Ruidoso Family Reunion WARNING!! (LOTS OF PICS!!)

This past weekend we went to Ruidoso, New Mexico for a little surprise party for my grandparents. (Dad's parents) We went to celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary. We had family from Utah AND Arizona there, so it was a really fun get together!

My Nanny and Grandaddy

I just love the Gaines side of the family! They are goofy, loud and SO fun!! Everybody makes fun of everybody and everybody laughs. All. The. Time. It is never a dull moment with these people. Ever. When I leave them, I already look forward to seeing them again. I guess that's the way it is suppose to be, but I really feel blessed because I know not everyone has a family like mine. And it all started with Nanny & Grandaddy. Nanny's laugh is SO contagious. Even if you don't know why she is laughing, you just laugh. It's funny. SHE's funny. Grandaddy is quiet until he thinks of something that turns out to be the funniest thing you've ever heard. Then you can hear us a mile away.

THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE:

This is the BEFORE picture: 4 generations!!



And this is the AFTER: This is one of my favorite pictures of the weekend. It is the perfect example of how we are as a family. Laughing all the time!!Mine and my dad's face makes me laugh sitting here. You might be thanking me for no sound for this picture. It's just loud and I LOVE it!

We had a surprise dinner for them Saturday night at Cattle Baron.

My dad gave a sweet talk thanking them for how him and my aunts were raised and how they did a great job. It was so neat to hear some of the stories he told. It was really emotional at times. We also got a 30 min. video together with pictures from their childhood on until today's time. It was put to some really fun music - it just turned out great.


Aunt Tamra and Uncle Jim


Aunt Dana and CRAZY Uncle Gene (AKA-Egor)

My Aunt Dana made an autobiography about my Nanny (she already did one about Grandaddy) and gave a copy to everyone. It was really cool to read.

That night when we got home, we all got changed, then not knowing what everyone else was doing we all were reading Nanny's autobiography. Glen thought that was SO funny that he took a picture of us 3.I had NO idea why he was taking a picture, hence the cheezy grin.


Cousin Kailee and Mr. Jude


Bailey and the favorite cousin Ryan!! He is a BIG kid. Seriously. That's why we love him so!


Avery (AKA RED EYES!!!) and Kailee

Trace(AKA Bailey's crush) , Taralee (Isn't she the cutest mom - EVER!!??) and Baby Brody


Miss Danica and her hubster Cody


Parker and Ainsley


Momma and Daddy


Russy Rus and my Daddy (And yes, he did that face on PURPOSE!! He's just a LITTLE goofy! Pretty Par for my family.)


My bro Bradley and and sil Little Debbie


We celebrated Parker's 7th birthday and Brody's 1st there at the cabins. Mom made Parker's cake and it was SO cute. It had a big mirror on it that said, "Look who's turning 7!" Seriously adorable! She is SO creative! She puts me to SHAME!


Birthday boy Brody. He is a GREAT baby!


Parker in her new tutu, bow, and necklace - seriously though, isn't she C.U.T.E!!!???


Aunt Tamra brought a Pinata and the kids had a BLAST smashing it open, or trying to.

Avery's turn

Jude takes a swing. (with a smile of course!)

Birthday girl gets a chance to whack it!

My neice Ainsley was a little slugger


Jude just loved the pinata head!!


THE family we all came from. Grandaddy, Nanny, Daddy (front)
Aunt Dana, Aunt Tamra (back)


My crew

The family portrait of my family - as you can tell, none of us knew we would be taking a family picture. It was a spur of the moment thing. Ha.


All the cousins. We have a picture of a few of us when we were little doing this, but with 7 (mostly adults) doing it - it was FUNNY. I have a "better" picture, but this one is SO funny! We were all cracking up - the people taking the pictures included. Maybe you had to be there.


Of course we HAD to go ride the horses while we were there. It is really just horses that go in a circle, but to Jude - they were horses and he was the cowboy. Nothing makes him happier! Avery and Parker rode too, but I am SO tired of loading pictures.

I can't forget about my AWESOME cousin fixing a HUGE problem with my car, just cause he can. RYAN!! You Rock.