Family Reunion

Luca Version

So us as the Marlers, we took a plane to Chicago and drove down to the beach. We played and ate for a little bit and then went grocery shopping for some food we needed for meals. Then we drove to a Michigan lakeside house where everybody was. It was super big and had a very convenient little playground with a path leading to a bunch of trails and a HUGE playground which was made of wood and had a loose parts play area with just a bunch of wood and "tools" to build stuff with. on thursday we hung out and went swimming at a lake. on Friday we also did some more swimming. on Saturday we did archery and river rafting. the marlers did not get to go because one of them accidently wore flip flops. Then some people went to a ballgame while others stayed home. On Sunday we all went to church and then had lunch at an aunts and uncles house. after an hour or two the Marlers left for the airport and left on a plane. what was most fun was probably seeing our cousins again and the fun of hearing and exchanging stories by the campfire.  

Mom version

I love Family Reunion. I generally am not in love with the logistics of getting there, but I love my siblings and their spouses. I love my nieces and nephews. I love that the cousins are kind to each other, especially the older ones to the littles. I love that my kids are living their best lives around their family, and I love that Matthew has leaned into the experience and ends up being the teenage boy whisperer playing games collectively and one-on-one with them. I love how happy it makes my parents and that my kids never want to go home. I am so thankful for all the hard work my darling SIL Merillee put into making this such a successful and memorable time together.