2009 Whiting Reunion

Well another reunion has come and gone! This past weekend the weather was beautiful and we really enjoyed spending time in the mountains! I want to thank Jack, Carolyn, and Kari for helping me out with the games! They did a great job and both the kids and the adults had a great time! I don't think I've laughed harder than I did watching the adult obstacle course! There ended up being a tie for 2nd place in the adult games. What kind of tie breaker did we come up with you ask. Well folks, we had a wrestle off!! First 3 out of 5 take downs! It was quite entertaining and both Joseph and Adam were good sports!

We had three teams participate in the GPS scavenger hunt. I was truly impressed by how fast the Jack's team completed their course! I think they ran the whole way! Which is amazing because most of us can barely breathe up there! The other two teams did great as well.

The picnic on Green's Peak was nice! What a beautiful view! As we were driving up there it was hard to imagine Grandpa driving up there with all us kids piled up in the flatbed trailer. What great memories! I can't believe we would actually run down the mountain! Looking back I am truly surprised than not more of us got hurt, or at least ran into that barbed wire fence!! This year a few of the kids (and Jack) kept up with the tradition! And once again no major injuries!

We had a live auction this year and it was a lot of fun. It was fun to see all the bidding wars. Not to mention the auctioneer was quite entertaining as well! Thanks to all of you who not only bid on items but also brought all the wonderful items we had to auction off!

It was great to see all of you! I really enjoyed catching up and getting to know you spouses and kids better! I hope those that weren't able to attend this year will be able to next year! We missed you!!

I would love if any of you took pictures and would like to post them on the blog! Also it would be great to hear some of your memories of reunions past. If you aren't sure how to post your memories or pictures e-mail me at dmaree@cox.net and I would love to help you!

Here are some pictures that were taken this weekend...

Adult Games

Nothing is more funny than seeing adults competing at kid games! Here are our contestants participating in the javelin throw (with foam noodle), shot put (with beach ball) and the water balloon toss.

Adult Obstacle Course

Here are some pictures of the Adult Obstacle Course. Sorry if some of them are blurry, but I was laughing pretty hard as I was taking them!

Wrestle Off

Here are some pictures of Adam and Joseph during their wrestle off for 2nd place during the adult games.

Kids Games

Here are a few pictures I took of the kids playing games...

2009 Whiting Reunion

Hey! This is Dustin Westover and I just wanted to post a quick reminder for the Whiting Reunion. We will be camping at Canero Springs on July 31- August 2. So mark you calendars we'd love to see everyone there!

Don't forget to mail your dues ($40 for the five siblings and $20 for all married cousins) to Aunt Judy before July 1st. Her address is:

Judy Austin
590 S. Picnic Creek Road
Springerville, AZ 85938

Remember the dues help cover the Saturday breakfast and all the port-a-johns. Also feel free to contact me with any ideas or suggestions to make this years reunion the best ever! My phone number is 602-989-2179 and my e-mail address is dmaree@cox.net. Thanks for all the help and I can't wait to see all of you in a few months!!

Stories about Edwin Whiting

Hi everyone this is Jack and Carolyn.

So here's a bit of family history for you. The Whiting line goes back as follows: Grandpa (Loren) Whiting, Charles Jr, Charles Sr, Edwin (pictured), then Elisha Whiting. This may not be new to some of you as it was me, but Edwin and Elisha & their wives were pioneers and lived amongst the Saints in Missouri and Illinois! Here are a few stories that may interest you.

Edwin's personal witness and testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith and other stories about him and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Cox: http://oscox.org/mecwhiting/mehistoryindex.html

A biography on Elisha Whiting and some of his posterity: http://www.startup-family.com/PDF_Files/Elisha_Whiting.pdf

If you go to LDS.org, select "About the Church" then "Church History". There you will see a link for the "Mormon Pioneer Overland Trail". If you type in Edwin Whiting you'll find out what Company he and Mary Elizabeth were in when they came across the plains (Edwin was 39 at the time)! You need to click his name, then the company. From there you can click on "View Individuals Known to Have Traveled in this Company".

If you go to, https://new.familysearch.org/ and enter your membership record number (on your temple recommend or from your ward clerk) and confirmation date you can log in and see all of the family history work that has been assembled there for our family (there's quite a bit!).

You can also search Google and find out much more on Edwin, Mary Elizabeth Cox or I'm sure many others! You might find out about his famous chair making buisness or his fruit tree story. I've had a lot of fun and hope you do as well!!!

(This is Carolyn sneaking in a comment because I want to make sure my cool husband gets all the credit for this post and research--he definitely has the spirit of Elijah! And if he has the "time" to do it, then I guess we all do.:))