Cluff Family Reunion- Arizona Part 2

We drove straight from the Grand Canyon to the Cluff family reunion near Nutrioso, AZ. 
We picked up groceries on the way and dropped them off at our cabin and then joined all the Cluff cousins at the Sherwood family lodge. 

We got to the lodge in time for dinner. We visited with everyone and then went back to our cabin to wait for the rest of our cousins to arrive. Papa and Nanny had rented a beautiful cabin for us all to share and we were the first ones there, along with Nanny and Papa. David and Michelle also arrived shortly after us. We got settled in and the Allreds and Drakes arrived later on. Aunt Laura drove over with the Allreds so we were all together. It was so fun!

The next morning we made our way back over to the lodge after eating breakfast and stuff. 

Chris stayed at the cabin during the day so he could work. But then he would drive over to the lodge for dinner and all the evening fun. 
As usual, this trip was super nostalgic for me. Since I've been going to this mountain and this lodge since I was a kid, it's always fun to see my kids enjoying the same things I enjoyed. 

This playground, for instance, has been around for decades. I remember playing on these swings and monkey bars. 

 

Many a child has flown down this slide at impressive speeds and it was fun to see my own kids enjoying it.

 

 

The boys also enjoyed getting really dirty in the sandbox. 

  

Many of the cousin in my generation, including myself, were tasked with planning activities for the younger generation. So the kids were kept mostly entertained and we had a great time. 

The kids played capture the flag, four square, nine square and lots of other outdoor games. 

 

We enjoyed amazing views from beautiful heights. 

 

And we enjoyed lots of yummy treats like snow cones and ice cream. 

I also brought my face painting supplies and it was a huge hit. I spent many hours painting kids faces. It was so funny. If you needed to find me during the day, I was almost always found with a few kids around me and a paint brush in hand. 

Bailey made friends with a lot of her second cousins. It was so cute to watch the relationships grow. 

We all fell in love with, my cousin, Melissa's kids. Bailey and Emma bonded really quick. 

During the evenings we all gathered inside the lodge to listen to family history stories or watch talent shows. The Cluff family has grown so much it's a little bit crazy how many of us there are. 

It was also so cute to see the kiddos gathered in the loft area, watching the nightly activities, just like we did as kids. 

 

At nights we would gather back at our cabin to get our kids to bed and then hang out together. 

In the mornings, the kiddos would play and laugh together while the adults got ready for the day. 

Tucker and Max made a little fort out in the woods behind our cabin and he took me outside to see it before going to the lodge. 

   

They worked so hard on it. It was adorable.

I was in charge of Benson's age group and had planned a treasure hunt for the second day. 
It was so cute and the kids loved it. 

   

 Benson was so happy to show his cousins how to open his treasure chest with the key and the kids all enjoyed the chocolate coins inside. 

  

We also painted sun catchers and rocks. The kids loved all the crafts and the painting. 

Uncle David and I took kids on hikes and we all enjoyed the cooler temperatures. 

Melissa's daughter, Julia, and I bonded and I just adore all of her kids. 

I also got in lots of quality time with these handsome boys. 

  

 

These cutie kids were fearless in their explorations. 

Tucker really loved the painting and he enjoyed painting me. 

  

Benson spent lots of time looking for "treasure" (coins) in the sandbox with cousins and he loved playing with his Uncle David. 

 

 

Tanner made friends with some of the older cousins and really enjoyed, my cousin, Emily's son, Jace. 

 

Bailey was so thrilled with Aunt Michelle painted her face like a big horn sheep which is her favorite animal currently. 

Benson and Parker, who is Melissa's youngest, were so cute. Sometimes I'm sad that Benson wont ever have a younger sibling to play with but our family feels complete so I guess I will just have to enjoy him playing with cousins like this. 

On our last evening, we were able to take a family picture with all the Drake family. 
It was so fun to be there together and to visit with all our Cluff cousins. 

We also had to snag a cousins picture of all our kids on the huge slide together. We were cracking up trying to get this picture without the younger kids sliding all the way off. But we managed it in the end. 

 

Benson especially enjoyed the evenings when he got to have both his parents around. It was pretty cute. 

 

Back at our cabin on our last night together we decided to do an Oreo taste test.

All the kids and most of the adults participated. We even got some gluten free oreos for Aunt Michelle.  

After we finished, everyone voted on their favorite flavors and we took pictures with each group and their favorite flavor. 

 

 

After our taste test, the kids went to bed and we got the car loaded up so we could drive home the next day. We had to leave at 5 am because we had a very long drive home that day. We did the drive in one day and we survived just fine. But we were sad to have to say goodbye to everyone. 

We loved our cabin and we loved spending time with family. 

Until next time Arizona, thanks for all the fun!