HInton Family Reunion, 2012 Monday: Stay at Home Day

Everyone arrived on Sunday evening.  Shonna and Blake made us a yummy meal and we got settled in.  Grandpa and Grandma hit the hot tub while the parents were settling the kids for the night.  Ah, this is the life!
Monday was a fun day at "the new cabin" as Caleb called it.  (His other grandparents own  a beautiful cabin, which I guess is the "Old Cabin.")  It started with a nature hike with Grandpa.

That afternoon was the 1st Annual Hinton Family Talent Show.  I got this idea from Pam and Roger. They do it with their family.  Every grandchild presents a talent, then everyone cheers really loud and  then all the cousins give the performing cousin a huge group hug.  Grandpa was Master of Ceremonies.

Brielle sang and did sign language.  She is really good.  She has a friend whose parents are deaf and it make her really interested in sign language, so she spent the summer learning it.  

Gabbi danced a beautiful princess dance.  Oh my, it was lovely!

Caleb played the harmonica.  

It was so cute.  He would play the harmonica for awhile, then stop and take in all the cheering and clapping, then he would  play for another minute, then pause and grin while we cheered and clapped.  It went on for quite a while.  He was loving it!

Lily had just learned to walk, so she demonstrated her skills.

And baby Jaron demonstrated his clapping and army crawling skills.

Nathan taught us the difference between frogs and toads.  That's what he had learned about this summer and  boy, did he know his stuff!

Jakie was so cute throughout the whole show.  Whatever his sibling/ cousin did, he did it too.  He danced with Gabbi and signed with Brielle.,etc

Jared has a most unusual talent.  He plays a flute with his nose.  It was a skill developed as a missionary.  He wanted to keep his companion from playing his flute, and it worked!

Brian's talent was a hit with the kids.  Each child got to choose an animal, then strum through the chorus of "Old MacDonald" while we sang.  That was a highlight.  They loved "playing" the guitar.  

Grand'ma's talent was the song "If all the Raindrops were  lemon drops and gum drops. " It rained  lemon drops and chocolate bars and bubble gum.  "I would go outside with my mouth open wide.  AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Grandpa's talent was making his eyes go crazy.  

And everyone got a great big hug- even if all they did was make their eyes go crazy!!

That evening, Kristen presented a beautiful family home evening.  We all put a piece of the family puzzle together to make up our family.  We all loved it except Caleb.  He was quite upset that the puzzle piece with him on it had his shoes cut off.  "Does Caleb have shoes?"  he kept asking.

Kristen had them eating out of her hand.  (Except Caleb, who at this point was in the other room  crying with his Daddy  because his shoes got cut off)

And Michelle got the best FHE treat of all.  (In my humble, personal opinon.)