*Monday Memos* (Family Reunion Edition)

*MONDAY MEMOS*

   

 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge) 
Weekly recap of my rather crazy, insane, but fun and rewarding life!

dear sights on run, I wanted to post this picture I took on my run because I am sure it may be one of the last of these standing anywhere in our country.  It is a engraving of the 10 Commandments.  I run past it nearly everyday, but today I stopped and thought about what a rare sight this is.  I am grateful I live in a community that still has values and is not bullied into being politically correct which would mean it would have to come down.     

And then there is this sight...
Let Freedom Ring!  hah

dear preparation for fam reunion, I spent most of time this week preparing for the reunion.  It was a LOT of work and very time consuming.  I did go to my harp lesson on Monday (which was a holiday in Utah for the 24th) and ran a few errands.  I had a hair cut this week as well and got in a few runs, including some speedwork at the cemetery.  I went to the high school, but the football team was there and so I headed to the cemetery and measured my distance and did my Yasso 800's there.  Robin called me and she was out running already and so joined me at the cemetery and we did some speedwork together.  It is so much better doing than doing that alone!   I am not going to post much else as far as this week went besides the reunion because I am posting so late and I am honestly just out of time.  

Some of the signs I made and the table full of Boot Camp props.

So on to the reunion.....

dear family reunion!  This year was me and Dave's turn to be in charge which translates into ME being in charge.  His life is a little crazy right now and so I took it on myself.  He did help with some of the set up of Boot Camp.  This is the 4th annual one.  The first year his sister Julie was in charge but since she lives in Las Vegas, me and his sister Karen did a lot of the planning.  We started a luau and did tie dye shirts and an Olympic competition etc.  Then the next year Karen was in charge and I helped her with all the planning of it as well (the luau, the shirts, other activities etc).  Then last year his brother Brian was in charge and they did it all themselves.  I just showed up.  It was nice!  There was no theme but they did a Great Race kind of game thing one day.  But I am a theme girl and so I decided to do a theme this year.  I chose an ARMY theme.  We did that once for my American Mother's Summer Survival Camp and it was a blast!  Once I have a theme, I will take off on it.  I sent out an email announcing the theme and made assignments a couple months before and tried to get everyone excited to come.  I think it worked because we had a great turnout!

(Below is a version of the email sent) 

Hello TROOPS!

I DON'T KNOW BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD....
ANOTHER REUNION'S ABOUT TO UNFOLD!
ATTEN-HUT!!!

Yay!!!!  It's that time again for the Wilding Family 4th Annual Reunion!!!!  It's coming up fast!  I hope you are as excited as we are! 

Once again barracks / mess hall / latrines / etc. will be at the cabin (or you may bunk at another location of your choosing).  The dates are Thursday July 28th through Saturday July 30th. We hope you can all make it or at least part of it!  It's such a great time to make memories that will last a lifetime!

This year we are doing an Army Theme!  So be prepared for some FUN and EXCITING events! 
Boot Camp will commence at 1400 hours (2 pm civilian time) on Thursday and troops will be dismissed on Saturday evening.  But as always you can come when you can and stay as long as you like!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: (subject to change if necessary)

THURSDAY:  GATHER THE TROOPS! ! Welcome all!

1400 hours (2 pm or when arrive) - Set up camp, get settled.  Free time until chow is served.

1730 hours  (5:30 pm) - Chow time!  We will gather for our traditional Hawaiian Luau.  Hawaiian attire is encouraged!

1900 hours (7 pm) - USO TALENT SHOW and FAMILY SKITS! Each family will be given a bag of props and will have 15 min to prepare a 5 minute impromptu skit!  Anyone wishing to share a talent (or non talent ) will have the stage after the skits!   

2030 hours (8:30 pm) - Banana Boat party and singing around the campfire.  Be sure to bring a camp chair. *Banana Boats are like Smore's heated in a banana over the fire. Mmm...

