Family Reunion - Part 2

Antimony Utah, 209 miles from Salt Lake City

and a GREAT place for a family reunion!

This past weekend we took the journey to Antimony Utah for the Mauss side family reunion. Jake's grandma's sister and her husband own a dude ranch in Antimony. Every two years we all get together and enjoy a few days at the Rockin R Ranch. This is a full on working dude ranch complete with horses, sheep, the local "merchantile", and straight up cowboys! I think that most of us think "oh it's really that time again to go to the ranch??" but this year it was the Mauss families turn to plan all the activities and it turned out great. I forget how fun it is to get into cowboy mode!

We arrived Saturday afternoon and started out with some great activities. We played water balloon volleyball and had a water balloon toss - yes, Jake threw the balloon to me and I didn't catch it so it broke! We enjoyed snow cones, cotton candy, and a delicious choclate bar. Thanks Mare for setting that up - great idea! Later on that night we had a pingpong tournament - and I would like to say that I am VERY proud of my husband - HE WAS THE WINNER! He has mad skills when it comes to pingpong. Early Sundy morning we were woken up by a scary incident. In the main lounge of the ranch there are a bunch of couches where the entire family gathers for meetings, games, and just general conversation. This room has full valted ceilings where you can see up to the 3rd floor rooms. Hanging from the ceiling is a cool three tiered chandalier that is made out of antlers - well at 6:00 am Sunday morning - the chandiler fell! Luckily no one was in the lounge and it was cleaned up quickly! Sunday afternoon we set up crafts for the little kids. We made pinecone bird feeders and visors that they could decorate. We also set up so the families could take old fashioned pictures - they turned out great! All of us brought down some western clothing that could be worn, and we printed the pictures in sepia. This was a huge hit! I was excited because every family turned out so great! Sunday night ended with a game of Family Feud and good old fashioned singing from the cowboy himself - Burns Black.

I would say there was well over 150 people and although we didn't know too many it was still so much fun to get to talk to everyone. Some families came from as far as Alaska and Philly. It is fun to see the family grow and enjoy the company of so many great people! Jake and I are so lucky to come from such great families. We missed Josh and Becca and their family - and Jake's Grandpa Laurie but we know he was there watching down on us making sure we had a great time! Here are a few pictures to enjoy! This is a great place - you should go there!

Jake and I enjoying a snow cones! Jake in action during the pingpong tournament

Jake with his winning prize!! Nice work Jake!

Walker's first horse ride!

This is the ranch!Burns Black - it's a hard job running a ranch when you are in your 80's!