Koosharem Thanksgiving

For all of you wondering if my husband has a family, the answer is, Yes. We don't get to see them very often and pictures are scarce. This weekend we traveled up to Koosharem for Thanksgiving. Benn's parents have lived here for the last several years. I took several pictures to show you Benn's side of the family. His sister, Melissa, came down from Salt Lake and joined us. She is the youngest of five siblings. Benn is the next youngest with three older brothers. Bryan, the oldest, lives in Minnesota. Brent - southern Utah, and Bowen - South Dakota. Benn grew up in So. California and about nine years ago, his parents uprooted and moved to Koosharem, Utah. This is where Benn's Dad, Wayne, was raised. Our kids love to visit and look forward to riding the 4-wheelers, seeing all the animals that grandpa is taking care of, making fires and roasting marshmallows and just running around outside without parents watchful eyes.

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with lots of good fun and good company. It was very cold and a little windy, but that didn't stop the kids from spending most of the day time outside. I was surprised that they didn't freeze their fingers off! Kamryn and I did some Christmas shopping at the local Walmart thirty minutes away in Richfield. It was fun to people watch and be around friendly sales people, not like the Walmart workers here in Vegas!!! It was a good weekend, but we could have done without the sickness that followed us home.

Melissa and Mason

Me and Carter

Carter in Grandpa's garage. Yes, Grandpa's garage. This place is amazing! This is where all the tools, off-road toys and food storage to feed at least a hundred is kept. And there is even a t.v. with satallite so Grandpa can relax in his own environment.

Kamryn

Mason playing with the shot gun shells

Amy shooting a 20-gauge shotgun. I thought that I would never ever shoot a gun in my life - that and ride a horse. I have made it this far in my life without doing either and when I married into Benn's family, I almost became stubborn about it. Well, I shot the guns and I have to admit it was pretty fun. I didn't like the shot-gun. There was too much kick for me and I didn't feel like I was in control when I pulled the trigger. But the semi-automatic pistol was too much fun!!!

Carter and Kam with the muffs on. Didn't want them going deaf with the loud guns.

Benn helping Carter shoot the .22 rifle.

Mason and Grandma with her curlers in. In Koosharem, there is nobody you need to impress!

Grandpa helping Kam with the 22 semi-automatic pistol

Wayne, Benn, Melissa and Nancy Brindley

Grandma and Kamryn showing off their creation

We finished ours first but it didn't look as good. We were going for quick and painless!


NAP TIME! Too much turkey

Ever since Mason found out we were going to Koosharem for Thanksgiving, he has wanted to see Amish, the horse. While visiting during the summer, Mason fell in love with this horse. He never rode it, but he loves horses and was so excited to see his friend again.




These last pictures give you an idea of how it is to be in Koosharem and why the kids love it so much. They can run free and not be bothered by cars or other people. Although it was cold, it was still beautiful. The mountians and the storms rolling in made for some good pictures, at least I thought so.



These last pictures are of the old Brindley homestead. George and Jane Brindley and their six kids were the first Brindley's to settle in Grass Valley during the late 1800's. They came over from England where George was a silversmith. Here in Grass Valley they tried their hand at farming potatoes among other things. Benn's dad, Wayne, says that they nearly starved to death that first winter. I guess that means they weren't so good at working the land. The first picture is of the fireplace from George and Jane's home. The second is of the foundation. If you look closely there is a line of rocks that make up the eastern foundation. Benn and Wayne figured that the home was roughly 270 square feet! That is smaller than my bedroom! It was very cool to see a part of Benn's heritage and hear their story. I can see why Wayne wanted to move back when he retired from being a veterinarian in southern California. Koosharem and it's surrounding areas are a part of who he is and I think it's common to want to be where you once grew up, especially if you loved your childhood. Wayne must have had a pretty good one!