We are family..........

Sunday was a good day. A day at the park with family. There are times when the thought of a 'reunion' with people you never, never get to see sounds anything but, well fun- but this particular gathering I was looking forward to. And with good reason, it was, well fun!

It all starts with these three crazy ladies. Sisters. The one on the left is my mom. The one in the middle is my Aunt Ruthie. And the one on the right is my Aunt Pauline, the reason for our gathering. Sunday was her 80th birthday! Now check these ladies out- my Aunt Ruth is 82, my Aunt Pauline is 80 and my mom is 66. Can you imagine the surprise on my Grandmas face when she discovered she was pregnant when her youngest was 13 years old! Holy Smokes! Talk about a surprise!

I have never gotten to spend a lot of time around these people- but they are my favorite people in the world. My Aunt Pauline is a kisser. She is a gentle woman who is one of the those who could make anyone feel better. And did I mention she's a kisser? Loves to kiss ya, that woman. And my Aunt Ruth, also my favorite person. She is so similar to my Aunt Pauline, very loving and gentle and natural. Can a person be natural? You know what I mean, just plain country folk- down to earth, cooks good food (but nothing you can't spell), iced tea drinking, farm living, simple living people. Not flashy, not proud, beautiful in their own ways, and loving. They are who I wish I could be more like. They are my heros, I suppose. Just good people who love the Lord and can grow their own vegetables and then know what to do with them when they are done. I have always loved to be in the company of these two woman.

So- off we go. These three woman gave birth to 13 children (Aunt Pauline 6, Aunt Ruth 4, and my mom 3-slacker : ) Don't bother to count, we were not all there. Aunt Pauline had 4 children, was pregnant with another, and one month before giving birth found out it was twins! Another side note- see the gal in the blue- she's a celebrity! She's my Aunt Ruthies daughter, my cousin Lisa. She was a finalist in the pillsbary cooking contest last year- I talked to her about my plan to pirate the pioneer ladies apple dumpling recipe and enter it next year, she kind of discouraged that. Back to birthing........

Then these individuals started birthing babies- and here they all are. These are all the children and grandchildren of these three women (most of them anyway). How cool is that?

It was a beautiful day and a very beautiful park. A nice big shelter (with a brick fireplace- not that we needed it as it was blazing hot) and a huge playground for all the kids. Close by there was also that splashin waterpark- not that we could take advantage of that this time with ally's broken-ness.

And these! Sam was delighted to carry around his own plastic bottle of over colored sugar water all day- like beer for babies!

And Allyson (and Emily) were thrilled to have the attention of their cousins. Is my niece not one gorgeous young woman? And so talented- loves to sing and dance and act. And, since we are here, when did Allyson grow up?

Well cripes- since I've already gone there I will just keep going. Here are two of my three very handsome nephews. The one on the left is a senior this year. Funny thing- I was a junior in high school when he was born. Wow! And the one on the right- is like 12 feet tall and wears some ridiculous size shoe- like a 13 or something! He's learning to drive- watch out!And this one was born the day I graduated high school. He too is a very handsome young man, despite the large growth on his head that he wears the hat to cover : )And finally, my last neice. She is addicted to Dr. Pepper so was thrilled that grandma brought some in the cooler. She too is graduating into a beautiful young woman (who sits with less grace than a horse : ) The middle one is my mom, and on left is my sister. My really really really much older than me big sister. Emphasis on the fact that I am the baby. I am so way younger than she is- way way way more younger : ) I love you kimmy!While at the park, Emily came running and was so excited that she had made a new friend. Turns out it is one of her cousins (however that works- it is my cousins daughters daughter- so what does that make them? Third cousins, twice removed, once married, now friends?) They got to sing a song for Aunt Pauline- Emily took this job very serious and sang her heart out.

The little girl in the picture with Emily, like I mentioned, is my cousin Amy's daughter. I got to give her a big hug and chat for a while. She said that her youngest begins kindergarten this year. "I've been a stay at home mom for 10 years" she said. And instantly, I tried to live vicariously through her- she will have several hours a day ALONE. I'm sure that after a week or so, that will become very, well, lonely, but those first few days will be like none other! We will all be there, someday, with our youngest starting school and us spinning around in circles wondering what we are supposed to do all day- not to mention who in the heck we are when we no longer have 'babies' to raise. But for now, I am cool with that. Less than a week until school starts and I am less than looking forward to it. I have enjoyed having my children all to myself this summer and I dread sharing them with the school again (not to mention trying to wake them up in the morning)!