FRIDAY:

0800 hours (8 am) - Morning chow provided by recruits

1000 hours (10 am) - BOOT CAMP MANEUVERS!!! Please report for Active Duty.  Basic training drills, testing accuracy, survival, agility, endurance, strength, and balance skills. This is going to be SO. MUCH. FUN!  Now's the time to "Be all that you can be!"

1200 hours (noon) - Lunch on your own

Free time - go into Jackson before Bar J, hang out at cabin, play games, practice your basic training skills etc. or just chat and enjoy each other's company.

1700 hours -approx. (5 pm) - Leave for USO show (Bar J) (Please RSVP ASAP with a count of how many family members are going to Bar J so Dad can reserve seats)

SATURDAY:
0730 hours (7:30 am) Calisthenics for those hard core enough to take it.

0800 hours (8 am) - Morning chow provided by recruits

Rest of day is free to chose: floating the Snake, Saratoga Springs, Pickleball, crafting, fishing, playing games, napping, or just chilling!

Lunch on your own.  Dinner at Alpine Pizza Place for those still in town.

Troops dismissed!  At ease soldiers... until next year!

MESS HALL and KP DUTY:

Thursday Dinner: Lynn and Linda, Scott and Carolyn, Julie and Beattie

Friday Breakfast: Kevin and Tori, Brian and Becki
Saturday Breakfast: Dave and Jodi, Karen and Barry

Also please bring:

• Camp chairs
• Fun outdoor games and Pickleball gear
• A treat to share
• Big white tables if you have them (please let me know if you can bring some and how many)
• $5 per person to cover the cost of the paper goods, campfire party, and Boot Camp awards, etc.

 ***One last thing: 

CAMP SHIRTS - (Fatigues)  Instead of tie dying our shirts this year, we would like everyone to wear a CAMO shirt for Friday's activities (Boot camp, family picture, and Bar J).  They come in many colors so you can match as a family, or all be different, or whatever you like.

THANKS SO MUCH!  We are looking forward to a great time with you all! 

Forward march! 

General Dave and Drill Sergeant Jodi

You're in the ARMY now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prepare for PICTURE OVERLOAD! 

We had our traditional Hawaiian Luau on the first night with Hawaiian Haystacks.  I didn't get too many pix of everyone dressed up....I was a little preoccupied this year I guess. But trust me...they DID dress up!  I hope someone got some good pix because almost everyone was in a grass skirt.  And I mean almost everyone.  hah 
No ARMY happening yet!

Until Friday morning...

 You will have to click to enlarge the collages...

As always, we had exceptional food!  This family does know how to cook!

Thursday night we gathered for SKITS.  Instead of doing them as a family, we changed it to different groups in order to get more participation.  Who knows? Maybe doing it as families as originally planned would have been better.  But this way worked as well.  But since Dave and I were the only ones of our family there that night, we weren't too keen on doing a skit with just the two of us.

 The "sisters" did "So Long, Farewell" from the Sound of Music and what we thought was going to be a tomato thrower's paradise, actually ended up rather hilarious as Julie kept backing up closer and closer to the fire as she waved the part, "Goodbye" over and over.  It was one of those unexpected comedic surprises.  The other skits were really good!  The young adults did one, the younger kids, the really little kids, and the guys, but they chickened out at the last minute.  We also had a talent show.  The little ones were the only ones that performed.  Michael did a stand up comedy show.  He was pretty good.  Then Aubrey sang her songs around the campfire and after she was done Dad put on his iTunes and we listened to the oldies. The Carpenters, Anne Murray, Captain and Tennille, Seals and Crofts, etc....(lots of the 70's).  I love watching the fire and just chilling.

Then instead of the traditional S'mores at the bonfire gathering, I decided to do Banana Boats this year.  It was a great choice.  They were SO yummy!  And very few had ever made one.  That was quite a surprise to me since I started making them when I was a kid. 

Time for BOOT CAMP!
Atten-hut!!! 

