Family Reunion 2009

This year's Miller Family Reunion took place at Carson City, Nevada.

For the Phillips family we started our drive Thursday, July 30th. We finally got on the road by 10:00 am MDT after loading the van, getting breakfast and gasoline. Naomi did the all the driving to Carson City. It's not a control thing, just that Kyle had worked an extra long shift the night before and we wanted to make sure he wasn't driving while drowsy and putting us in a ditch. We arrived by 6:30 pm PDT.

We stayed at the very nice Holiday Inn. They have a great continental breakfast of eggs, omelettes, sausage, bacon, biscuits & gravy, yogurt, milk, cereal, bagels, and cinnamon rolls. The Holiday Inn had a fitness room where I spent 20-40 minutes every morning walking on the treadmill. We also enjoyed swimming in the pool and relaxing in the hot tub.

Friday night, Kyle and Grandad went to Reno for Hot August Nights. Kyle has been wanting to go to this for years.

Meanwhile we stayed behind to play games and swim in Gram's pool.

Saturday was the reunion day. Every family had their own color. This is so we know who belongs to whom in the pictures. We wore gray Dickie's work shirts. Emma's family wore brown, Rachel's wore blue, Sarah's wore green and Ruth's wore yellow. Gram & Grandad wore red shirts and denim overalls. We got to go on a train ride at the Virginia-Truckee train museum.

We played games and ate way too much food. There was also a talent show. There was magic, music, dancing, juggling and comedy. Kyle performed his notorious 3 second comedy act. For those who missed it, here is a transcription of that comedy bit. "Poop, Pee, Diarrhea, Butt, Booger and Fart." One audience member Zane stated, "It's funny because I get it."

Also, there was a play written by Emma of the lives of the Miller Children, Gram & Grandad. The grandchildren played the various parts. The play included 'picking up the floor', 'being-have', 'bus driver children' and 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves'.

That night we went to the church for a ward fiesta. There was a salsa judging, and Gram won 2nd place! There was also a pinata that the kids got to whack at. Then there was candy galore!

Sunday we went to church and then afterward we went to Lake Tahoe. We didn't go swimming but did go wading and fed the sea gulls. The kids dug pits and made trenches.

Monday we did the tourist thing and went to Virginia City. We went to the museum and learned about the mines there. We also shopped at some of their stores and bought candy and knick-knacks. Of course we took the necessary photos.

After that we went to the Honey Store, the Chocolate Nugget and Bowers Mansion Park. The kids got to play on the playground and feed the squirrels. I found the squirrels interesting. They were brown with a white ring around their necks. Grandad was surprised at how close the squirrels got to the kids. He wondered if he put some bread on his chest and laid down in the grass if the squirrels would climb up and partake.

Kyle and Grandad went back to Reno for another round of ogling cars. Meanwhile the sisters and I watched North Avenue Irregulars, played Dutch Blitz and Scattergories. We also had a round of Bob that weekend. After Grandad and Kyle returned from Reno we celebrated Kyle's 39th birthday with cake, ice cream and rootbeer floats.

Tuesday, August 4th we headed back to Utah. Kyle did most of the driving. Naomi started coming down with a cold. Zach was also sick on the drive home. Chloe had a runny nose all weekend. Zach bounced back, but Naomi is still battling the cough, stuffy nose, runny nose, clogged and itchy ears. Inspite of the illness, a good time was had by all.