It's only been 5 1/2 years...

Well, as you can see it has been a while. But, I decided to do a little better record keeping of some of the more important events in my life. We'll see how long this goes, but I am hopeful it will give my parents an opportunity to know what is going on while they are on their mission. They are keeping a blog (rcmumfordmission.blogspot.com) so I thought I could step up my game, too.
Things I have learned...shorter posts=more likelihood that I will do it.
So, here goes Memorial Day weekend 2016

A beloved quote from the Sound of Music is "That is my mountain. I was brought up on it." That is how I feel about this mountain. It represents the good people of Clifton (as seen by the Ebanez home on the right.)

My family has a tradition of doing this NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. That is fun, in and of itself, but the real fun comes in our celebrating who best predicts the winner. We do a round-by-round contest AND a full-bracket one. When we first started, we would just keep track in a notebook. It was quite the fete to call every.single.person each round for their picks. But we loved it, and took it very seriously. When better technology arrived, my cousin Trent used to painstakingly enter each pick into this huge spreadsheet manually, after we would call, text, or email our picks to him. Now, gratefully, even better technology is being utilized and my cousin Josh creates a website where we can go in and put our own picks and see how we are faring against other.
"My family is more competitive than yours."..that could be our theme sometimes, and may very well be the theme of this whole weekend.
We presented "The Schooner" to Lissa for killing it in the round-by-round bracket. Aunt Lisa came in 2nd and I think Grace came in 3rd. (She was pretty chuffed about that placement.) Ashley took the prize for the winner of the full-bracket. She will get her named on the travelling basketball. 

For some reason, we have attached a beloved childhood movie to our celebration. "Blackbeard's Ghost" with its myriad of one liners and celebration of the weaker-turned-triumphant. It's influence is evidence in the emails we send to each other (my brothers and cousins are especially brilliant at bringing that out.) and right before we present the winners, we sing the following: 

Come Cheer up me lads, tis til glory we steer
With heads bearing high we will banish all fear.
 To honor we call you, are free men not slaves (Free Men!")
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?
Hearts of oak are our ships,
Jolly tars are our men
We'll always be ready, steady boy steady (Steady!)

We'll fight and we'll conquer (we'll conquer!) again and again!

(Once more lad. Sing out! ...DON'T MUMBLE!!!!!!)
See here: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/File:Blackbeard%27s_Ghost_-_Heart_of_Oak_(English)

The last few years, we have added the acting out of some of our favorite scenes from the movie. (I wish I had video of this...it is always hilarious!) It may be a stretch to see the correlation between this film and our celebration, but it is so much fun. "GO! Godolphin!

So this NCAA celebration brought Aunt Lisa, Megan, Clancey, Marli, and Mckell, Baa and Lissa (Pierce, Jane, and Owen), Brad and Cassi (Alexa Jo., Cailin, Ian, and Blake), Trent and Ashley (Brooklyn, Ethan, and Addi), Mel and Sky (Saxon, Kyriae, and Scout), and me with Marc's kids. The cousins always have a great time together. I love this tradition--even if I didn't get photos.

Watching Noah stand and play with "toys". Love this little nibling so much!

Sunday night, we gathered again, at Katie and Sef's. With Memorial Day, Aunt Lisa asked everyone to come prepared with a memory of Grandma Betty Jo. Mumford. We prepared our favorite "grandma" foods --Nacho Doritos, cubed cheese, "ham bologna", crackers, and fudge. I love making homemade fudge for these gatherings. So many fun memories were shared. Her shoes, her love of the gospel, her ability to make everyone feel like the most important person in the room. Her finger dancing and worn out "squares" on the arm of the chair. Our collective roommates loved her--couldn't wait to come back for a visit. Our friends loved her--they all thought they were her favorite. She is complete goodness. We miss her so much.

Monday was Memorial Day. I hope I live my life in a way that expresses my gratitude for those who have served to protect the freedoms I have. I am grateful for my family. We have so much fun when we are together. We gathered at Katie and Sef's (my mom said she didn't know whether to call it her home, their home, or what? We said that it was all of those. :) ) Aunt Lisa and I had planned some games for the group. We divided the whole gang into groups and gave them a card of their list of activities.
Team 1 - Marc, Sef, Field, Saxon, Millie, Aunt Lisa, and any small kids that wanted to join
Team 2 - Hollie, Mel, Clancey, Max, Anslea, Kyri, and Linc...and any small kids that wanted to join
Team 3 - Kate, Marli, Grace, McKay, Will, Maggie, and Duke...and any small kids that wanted to join
Team 4 - Moff, Katie, Hazel, Mitch, Porter, Justice, and Abram...and any small kids that wanted to join...you're sensing the theme, huh?

We played the candy bar game, Cornhole, Boche, Cat & Mouse, King Bullfrog, and did a photo scavenger hunt. I'm totally glad we did the Scavenger Hunt, because I was able to get a few photos of the day. (Something I often struggle with on these kinds of gatherings.)
I love my family....SO MUCH!

Get a photo with your team in a human pyramid. [check]

Get a photo with your team by the rock in the front [check]

One of these teams looks a little more enthused at my game than the other. Haha.
Except you Marc, and maybe Field.
(Duke and Aunt Lisa are DQ'd. You were supposed to be IN the photo, friends!)

On the way back to my home in Salt Lake, I stopped by my brother Brad's. He and Cassi and invited over some friends for Memorial Day and had made carne asada. If you know me, you know this is a no brainer. I love good food, and Brad and Cassi make good food alllllll the time. I got there just in time for the kids to do their pie-eating contest. Such cuties! I love little Ian...the only boy...at the end. They were all great sports about it.

Alexa Jo. is on the left and Cailin and Ian are on the right.
Their friends Molly, Annie, and Clover are in the middle. 

Molly won, but Ian has the best face.