Grothaus Family Reunion

We had the best family reunion this year in Lincoln City, OR. We'd spent a lot of time planning for it and it paid off. Everything seemed to have gone smoothly, there were fun activities every day, and the kids had a blast spending the week with their cousins!

We stayed in two houses on the same street, with a short walk to the beach. In our house were us, the Heggies, and the Hatfields. 11 little boys in one house made for lots of fun cousin time! The downstairs was perfect for the kids to play and have sleepovers.

Along with playing at the beach every day and finding seashells, the highlights for the kids were: the air hockey/foosball tables at the house, a talent show, a pinata, a nighttime glowstick dance party, a superhero costume day, a photo booth, beaded necklace making, a sandy starfish craft, a s'mores night, a trip to the salt water taffy store, and a cousin sleepover every night. The week was jam packed with fun stuff for them to do.

Some of the other adult/family activities were: visiting a lighthouse one day, checking out the Tanger Outlet mall, a golfing day for the men, and getting family pictures taken. And my personal favorite, game nights with the adults and teenagers every evening after the kids went to sleep.

The photos are out of order, but here are a few of our favorites!

First walk down to the beach! Tyler, Spencer, Dillon, Collin

Sleeping twins on the first night. Fortunately, we were able to plan our days around their naps and they did pretty well sleeping in their pack and plays in the gigantic closet of our bedroom (having twins scored us the master! ;)) But really, it worked out perfectly and they were able to sleep soundly and stay on their nap schedule.

Running from waves with Grandpa

These boys sat and dug in the sand for hours!

Dillon, Elliott, Truman

Collin and Dillon playing a little air hockey in the garage game room

Cousin sleepover

Family beach picture

We had a family home evening talent show. Collin's talent was spelling his name out of chow mein noodles and cheerios. (It's covered up in the picture, but he likes using whatever he has to spell his name).

Truman and Elliott's talent was reading their Curious George book (finishing the last word of the sentences).

Truman and Collin checking out the "caves"

Grandma and Elliott

We were able to have some professional group photos taken while we were there.

Siblings

Katie and Justin designed awesome Family Reunion shirts! It was fun for all of us to match.

Nightly games of Werewolf. So much fun!!

This was a pretty bridge on our way to a lighthouse.

Bumblebee pinata! Truman had fun hitting it. Elliott just wanted to hold the stick and did not want any one to take it away after his turn!

Truman getting cozy with Aunt Lindsey (We took a picture because either of the twins letting anyone else hold them was a rare moment).

Cute picture of Truman

Twins running free on the beach

Supermen Tyler and Collin

Superhero cousins!

We met Lindsey's baby Walker for the first time!

Exhausted from too much fun.

Photo booth

Lindsey took individual family photos for everyone. Our family is in a stage where good family photos are just about impossible. . . but we did get a couple of good ones!

We had to make a stop for hand made salt water taffy!

The reunion was a success and definitely a highlight of our summer!