reunion weekend

my parents, my brothers, sisters, some nieces and nephews.

A long week has passed since I last wrote here. Sorry about that. But oh what a long and fun week it was.
 We had swim lessons every day, along with swim meets for the older two.

On Friday, out-of-town family started showing their faces in my neck of the woods, causing unbelievable comments to stream from my 12 year-old's mouth - in a good way. "Oh, what a shame," seemed to be his favorite taunt as they played games together. The cousins took it well and dished it right back at him.

The chicken-bacon pizza we had with them on Friday night was heavenly - I even wrapped up the last piece and put MY name on it, so I could have it for lunch on Sunday. No-share pizza, that's how I roll.
Saturday dawned extra early for me, especially since it was - gasp - raining. My nearly-oldest brother had (easily) convinced me to run in a 5k race with him and his wife before the family festivities began. It sounded good, until the alarm went off at 5:15 am. But by the time I reached the registration table at 6:45 I was ready to GO! I didn't get a great time, nor a PR, but I ran the 3.18 miles under 30 minutes, so I was ok with it. And I was feeling ready to run the next day, but wisely I didn't.

After hurrying back to the house to pick up my youngest, and prepare a salad ... because meanwhile, back at the ranch .... G had the older two down at the pool for a swim meet. Our team was the 'host' pool so it wasn't one we could skip really. My other two girls were already at the parade with Aunt and Uncle, and baby K. was waiting at home with babysitter/cousin K. Keeping track of 5 kids ... it can be a organizational-challenge.

We had a lovely time at the yearly family reunion. My mom's side of the family has an annual tradition of picnicking after the small town parade. I think I wrote about it last year here and here.

G and the kids made it to the picnic while I was out garage-sale-ing with my sisters. And then it was Family
Picture Time. It has been years, literally, since all my siblings have been together in the same place. And it wasn't even a wedding or funeral that brought us together this time. Did you see how we have all changed in my earlier post? I'm still the cutest.


It was nice to go home at the end of the day and have some stir-fry and crash on the couch. By that point I was exhausted, and finally asked the older girls to change baby's diaper - their first messy-diaper change! It was a learning experience that's for sure!

Well the annual dessert contest went off without a problem. And the competition is getting harder each year. I came up with the idea for the girls - the barn - and they did almost all of the work. They made the cake, from a box mix, and decorated with only minimal input from Mom (and a few well-placed skewers!) They took home 3rd place this year. The Mountain won 1st and the cake pops were 2nd.

Sunday was a bit more relaxing, with church and a long nap (after church not during!) Then we were off again to my brother's house this time. For one 'more intimate' gathering of my siblings and parents,; the day before had been relatives of all branches of the family tree, a number of them I couldn't name, So it was nice to just be able to visit with the siblings.
To top off the weekend, the girls of our household received an amazing gift from my brother, their Uncle T. He made this horse stable for them by hand! We are just in awe of all the detailed work  and time he had to put into this to get it so perfect! The kids - all 5 of them! - played with it throughout the weekend, and this week, whenever they had a spare moment. You know me, the task master making them work hard during summer! ha! More like swimming taking up lots of time ...