We made it! Beautiful Eagle Lake in the Lassen National Forest in Northeastern California. This has been the location for "Shippendom" (the Shippen family reunion) for over 30 years!
It was a stinkin' long trek to get here, but it was so well worth the drive. We will be going again in 2 years!
This massive chart is the family genealogy of the Shippens...dating back to the 1800's. It's a challenge to keep it updated, but Aunt Vera does a great job.
Here is our little corner of the chart...the Thomas and Ona Shippen family.
We traveled the farthest...most of the family lives in the west...Idaho, Utah, California, Nevada and Colorado. So yes, we win.
Some of the family hanging out...One of the favorite past times around camp is visiting...just catching up with everyone.
Kristie Cooper and Kathy Clark...sisters:)
Aunt Vera couldn't make it to camp this year...she broke her back and is in a rehabilitation center. It was sad not having her there with us. Family reunion is one of the highlights of her life. She loves getting together with everyone and she puts many hours into planning and preparing for camp. We pray that she is all patched up and ready for camp in two years! Here the family is talking to her on speaker phone...filling her in on the happenings at camp.
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Tom and his darling daughters Olivia and Savannah
Nick, Rich and Tom Bushell...some dang cool guys.
FHE at the Campfire...Terry is doing some stand up comedy here...He was great!
Dogs love camp...this little cutie is Daisy.
A trip to the marina for an ice cream...Yummo.
Pizza...now that's a real camp meal:) The kids were thrilled.
Spencer Cooper...one of the many handsome guys around camp.
Sarah Bushell and Christine hung out a bit...she's a crack up!
Disco/Daredevil David Shippen and his adorable new wife Heidi.
Ali and her precious daughter Eliza.
Drew Bushell...another cool kid, and the Caspers...cool as well.
Michelle came with her two daughters...this is Savannah.
Another fun dog...those ears are a riot.
T-shirt day...we had to represent!
And this is...Rocco. Christine is an animal magnet.
Jim and his girlfriend Christin and her daughter Marissa.
Grant and Nick did a fair amount of hanging out.
Tommy and Stacey Bushell
Tom Bushell did a little casting with his fly rod in the middle of camp...just practicing.
One of my favorite cousins, Kristie.
It's not uncommon to see people studying the family chart...just trying to figure it all out. There are 7 generations represented here...roughly 372 people listed!
Some puppy lovin'.
We are ready for our final campfire...bittersweet.
Rod and Kim Morris---we lived in the same student ward at BYU when William was a baby:)
Christine in touch with her nature self...carving something out of a stick.
We had a fun Jeopardy night which included some great family trivia. I was a contestant...on the far left...I started out great and then answered some questions wrong and lost some points...No, I didn't win. But boy was it fun!
