Z Family Reunion/4th of July

We had a really awesome Zollinger family reunion over the 4th holiday.  It started with a 12 mile bike rally to the Monastery in Eden.  There was a little kid leg, a middle age kid leg, and then 4 adult legs so each adult took two legs.  It was SO HOT by the time we finally got biking and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  

This was my bike team, Allison, Logan, Ryan, Me, Wesley (he slept like a champ), Abram, Lucy and Isaac.

We came in third.  Not too shabby.

Isaac told me he passed two girls on his leg and he was so proud of it!

This was the ice cream challenge.  Our table did not win but the kids LOVED this activity.  

Love this ice cream face.

Uncle Richard welcomed all the new Zollinger babies in--Wesley got a new shirt and a Lion King-like welcome.

The kids also loved the Penny slide--Esther slid and grabbed 7 dollars in change.  This is one of my favorite memories that my Grandma Zollinger did with us.  

Isaac and Esther were happy to cool off in the very crowded pool on the 4th.

The girls slept over at the condos one night and the next day was the 4th and Lucy called and told me several times to make sure to bring her "4th of July" dress.  They were selling these fancy hula hoops at the Huntsville fair and Lucy was hoping I would buy one but....  16 dollars is a lot for a hula hoop.  :)

Wesley was so tired by the end of the day that the fireworks proved to be a little too much for the poor guy.  He HATED them.  He was much happier when he was asleep in his own bed with a noisy fan on to drown them all out.  

One night my cousin's husband came home after being in Afghanistan for four months and it was so fun to line up with flags and music and welcome him home--it was a surprise for his girls so that was just awesome to watch.  

It was so fun to see all the Zollingers.  I really miss that side of the family now that my mom is gone.  She used to keep me updated with all of them and now I don't hear much.  I don't see them nearly as often either so I LOVED spending time with them.  I am thankful for my Zollinger heritage.