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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Family Letter August 10, 2008

What a fun week. To be honest the beginning of the week was not that fun but starting on Thursday things heated up and there is sooooo much to write about. Thursday I attended girls camp they needed another adult male there and I was happy to help. Devin came with me to girls camp as well. I was told that we where going to go canoing so I showed up with shorts and sandals. When we arrived we found out that canoing was the previous day and that we had the hiking day. The leaders told the girls to wear shoes and long pants. I was starting to think that I was going to be in trouble. We went on a hike with the first year girls and I was relieved to find out that what we did was not what I would call a hike. We where on a paved path most of the time and when we where not on a paved path we where on a wooden bridge over some water. On top of that I do not think the hike was more than a mile. When it was over I was wondering why they called it a hike. The afternoon was nice and we got some rain. I have not seen rain in so long I was happy to see it. When it was time for closing ceremony it was still raining Devin and the other leaders made some ponchos out of garbage bags. For me I have two vivid memories involving ponchos. One was a few days before my 14^th birthday and I was at scout camp and can you believe it was raining. I decided to go to the trading post and purchase a poncho as I was going to the trading post I tripped and fell and dislocated my elbow. My arm is crocked to this day. The other one I would like to preface with there was a lot that happened before this event and some of the story is out of context. I almost got kicked out of seminary be cause of a poncho one of my brothers was wearing a poncho on a rainy day and the teacher thought it was distracting to the other students and kicked him out of class. I thought this was unfair to kick him out with no warning for something that I did not find distracting sitting next to him. We left seminary with our other brother and where almost not welcome back. Every time I see a poncho I think of these events and have consistently decided to stand in the rain before I would put on such an evil device. In light of these events I stood in the rain and got wet. Lucky for me though the rain slowed down and I did not get very wet and I was mostly dry before I went home an hour later. Girls camp was interesting and I hope the girls had a good time.

Friday we headed to Blanding UT for the Hurst family reunion. Before I go on I would like to thank Anna, Susan and Gretchen for putting on such a fun event and I think that everyone had a great time and we are great full for all that you did to put on the reunion. Friday we went shooting. Granddad Hurst has a really old gun it was manufactured in 1892 and has not been shot since some time since the gun misfired and injured Granddad Hurst's grandfather. Gretchen and Tracy, Gretchen's husband, recently had the gun restored and we went out and shot that gun. It shoots real nice and it was fun to watch every one have so much fun shooting. The weather was very nice as well for most of the day we had hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner and just enjoyed hanging out with the family and talking. I had not meet some of Devin's family before this reunion and I had fun talking and meeting all the new people. We had plans to camp up on the mountain and play up there for the whole weekend but there was a enough rain to discourage us from doing so. Almost everyone went back to Granddad and Grandma Hurst's home and pitched tents in their yard. We had so much fun being with the family.

Saturday we had breakfast and headed back up the mountain for the day. You could not ask for better weather. Many of us hiked about 2 miles to Johnson's creek. This location is the place where almost everyone went to play in the water growing up. People shared stories about the creek and playing the the large drainage pipe that goes under the road. It was lots of fun. When we got there the creek would barely get your ankles wet and every one decided to go back to camp and not play in the creek. Anna showed up with a truck and most people wet back in the truck. Jim, Devin's uncle, and I where the only two people to walk back. It was fun to talk to Jim. Since many people showed up for the reunion late Friday night or early Saturday morning we went shooting again. This time there where many younger kids who wanted to shoot. It was fun to watch them shoot. Many of the kids had never shot a gun before and where just so excited to shoot a real gun. Tracy was so good to teach the kids to shoot and it was good to see them enjoy shooting. Later in the afternoon Susan, Devin's aunt, pulled out a bunch of water guns and there was a big water fight. The kids kept going and going it was so much fun to see the family playing and having such a good time together. For dinner we had the all famous Leonard Stew. For those on my side of the family Granddad Hurst's first name is Leonard. Leonard Stew is a dutch oven stew with cabbage hamburger peppers and an extra serving of love. It was delicious. I even had it for lunch before I came home on Sunday. We headed back down the mountain and back to Grandma and Granddad's house for the night.

Sunday morning we had breakfast with the family then we had a family home evening with everyone. We played traditional Hurst family games like “My Grandma went to Japan” and “Toady Toady”. Many people shared stories about the love and kindness that Granddad and Grandma Hurst have shown them over the years, and Granddad and Grandma shared stories about their children and other people around. Granddad also gave a blessing as a patriarch to Kat, Devin's cousin. You could not have ended the family reunion any better and I am happy to have been able to go and attend such a great event.

I headed home by my self this afternoon so I am lonely here by my self. I hope Devin has a great time with her sister Anna in Arizona this next week. And because I do not have some one to check my spelling and grammar you will have to just deal with it for this week. Devin and I wish you a good week and hope you all have a great day.

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