Bear Lake---Family Reunion

Our yearly family Stoker Reunion was held this year at Bear Lake. We've been to Bear Lake several times over the years and frankly I don't really have too many fond memories of the place. I mostly remember riding in the back of the truck, in July with Brandon and Brett. Not that we didn't just love that but it was HOT and kind of miserable. One time I remember we were coming home and driving through Salt Lake on the freeway and we all thought it would be fun to get people to honk and wave at us. We were laughing and having a grand ol' time, but we didn't ask the parents for permission to do that. Little did the three of us know but dad was having a minor meltdown as to why people were honking at him on the freeway. He thought something was wrong and apparently he was raging in the front seat. It wasn't until mom looked back and saw the three of us laughing and waving to the cars that she realized what was going on and calmed dad down! Needless to say we were asked to stop.

At the first reunion at Bear Lake we went to I was probably about 8 or 9 but I went fishing with the boys. I didn't have any girl cousins close in age and when I was 9 the closest girl cousin was 14 and having NOTHING to do with me so I was pretty much forced to hang out with the boys or be moms errand girl all day long. I took my chances with fishing. Now I don't mind fishing as long as I don't have to touch the bait or the fish. I feel that is pretty reasonable. Well I caught a fish and I was pretty proud of that fish and I was taking it back to the trailer to show mom. I can't really remember how I was carrying the fish but I know that it was wrapped in something and I dropped it in the middle of the road and I wasn't going to touch it. So I left the fish there and walked to the trailer to get some help. All the adults were playing games or busy doing something and I was told to just go pick it up. My 9 year old self was pretty dejected at being ignored (common at these reunions) and I was also stubborn and mad and I wasn't going to get the fish. But Grandpa Stoker was paying attention, as he always did, and he walked over with me and picked up my fish and brought it back and cleaned and skinned the fish for me. I don't really remember much else and I probably don't even have all of that story right unfortunately that is when I started hating the family reunion. As the years have gone on I may have grown up a little and I don't really mind them now. This year we again found ourselves at the Bear Lake, mostly I think it is because my aunt lacks any kind of originality. I was only going to be able to be there for about 24 hours but going back as an adult I noticed how beautiful of a place Bear Lake really is. While we were there we celebrated Brett's birthday. His 30th birthday, with the best cupcakes in the world from the Sweet Tooth Fairy. Thanks Jana! We played around in the lake and we went on a hike to Bloomington Lake which is a glacier lake on the Idaho side of the border. That was about all the activities that I went to, you'll have to check Nikki's and Jana's blog for further details but here are some pictures of the fun!!!

The hike was short but the first climb as steep but when I got to the top this is what I saw. In white snow is actually pieces of the glacier.

Nikki, Cole, me and Warrin. LOVE that baby Cole!!!

This is the lake and the glacier. It was beautiful. Some of my cousins along with Brett, Jana, Jovie and Brock walked over to the glacier and slide down it. I'm really not that adventurous.

This is our picnic after the hike with Mom, Jana, Nikki and Cole. I left right after this!

UNTIL NEXT YEAR!!!