Day #1 3 August 2016 Family and Friends come to Yakima!
The kids arrived today from Orem! We are so excited for this coming week of family festivities and Claire and Graham’s wedding. This is the beginning of something big and something important. The stuff eternity is made of. This is the beginning of a new family.Claire and Graham will be married in the Columbia River Temple on Friday, 5 August. We are thrilled to bring our 2 families together. Graham’s family will arrive tomorrow from Calgary, Arizona, and Utah. Tonight we took the kids and Grandpa Art and Kris to dinner at Zesta Cucina, one of our favorite eating destinations in Yakima.
Then home to open a few wedding gifts that have arrived here.
Day #2 4 August 2016
We had a loungy morning, the calm before the storm!
Lunch at Mod Pizza:
Cousins are arriving:
We had a delightful afternoon receiving aunts and uncles and cousins as they arrived. By evening, we had a full house–65 family and friends have come to join this celebration!
The wonderful Juarez Family catered a FABULOUS Mexican buffet for us. Pres. Juarez is the Branch President of the Terrace Heights Spanish 2nd Spanish Branch. His wife is legendary for her delicious food! Oh my, it was good! 
We inhaled tamales, chili rellenos, chicken enchiladas, tacos and plenty of beans and rice and chips and salsa. Wow, it was all So Good!
For dessert we had fresh peaches with ice cream.
And some yummy Canadian maple cookies!
We enjoyed games and visiting and taking walks together in this beautiful place.
Then the Mission Home turned back into a dormitory for the evening. Pres. and Sis. Smart, next door took in 4 bedrooms full of our guests. Graham’s family stayed at the Marriott in town and the rest stayed here, filling every bed and mattress we had. SLEEP OVER!!
We topped off the evening with a rousing round or two of Rhythm Sticks. This is the game we use in the Lewis family to initiate new family members. No one marries into the family without showing they can master this game. It’s a favorite at every Lewis gathering. 
Aunt Di’s signature wedding robes. 
Then we all turned in for the night. Tomorrow is the Wedding Day.
Such fun. How do you play rhythm sticks? Are there directions anywhere? Love your blog!
Also, Where did you get the rhythm sticks? How long are they? Did you make them? Wood, PVC? The game looks great. Seems like a fun activity for our next family reunion.
I Elna. They are made of PVC pipe, cut in 12″ pieces. I’ve got a short video clip of playing the game. If you send your email, I can send it to you and you can learn to play. It’s SO FUN!
Oh yes yes yes. What size pvc? elnaclark@gmail.com. If I were to make a set for each of our children how many would be good in each set? I am excited!!