 Dave (the General) and I (the drill sergeant) gathered the troops at 0-10 hundred hours on Friday morning and recruited them into the Wilding Army.  I was happy Taylor and Bryce arrived just in time!

The whole fam damily with the exception of McKay, Skyler, Kimber and fam, Dani and fam, Scott, Beattie, and Tori.  If everyone came there would be 12 more.

 A few of the fatigues.  I think my purple ones were still the best!  :) Oh yeah!

Boot Camp prep

 After we oriented the troops on the schedule of the day, we had them line up for their physicals (with Army Nurse Natalie), team assignments and the distribution of dog tags and food rations.  I didn't get a photo of either dang! But this is the food ration tag ↓.

  It had some yummy treats (pretzels, cereal, peanut butter chips, etc) inside a little bag that everyone got. 
You can see the back of the basic training ration bags in this ↓ photo as well as the dog tags if you zoom in.

 A few shots before the maneuvers began...

 TIME TO BEGIN!!!
CALISTHENICS was first on the list!  We worked them hard!

 Next was the obstacle course with challenging MANEUVERS only skilled soldiers could conquer.  They were divided into five teams and each team was timed to see who had the highest score minus deductions (penalties) for faulty performance. 

 The next event was the SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION.  The teams were in a race to see who could rescue the most comrades.  They had to find 63 small army men and 4 large ones.  Amazingly they found all but one! 

The TUG OF WAR was next.  This event was a Boot Camp FAIL!  They nylons ended up breaking before the soldiers could get to the designated line.  A funny fail, but a fail nonetheless.  So we decided to change it into a real tug of war but there wasn't a rope long enough. We just gave each team 50 points for effort and called it good.  (Note to self:  don't buy dollar store nylons for a tug of war!)

Next was making SHIELDS for the grenade war.  Each team was given a piece of cardboard and scissors, paint, tape, etc. to make either several shields or a large team shield.  I was blown away by the creativity of the finished products.

Isaac was voted the winner of this event!

 The final and most exciting event was the GRENADE WAR!!!

 Each team was given about 60 grenades (water balloons) and with the protection of their shields or whatever else they could find, they were in a battle to be the last man standing.  The last man standing would receive 100 points for his team and the 2nd soldier would receive 50.

 The recruits took this war VERY seriously!   It was a "blast" (pun intended) to watch!

 The BOOT CAMP champs was the PINK team!  (bottom right)

Boot camp was a success!  The recruits made this drill sergeant proud!

A few more pictures of the day...because you didn't get enough yet! ;)

Cute cousins!

My troops!  (Minus three)

 The rest of the day was free time.  I used my time to make banana bread using some of the leftover bananas from the banana boats for part of my breakfast the next day.  Others played games, rode the four wheelers, took naps, went into Jackson Hole early, watched movies, explored, visited, etc.  

Then we headed to Jackson Hole to go to BAR J!  It is a tradition that we have had for over 30 years now.  We have been going to Bar J for almost as long as Bar J has been in business!

 It is one of our favorite things to do as a family!

 The Bar J guys have been so good to our family.  They are Dave's and his Dad's patients when they are traveling through our area and they pay us back in so many generous ways.  We just love them so much!  They are such a hoot.  Dave's Dad and Babe are good friends.  And during the performance they mentioned "Doc Wilding" by name two or three times.  They usually do.  It's so sweet of them.  Brian offered to take a picture of the family!  He was hilarious!  (bottom right)

 He did a good job! 

 The food was superb!  As always!  I love the chicken and BBQ beef combo!  Taylor LOVES the spice cake and always ends up with about five pieces that everyone around him gives him.

 But the entertainment is really why we go.  There is not a better show for the price anywhere.  They are ridiculously talented but also hilarious.  I ALWAYS have tears streaming down my face from laughter no matter how many times I have heard their jokes.

 We LOVE Bar J!

They have a new song on their new CD titled Father to Father.  It is amazing.  It really touched me.  We go the new CD God and Country because it is such an amazing song.

