Bishop Reunion

As soon as we got home from London, we launched right into a three-day family reunion with Brian's dad's side of the family. It was so much fun to meet aunts, uncles and cousins, and just spend time catching up with everyone. Kudos to Brian's parents for hosting it at their house, and especially to Brian's mom for all the delicious food!

We did a lot of fun things for the reunion that turned out to be a nice introduction to the Treasure Valley area for me. A few of the highlights...

Brian's dad arranged for us to go on a tour of the sugar factory where he used to work. It's where they process sugar beets into beautiful white and tasty brown sugar. We got to see the whole process. One nifty factoid -- did you know most brands of sugar are processed in the same factory, and are exactly the SAME product? I watched them filling lovely white sugar granules into Albertsons bags. Then they turned the machine off for a minute and switched to Western Family bags. No joke. Also, most sugar in our Western United States comes from beets, unless is says specifically that it is cane sugar (C&H is cane, fyi). Interesting stuff.

Here's Brian's Dad in the office where he used to work as a chemist, testing to make sure the sugar is processed properly (that's my very oversimplified description of a complex process).

We also got to see the famous Snake River Stampede Rodeo one night.

That was... an experience. I remember pretending to like rodeos when I was in high school. I even participated in the Little Buckaroo Rodeo as a youngster -- I'm totally serious; I milked a goat, tied a ribbon on a goat, caught a chicken, and even once tried mutton busting, I think. I have the belt buckles to prove it (in a drawer somewhere at my parents' house, of course).

Nowadays, I think rodeoing is just plain CRAZY! I cringed to watch these people deliberately kicking a horse -- or worse, a bull -- to make it buck them sooooo high in the air, over and over until they fell off. Why? Why in the WORLD do people do this?!

The real kicker for me was when the announcer came on the loud speaker in a chipper voice and said, "Just for all those of you who may be wondering, the rider from last night's rodeo who left on the stretcher [insert cowboy name here] did in fact break his neck." That was said between announcements that kettle corn is still being sold in the corner of the arena, etc.!!?! Nuts, I tell you!

Samantha was really tired and didn't get into it at all. Spencer fell asleep on Aunt Alysa.

We also went picnicking to a fun little town called Melba. It was tiny, and way out there -- gave me a good "lay of the land." The kids loved the swings, the adults loved the food and conversation.

Then we all went swimming at a fun hotsprings nearby. Spencer had his first real swim in a pool, he loved it. So did Sammie, of course.

The reunion ended on my birthday, so I skipped out a little early to head South and spend a few hours with my family on my special day. Brian surprised me before I left, with a delicious chocolate/caremel cake, and a gift certificate for a massage and pedicure at a day spa the next day! It was the perfect birthday treat. My mom watched my kids while I spent the day after my birthday treating myself to shopping and the day spa. Boy do I feel spoiled.