Jerdon Reunion: Missouri Edition

In honor of Tom and Louise's 50th wedding anniversary, everyone decided that a big family reunion was in order. Over a year in the planning, the siblings put together their heads and resources to organize a week of family fun and memory making in Branson, Missouri - the little Las Vegas of the South.

Cameo oversaw the communications between family members and each brother was given a day to be in charge of the planned activities. There was a competition among family members beforehand to design the official reunion t-shirt, and everyone submitted short bios about themselves for the get-to-know-you icebreaker.

Grandma put forth her own special requests. In addition to the t-shirts, she wanted family pictures to be taken and she wanted a family talent show. Check and check.

Family members trickled into Branson via plane and automobile starting on Saturday, July 18th into Sunday the 19th. By Monday, everyone was accounted for with the exception of poor Tommy, who was very ill and unable to make the trip.

Monday was Jacob's day. The reunion kicked off with a fried chicken potluck lunch and icebreaker activity in the banquet room at Tom and Louise's condo. There was a game room adjoined to it, so the kids enjoyed playing some ping pong, skee ball and air hockey while the adults chatted it up and everyone got reacquainted. There were several family members who had never met.

The last time that the entire family had gotten together was five years before when Grandma Prince passed away in Henderson. At that time, I was pregnant with Riley, Melanie was pregnant with Cassidy and several of the great-grandchildren had not been born yet, like Attiana's Rextin and Kinsi's Kezri and Tazix.

Jacob used the personal bios emailed in to him earlier to make cards with all the details on each family member, but without including their names. Each person was given a card and had to figure out who it was about. Then we all read off the info about our family member. There were some surprises as we learned some interesting facts about each other. Did you know that Grandpa had spent the night in jail? And Grandma's worst job was as a seamstress?

After the lunch, everyone headed back to their condos/hotels to get ready for the big family picture down by the river. I had organized a photographer to meet us there. It was hot and humid as Hades, and several families got lost on the way to the park, but we pushed through with only a few tearful breakdowns by the children. We sported our family color-coordinated reunion t-shirts, too. Win for Grandma's plan.

From left to right: Kezri, Tristan, Kinsi with Tazix, Kinlin, Ginger, Tajj, Shaylee, Traegen, Jevenee, Gunner Gonzalez (Macy's plus one), Rextin, Attiana, Tavin, Jacob, Caleb, Brendan, Riley, me, Grandpa Jerdon, Grandma Jerdon, Kurt, Melanie, Tyler, Tatumn, Kallan, Cassidy, Macy, Cameo & Xander.

Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids and great-grandkids.

The original plan for after the pictures had been for us to meet at a local "parks and rec" water park with water slides and everything, which Jacob had rented out just for us. But right after our pictures, enormous black clouds blew in and there was a thunder storm that forced the park to close.

Plan B was for everyone to meet up at our condo for pizza, chat and play some little games. It wasn't how we had hoped it would all go down, but the water park agreed that we could try for the following night pending good weather.

Tuesday was Kurt's day. Everyone met up at his hotel, poolside, for a hotel sponsored BBQ lunch and some fun in the pool. All the cousins had a blast playing pool volleyball, tossing around the football and participating in the splash contest. Tavin won for his age group! Cassidy and Tyler also put on a good showing.

After the pool fun, we went over to the wiffle ball field for a friendly, family game. Everyone, including Grandma and Grandpa participated. Tajj hit a couple of home runs for Cameo's team, but in the end my little family brought in the win for Melanie's team (all of us ended up together). In the last inning, Brendan, me and Caleb all made hits and got our runners in.

Kurt and Melanie cooked everyone an amazing BBQ pork dinner with homemade mashed potatoes and barbecued corn on the cob. It was sooo yummy. Then everyone packed it up and headed to the water park.

We had the entire facility and all the lifeguards on duty just for us. There were two water slides, an aqua climbing wall, water basketball hoop, diving board, and kiddie area. There was literally something for everyone.

The big challenge was proving your stuff to climb the aqua wall and ring the bell at the top. Grandpa, Tyler and I gave it a noble effort - Tyler most of all. He tried and tried, so determined to get up, but his arms just weren't quite long enough to reach the highest grips, poor guy. Jacob was the first man to make it to the top, and not to be outdone Kurt did it right after him. Caleb and Kallan also made it to the top. Impressive!

I showed the nieces a nice backwards rainbow off the diving board, and gave Kallan the courage to do a backwards dive of her own. She did her first ever backwards dive, and it was a flip! Way to show me up, girlie! Macy, Attiana and Jevenee also showed us some toe touching dives.

Riley and the littles all had a total blast in the kiddie area. There was a little slide and water shed structures. The older kids enjoyed the water slides. One was so fast that you couldn't even scream. At least I couldn't. Poor Grandpa gave that one a try and accidentally hit the back of his head. He didn't go on those again after that, darn it. But overall, everyone had a good time. We ended the fun singing along with the over-com playing John Waite's "Missing You", Macy and I getting our groove on. Gotta show the nieces and nephews that we older folk are fun, too. Ha!

