Well, we did it again. We loaded up the car and drove to Yosemite where we camped for a week, in the dirt, in tents, with kids – including a 5 month old. We’ve done this almost every year since we’ve been married. It’s a Cox family tradition, that has turned into a sort of annual family reunion for all of my siblings and their kids. Will we do it again? Yes. Will we do it next year? I’m thinking a big fat NO. It’s so much work, and so hard with a baby. I’m thinking we need a few years off to regroup and regather.
That said – it was great to see so much of the fam. 7 of the 9 Cox kids, plus their families, made the trek. There were almost 40 of us this year! And 23 were kids – 18 of them under the age of 10. Can you imagine the chaos? And the noise? And the mess? I don’t think you can. We actually had to use a megaphone for most of the week. But I love my big obnoxious family and wouldn’t have it any other way. And since we had such a huge group, we couldn’t resist making shirts in honor of Grandpa and this incredibly embarrassing dance he does around the fire every year. Even the kids got into it this year… I was just grateful we had no immediate neighbors.
Now, without further ado, here are the things I’d like to remember from Yosemite 2009:
- My dad’s puppet show. The little kids helped. Let’s just say you could tell it had been a while since Grandpa had told any fairy tales. We heard some rather interesting renditions. The moral to the story of The Three Little Pigs – “Don’t build a crappy house.”
- Singing along with my brother Dave and his guitar to Beatles tunes around the fire. I’m pretty sure all of Upper Pines was groovin to the music we provided.
- Kenny’s impromptu dance party. All it takes is a little Michael Jackson, and next thing you know – all the kids are up and shaking their booties. And most importantly – Susi is doing the running man. I’ve always loved my little brother for getting the party started.
- Breaking off from the rest of the group for the last half of the 8 mile Panorama Trail hike. It’s been a long time since me and my hubby got to spend 2 hours alone together, walking, talking, holding hands, enjoying amazing scenery, and COMPLETE QUIET. Thank you babysitters!
- Mayonnaise toast. Something Brent and I had the pleasure of tasting – thanks to Barb for storing mayonnaise in the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” container…
- Seeing the Cox family pull together in a tough situation. My sister-in-law Kaci has advanced cancer, developed a fever a few days in, and had to be rushed back to a hospital several hours away. Their van broke down on the way up – so between my parents and the fam we volunteered two cars, took down their tent, packed up their gear, and drove them, their 6 kids, and all their stuff all the way back home to Sacramento. Talk about team work.
- Relaxing by the river and watching everyone try to one up each other by swimming/diving/flipping into the ICE COLD water.
- Brent crashing to the floor when the camping chair he was sitting in suddenly gave way. HA! Sorry to the owners of the navy blue Sports Authority chair. May it rest in peace.
Other highlights would include eating ice cream cones, sleeping in super snuggly warm sleeping bags, taking the boys and their buddy cousins Joseph and James to the Indian Village and Museum, paper plate awards, and watching Jake and Danny complete their first real hike. They are good little campers. They even had their own tent this year.
Now, here are the things I’d like to forget:
- the dirt.
- the lingering stench.
- the toilet paper.
- the chaos.
- the mud and mosquitoes. (thanks to the stream running behind our campsite)
- the lack of showers.
- the spiders.
- the hairy legs. (mine, not the spiders…)
Thanks to everyone for making the trip. We love you all. See more pictures here.
Tatonka.
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