access. But not very accessible access. It was a pretty squishy, muddy, mucky slog out to the water, which a few of us braved, but it wasn't ideal. And that was a bummer. But it was a gorgeous, unobstructed view of the lake, so it wasn't all for naught.

The cousins had their own separate house/loft/lair and
they lived it right up (all but Kage and Dray, who were a
bit too old and too introverted and too broken-legged to
enjoy that set up).

Here's a little tour: the main house and parking area.

The kids' house and more parking.

Inside the kids' loft room. (They also had a bathroom, which
was super nice.)

Watch out!

Having a marvelous time!

Hot tub!
(And see what I mean about view?!)

This is me playing life guard to the
kiddos in the hot tub.

Birthday cake time - today it was
celebrating Herm turning 14 in June.

Ladies chat in the corner.

Wowza! What a sunset!

The adults get a turn after the kids are in bed.

Every girl wants a man with a farmer tan.

Time for bed!