Grandpa Layton's Funeral/Layton Family Reunion.

Not to bore everyone with yet another update....It's only been, what, six months since my last, well thought-out post? The one with Rachel and her, uh, date, with no explanation or anything! Luckily cousin Matt took some great pictures at the family reunion so I have no excuse not to do something with this blog today! I couldn't figure out a way to take it offline completely anyway. So here we go.

July 11 Grandpa Layton passed away at age almost-93. He must have known that all of his family was scheduled to come to the Layton family reunion on July 16, so he made it easy for us to all get together to honor him and also have fun together as a big extended family. The viewing/party started on July 16. I know grandpa would have enjoyed the raucous at the funeral home as we all hugged, laughed, ran around, and greeted each other!

July 12 was the funeral at the church in Provo. Steve's dad gave a memorable talk about grandpa--his personality, historical context of his life, quirks, likes, dislikes, etc. We then went to the cemetery where Gabe found a water spicket and turned it on to get a drink right by the casket and got all wet, then climbed a tree and got covered in sap. Hey--he was thirsty and bored! After that, grandma's ward fed us all (we were all wondering if they had to make a Costco run when they saw how big the family was!), and then the reunion started with a service project, dinner, pictures, and talent show. The Ken Layton family did a musical number from "Sound of Music"--"so long, farewell, aufwiedersehen, good-bye...."

Here are some of the pictures Matt took. This is the whole Ken and Kathleen Layton family--including a photocopied cutout of Taylor's face.
Here's our family. So Asher to immediately change out of his church clothes before pictures!

Is this a newlywed couple I see? Oh, so cute, right?

Engagement photo!

Layton girls: Kathleen, Annie, Sarah, Melanie, Sara, Kayla, Sydney. Where were you Missy and Heidi????

Steve's parents--another engagement photo!

And here's the whole lot of them. Grandma and Grandpa have 8 living children, who each had a bunch of kids themselves, and now a majority of them have kids too. It really is amazing how two people can create this size of a family in one lifetime! Grandpa should be so proud!

Saturday, July 18, we all met back at the park for games and good-byes, then the Ken and Kathleen Layton family went to Cowabunga water park, then the adults went out to dinner for Steve's birthday (37!).

So there you have it--now don't say I never update my blog!