Wednesday was Tommy's day, but since he couldn't be there, Ginger was so kind as to take over on his behalf. We met back up at the banquet room at Tom and Louise's condo and had a pulled pork sandwich lunch with salads and all our leftover pizzas and chicken from the days before. Something for everybody. She and her crew also set up a series of Minute to Win It games around the room for family members to try their skills at. There was Cookie Face where you put an Oreo on your forehead and have to use your facial muscles to move it down to your mouth. There was also one where you had different colored M&M's under plastic cups and one by one had to reveal an M&M and then sort it into its corresponding color bowl. The kids were crazy over that one. So determined to get them all!

Grandma presented her awards for all those who had contributed an entry for the t-shirt designing contest. Melanie was the overall winner, but quite a few had tested their designing skills and done a great job. Grandma also presented to all the grandkids and great-grandkids some things that she had been making for all of them. The boys got some pillow cases with their names embroidered on them. The girls got little knitted coin purses. Grandma had obviously put a lot of work into all of those.

Then it was finally the moment that Grandma had been waiting for,..the talent show! Attiana MC'd for us, using their microphone and karaoke machine, calling up each act. We saw nieces and nephews dance and sing. Caleb showed off his arm contortionist talent. I sang "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. Come to think of it, I think I was the only adult who participated. I just wanted to be sure our family was represented since Jacob said he didn't have any talents and my boys didn't have any plans to participate until the moment of.

The talent show was a great success, though, and I think that Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed themselves, which was the whole point anyway. They ended the talent show with the crowning performance, dancing together for us. Grandpa sure knows the moves, and Grandma was a great partner!

Tommy had organized a big three-hour traveling scavenger hunt for us. Ginger broke us all into groups and drivers and then we set out with our cameras/phones to take pictures of our teams doing and seeing things around Branson. Some things on the list included taking a picture of a cow, of a sports car (with extra points if your team could sit inside the car), having a team mate get a piggy back ride from a stranger, pretending to pay for something with Monopoly money, getting a receipt from a gas station for $.50 worth of gas, taking a picture of your team with someone dressed in a military uniform, and your team crossing the street duck-style.

This was our team spelling a word with our bodies. It's supposed to say LOVE. And Tajj is showing that he is down with that.

I was with Jacob (our driver), Riley, Brendan, Grandma, Tajj and Kallan. Our favorite picture was probably going to the fire station and taking a picture on an old school fire truck.

Kurt's team ended up winning the scavenger hunt. Somehow, they had really lucked out and Grandpa had gotten to sit in someone's sports car, they were able to find Monopoly money to "pay" for something, and got some of the other crazy, obscure ones. They won gift cards. Everyone else still got a prize - candy bars. My boys weren't too broken up about it. Chocolate is still a win. he he

Then we all broke up to freshen up for dinner at The Black Oak Grill where we had a special room reserved, decorated by Cameo and ready for our large group to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa's anniversary. Cameo did a beautiful, classy job of decorating with some gold touches, since it is their golden anniversary.

Tajj and Attiana read bios that Grandma and Grandpa had written up about themselves, telling their life stories. It was great! Then they each got up to say a few words. They were just so thrilled that we were all there and had shared this time with them.

We enjoyed our dinner and had a toast to the happy couple by Jacob (with no photographic evidence because he forbade it, knowing that he would cry).

I also collaborated with Attiana for one last little surprise. In talking with Grandma and Grandpa about their wedding, we learned that they had not had a first dance as newly weds. Their reception had been at her father's house. Very low key. Then, I had found out that Grandma and Grandpa's song is "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley.

So, Attiana found the song on her phone, we hooked it up to the karaoke machine and then announced the couple and their long awaited "first dance" together. It was very emotional for them and for all of us. Grandma was reluctant to get out there at first, but I think it ended up being a special moment. It seemed like a fitting way to end the celebration.

It was a fun, filled and eventful reunion full of memories that I hope Grandma and Grandpa will cherish. I also hope that our boys will remember the fun that they had with their cousins, aunts, uncle and grandparents.

The last day we were there was a break from the traditional reunion for something else that was very special. The boys stayed with Grandma and Grandpa to swim and play with the family, while I, Jacob, Ginger, Tristan (Kinsi's husband) and Traegan drove up to the Kansas City temple for Traegen to receive his endowment before his mission to Logan, Utah. He was to leave shortly after returning home from the reunion. We felt so honored and blessed to be able to be there for Traegen's special day. He seemed so ready and excited.

Afterwards, we went to see the Liberty Jail which was only minutes from the temple. I had been before, back when I was a teenager, but it was still an interesting and humbling place.

We also were introduced to Five Guys hamburgers and fries. Boy, do they know how to do a burger. And next time, we will just share fries. Those orders were huge!

The boys had ended their day back in Branson a bit sunburned, but loving life. Brendan and Caleb were treated to mini golf and go-carts by their Uncle Kurt and Riley had swum until he could swim no more. It was definitely a bittersweet farewell the next morning, Friday, when it was time for our family to head back to Ohio. So many great memories together. Until next time, Jerdons!