Part Two: Family Parties
Our first day back in Rexburg we attended two family parties. (FYI: We don't go home to relax: We go to see as much family as we can.) First was a Christmas party with my Grandma Smith's family. A get together with the Smith's always means an abundance of good food, including my Grandma's famous rolls. The. Best. Ever. Period.
After dinner we were faced with a task: share some highlights of our year or share a talent. We opted to entertain the crowd with a spur-of-the-moment rendition of
Santa Claus is Coming to Town in which Brad, Lainy, and I sang helplessly as Leah yelled sporadic words into the microphone. Good times. It was fun to be together and hear from my cousins about their lives over the past year.
Party #2 was a birthday dinner for my Grandpa Dye. Did you know that I am the granddaughter of a real life mountain climber? A quite famous one too. He climbed mostly in the Sawtooth Range, but ventured elsewhere and even climbed the Eiger in Switzerland. It was fun to hear him talk about his climbing experiences and his acquaintances with other famous climbers like Glenn Exum (of the Grand Teton climbing school fame) and Paul Petzoldt (who apparently was a great guy unless he was drunk). My grandpa did this all with support from my grandmother who was raising eight children and working as a nurse. While sitting at dinner I was reminded again of the countless wonderful things I have inherited from my grandparents. Not only a love of rolls and jam, but a great love of the outdoors, adventure, and hard work.
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| My Grandfather, Lyman Cox Dye on Jungfrau 1970 |
It's days and evenings like this that make the 12-hour drive totally worth it. Puke and all.
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