Family are the friends you don't have to work for

I want to let you all know that my family is better than yours. Even blogger knows it because it's underlining this as I type and I can't seem to figure out how to fix that.

Whatever. 

So, I've had some awesome adventures with friends over the last few years and have come to recognize some REALLY good people in my life. While those good people are still pretty good, my social life seems to have come to a screeching halt. Just when I feel like I've been left friendless, I am reminded of the BEST kind of friends. Family. They're the ones who've known me my whole life and love me anyway. We don't spend enough time together, so we don't always know each other as well as we should, but we're always around and we're always going to be around, so we have plenty of opportunities to work on the depth of our relationships.

We know we're stuck together, so there's minimal drama and we don't really have to work at it because we're just FAMILY! 

It's been such a relief to get together and play and love and be loved without misread intentions, wondering how I can be a better friend, or wondering what I've done to offend or alienate ... 

My family are all friends that have just been given to me, without any effort on my part. And oh man, I LOVE them! And when it comes that easily, the little efforts we DO make for each other make such a difference. I've needed that family time where efforts to love are effortless.

And we're pretty fun and silly while we're at it. Here's a photo documentation of the last two weekends.

At Utah at Grandma Ruby and Grandpa Jay's house over Labor Day weekend:

Friday night game night:

Uncle Curtis, Aunt Vicki and my mom playing Mafia. They were voting on whether or not Curtis should be accused as Mafia and hanged. Sibling rivalry may have played a role in this game.

me and Makay at the Mafia table. He cheated and opened his eyes when I was Mafia and pretended he was, too. We were all so confused!

Boating on Saturday:

Makay and Alex are both 15 and have become rivals. These two were hilarious to watch on the inner tubes!

Taggert, Kimmy and me hanging out in the front of the boat

Matthew and Makay ready to ride. I'm not sure who decided it was safe to put these brothers on a tube together.

Taggert, Hampton, Alex, Matthew and Makay ready for tube wars. It was awesome to have two tubes going at the same time. Alex is ready to prove something.

Tube wars--stuff like this happened. Makay doesn't know which way he's going! :)

Alex decided to trade tubes in mid-ride.

Makay stopped for a snack.

Makay and Taggert after falling off their tube.

I think this was during the boy/girl battle. Obviously, the boys lost.

Hampton, Alex and Makay. I'm pretty sure Hampton wasn't really crying, but Makay was trying really hard to run them over!

We caught Makay checking out his own biceps when he thought no one was looking.

Kim had to show him how it's really done. She wins!

The final Alex, Makay showdown. Makay stayed on longer (because Alex's tube capsized while standing still) but Alex took it with style points!

Sunday night game night: (we like game nights)

Uncle Curt was standing in my way, so I had to go AROUND him to take a picture! 

Amanda, Alex and Dallin. This is what happens when I leave my camera unattended.

me, Steven, Amanda, Alex and Dallin with Matthew and Makay behind us.

We like to squish on a couch.

me, Steve and Amanda. I was pestering Matthew behind me. I'm surprised Grandma let Steven in the house in that shirt.

The following weekend, my cousins Amanda and Matt brought their two kids up to Palisades. I got to drive up there to hang out with them after church on Sunday and then they stopped by my work on their way out of town and ate at our office pot luck! :)

smiley Amanda.

Amanda's really good at making Zola laugh. All she has to do is hit her face on a toy!

I got to play with Zola and she barely even yelled at me!

Uncle Tom took Silvester for a ride on the Woo.

The Williams family got the blue jacket memo

Saying goodbye until next time, which should probably happen more often