I remember as a child the fun times we had in Mexico @ the Dublan Ward annual Easter Hikes...
...they were always in the same beautiful spot down by the river under giant oak trees...
...first there would be a huge 'egg hunt'...
(there were random names of adults on some of them and if you were lucky enough to find one, you could 'sell' the egg to the 'owner' for a peso or two...)
....next was always a huge potluck dinner...(lunch was always called dinner in the colonies - that was actually one of the big adjustments to living in the 'states') I remember sloppy joes and potato salad
and always the traditional 'Fanta naranja' in the bottle...
(this still brings back memories whenever I find one...)
...after lunch there would be sack races - games of 'red rover' & 'chin-chi-la-hua' - and always the highlight of a 50' high rope/board swing that swung higher & higher until we would scream with fright & delight...(the girls wouldn't be released until they revealed the dreaded name of the 'boyfriend'...)
...it was great fun to be able to ride horses to and from the 'hike'... but one (not so pleasant) memory was riding a horse back home when I was about 7...
I was riding 'double' behind Judy Wagner and some boys came from behind and spooked our horse...he took off running, knocking both of us off...my foot got caught in the stirrup and I was dragged several yards before it came loose...my dad was close behind and immediately determined that I was OK...a little scraped up and sported a nice scab on my face for a while,
but 'none the worse for the wear'...
This year - 2011 - Kevin & DaNelle hosted an Easter Hike
(picnic sounds too girly)
in their backyard...
...it is virtually a child's paradise from the awesome treehouse
(which includes a rope bridge and fireman pole)
to a strategically placed trampoline and all the farm animals to suit your heart's content...
...they even accomodated us with newly born puppies (poodle & shihtzu mix)
and 2 batches of baby goats...
...I preferred holding Brad & Katy's 6-week old twin girls...
......
...so cute and sweet...
...Hudson (Jake & Haylee's youngest) loved the slide...
3 little monkeys...up in a tree...
Alec...Ethan...and Caitlin...
...good food all around...
(next year it's sloppy joes...)
...Hudson again...
...boy cousins...
I mean...
Men Cousins...
Todd - Jake - Kevin - Rusty - Brad
...the pretty young things with one old woman...
Haylee - DaNelle - GramScilla - Katy
(& 1 baby) - Becky
...everybody loved the baby goats...
...especially Rian and Lydia...
Thanks Kevin & DaNelle for providing the perfect spot to get together...
See you next year...!!!
...and so-o-o strong... 
Way to go, Ethan!!!
and gifts from the heart:
