Halona Family Reunion / Father's Day

Father's Day weekend is my Annual Halona Family Reunion in the beautiful Chuska Mountains of New Mexico. Normally our family looks forward to this all year long and we start preparing and getting excited months in advance. However, this year was not the case and I actually was not looking forward to it. This would be the first year without my dad and I wasn't sure how it would work. My dad started the reunion about 24 years ago and it was one of his favorite things to do. We knew he would be upset if we didn't go, so we all, a little reluctantly, packed up and headed to New Mexico. We left early Friday morning and arrived in Gallup, NM around 1:00pm. We kind of kept to our traditional routine and went to Earl's Restaurant where they have several vendors selling REAL Native American jewelry for really good prices. I bought a ring for myself and 2 Turquoise baby bracelets for our little man to go with his Navajo traditional outfit that I'm having made for him. It was strange not having my dad there to guide us and we kind of felt lost without him. But he's still with us and we eventually found our way.

After Earl's we continued our tradition and went to Genaro's for lunch to have their AMAZING stuffed sopapillas! I crave these things and look forward to this meal every year! They're SO delicious! Even though I was starving and ready for my stuffed sopapilla, I started crying as soon as I walked into the restaurant. I missed my dad so much and hated seeing his empty seat :( We have been eating at Genaro's for SEVERAL years and when my dad lived in New Mexico our family became regular's. So it wasn't out of the ordinary for Francis, our longtime waitress who's ALWAYS served us and knows exactly what we want to drink and eat, asked if she should bring a Diet for my dad. My mom told her no and gave her the news that he passed away 2 months ago. She couldn't believe it and said "Why didn't you call me!". My mom ordered my dad's favorite dish and we all took a bite for my dad. Even though it was hard, we still had a good time and of course the food was AMAZING. Now it's off to the Mountain to setup camp :)

Setting up our tent turned out to be a BIG test of John & I's relationship. I have a certain way of doing things (the right way) and he was trying to be in charge when he didn't really know what he was doing and wouldn't admit that I was RIGHT. I got a flashback to when Marq tried to teach Lynzie how to snowboard and I started laughing! LOL. We finally got it set up...the right way...and it's a good thing because it rained during the night, and thanks to me our tent didn't get filled with water. It also rained off and on throughout the day on Saturday. Even with the rain we had fun and it was nice being in the mountains, surrounded by my family and sitting by the fire eating smores :) The highlight was the skit my sister Gia, her husband Tim, and my brothers Shane & Mike did at what we call "Saturday Night Live" where each family does a skit or talent. It was absolutely HILARIOUS and I laughed so hard I was crying. I know my dad got a kick out of that :) I'm sure he also got a kick out of me and my Aunt falling backwards in our camp chairs, LOL. Clumbsiness runs in our family LOL.

Sunday I woke up and immediately thought of my dad :( Normally I would be getting up to get his present. But this year I gave my oldest brother Shane a gift (a BYU grill cover which he loved) and of course John. His favorite was the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" shirt and matching onesie for the baby :) We then started packing up, had our traditional Father's Day potluck breakfast, and then headed home to have dinner with John's family at his grandpa's house. It was a quick trip but it was nice and I know my dad is happy that we all went and kept his tradition going.

It was all for you Dad! I love you and miss you so much more than words can describe. It's going to be a hard year of "first's" without you but we'll try and continue to "Livestrong" as you told us too. Love you daddy! Happy Father's Day!