Parnell Family Reunion

While in Yakima, my older brother, Jeff, and his family came to Grandpa and Grandma's house to join in on the family fun. 

 

Aunt Sarah recruited Erika and Laurel to shuck corn in preparation for the Saturday night feast.

Great-Grandma and Grandma made homemade ice cream.  Laurel watched it closely.

Putting enough soda in the fridge for everyone.

Parnells!

Jeff's younger daughter, Emilee (11), was so good with the younger kids.  And she and Erika became fast friends.  She conducted a makeover party for them.

 

Sarah, Jacob, and I spent many many weekends, vacations, and summers in Yakima growing up.  So Jacob wanted to let our kids experience some of the fun we had when we were kids.  And one of our favorite activities was ice blocking!  Sarah and Jacob scoured the Yakima grocery stores until they found a store that sold ice in blocks as opposed to ice chunks.  Four ice blocks later we had a great time!  Franklin Park in Yakima has the best hill to slide down on the ice blocks.  The kids had such a great time!  I went down a couple times.....it was much more fun when I was 10 than when I was 33!  Jacob and Jeff were much braver and flew down the hill, but I think they both probably have many bruises from their adventures.

Erika and Laurel ready to go.

Levi sat on the ice and decided it was too cold.  He and Molly were a little small to go down by themselves, but they had fun running down and then being carried back up the hill.

Erika was pretty good at it!

The bummer part of ice blocking....carrying the ice block back up the hill!

Laurel actually liked the ice blocking the best out of my kids, but she was very cautious and went down the hill so slowly!

 

 

 

 

 

After ice blocking, we went back to Grandpa and Grandma's house for a much anticipated dinner!  My grandma and sister-in-law, Kelly, stayed back while we all went to the park to fry up a ton of chicken.

Emilee and Erika getting the biscuits ready.

The big kid table.

My girlies.

Before Jeff and Kelly had to leave, we tried getting a picture of Grandma and Grandpa and all their great grandkids.

Waiting for the kids to get ready.

Levi was less then impressed with a family picture.

He really didn't want to be in it.

So my mom held him so he could kind of be in the picture!

 

What a great time to be with our family!