Here are the lyrics:

Father to Father

FATHER TO FATHER  NOW THIS DAY IS DONE
THANKS FOR THIS CIRCLE I COULD RIDE WITH MY SON
I'M A TOO PROUD OL' COWBOY LORD YOU'VE A SON TOO
AN' I GUESS YOU'RE PROUD OF HIM FOR DOIN' WHAT HE HAD TO DO

SO FATHER TO FATHER I'VE COME FOR A CHAT
'CAUSE HOW COULD A FATHER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT
SEE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN NAILED TO A TREE
AND SACRIFICE THAT BOY 'SPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME

CHORUS: 'CAUSE IF IT WAS ME HAD TO RIDE WITH THAT PLAN
             I'D SAY CUT LOOSE MY BOY THE WHOLE WORLD BE DAMNED
             SO HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL LORD I'M THANKIN' YOU
             FATHER TO FATHER
             FOR DOIN' WHAT I COULDN'T DO

FATHER TO FATHER MY LIFE'S TRAIL'S NEAR RODE
BUT YOUR BOY'S HERE BESIDE ME TO CARRY MY LOAD
'CAUSE ALONE I'M NOT WORTHY TO MAKE CAMP WITH YOU
SO THANKS FOR THE GRACE LORD AND FOR DOIN' WHAT I COULDN'T DO

CHORUS: 'CAUSE IF IT WAS ME HAD TO RIDE WITH THAT PLAN
             I'D SAY CUT LOOSE MY BOY THE WHOLE WORLD BE DAMNED
             SO HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL LORD I'M THANKIN' YOU
             FATHER TO FATHER
             FOR DOIN' WHAT I COULDN'T DO
             FOR DOIN' WHAT I COULDN'T DO

© 2004, Curly J Productions
Words and Music Curly Musgrave

Beautiful!  Especially the Bar J version that Brian sings.

The next morning after breakfast, the troops rallied around to float the Snake River.  This is also a 30 plus year old tradition.  It is so much fun, but there have been a few close calls over the years.  Some years it is safer than others.  We had to rent some life jackets this year (this family is getting so large!) and the man at the store told us to be careful on Haircut Rock because it has been really dangerous this year.  I relayed that info back but it was not well accepted.  :/

 Getting ready to float.  The top right photo is of the "old" cabin.  It is the first one his Dad bought and some of the fam stays at it during the reunion out of necessity because the new one (he's owned it about 15 years or more now) isn't big enough for everyone.  Two of the siblings rent a cabin. 

 The river was low this year and so it wasn't quite as crazy as some years, but it was still SO MUCH FUN!

 We had two boats going down at once and then the Garrett's and others went down after we got back.  I kind of started a water war because I was trying to get my bil Scott back for something.  It was a lot of fun!  It even started to rain a bit while we were out which is always a bonus! 

My family had to rush back home because Dave had to speak at a Trek fireside at 7:00 pm.  We headed out but our boys stayed back to help the second floating group get cars back from floating the river.  I would have preferred they rode behind us on the way back but they are both so nice that they offered to help the other group.  I am grateful they were so nice to offer, but there were plenty of others that didn't  have to rush home that could have done it.  But it's okay.  We just didn't get to eat dinner with them on the way home which was a drawback.  Dave and I stopped at Artic Circle in Soda Springs and holy cow they took FOREVER!  We ran into McKay's buddy Carson who was at his cabin in Soda and that was fun to talk to him.  But we somehow made it back in time for the fireside

Overall, the reunion was a BIG SUCCESS!  Man, what a relief to have that over!  I am now off the hook for six years!!! 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

dear random, this is a photo of my Grandpa Ed (Edward Castle Poppleton) and his mother (Mary Magdalene Thyberg Poppleton).  I can see a little bit of my Tyson in him.  He is my mother's father. 

A few of Bryce's posts.

My Pa sold us his Razr.  It will be a lot of fun to have!

Love this↓!