Return to Clear Creek

Yep, we returned to Clear Creek for another summer family reunion.  We just can't get enough of this place.  Almost 20 years ago we took a photo like this of us running/jumping at the front gate for the brochure we were creating.  We always made fun of it because it sort of looked like the people were running to get away from the ranch.  We wanted to recreate the moment with a new generation of jumpers (and a few old ones too).

I love coming back to this place.  It brings back so many good memories from my summers as a wrangler.  It was fun to have my family of four back in the place where Aaron and I met and fell in love nine summers ago.  It was a little crazy to think that two years ago when we had our reunion here, we had no kids.

As I expected and hoped, Brigham loved the ranch.  It made me a little bit sad that he won't be able to spend a lot of time there like we were able to growing up.  It is the perfect place for a little boy to wander, explore and get dirty.

My cute cousins put on a carnival for the kids with clowns, cotton candy, a tightrope, and the train.

 There was lots of wrestling on the grass.

And there was lots of fun with sticks.

We were so busy and had such a good time, I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I would have liked to.  Julia and I had a good time planning and hosting the newest edition of the Bodell Bash.  There were many highlights (Bodell brothers singing beach boys, Bodell sisters singing the supremes, uncle Ed doing the Elephant March) but I think my favorite may have been the "High as a Kite" Minute to Win It game.  Picture adults (and one three year old) with kites tied to headbands around their heads, running around in circles to keep them up in the air while "Let's Go Fly a Kite" from Mary Poppins is playing.  I guess you had to be there to appreciate it.  It was pretty great.

We enjoyed yummy food, lots of visiting, smores, a talent show, dancing gorillas, movies under the stars, and funny late night games in the stables.

This was our third (and most successful in my opinion) attempt at getting a photo with the five Hicks grandkids.

 So glad we could introduce a new generation of Bodell kids to one of our favorite places.