Cousins' Reunion

Jon's side of the family had a cousins' reunion in Ottawa this summer. For three days, we gathered together to eat, drink, and be merry! The first gathering was at Tom and Mar's - dinner on the deck. It was a great way to kick-off the weekend. Plenty of time to visit, catch up, and celebrate all the new additions and achievements of the family. Day two was out in Wakefield - my new favorite town! - and the Parc de la Gatineau. Swimming, BBQing, water ballooning, and trivia'ing were the highlights. The finale was a Sunday brunch at Kate and Eric's. One last chance to visit and enjoy each other's company.

Some random photos from the reunion (thanks to all the photographers!)...

Weekend Celebration Part Two - Fifty Years of Marriage

The weekend continued with a slightly larger affair. I'll spare you the individual numbers this time (mostly because I couldn't have kept track if I wanted to!), and jump right in by telling you that a good 135-150 people attended the party on Sunday. And, yes, name tags were worn. The occasion? My parents' 50th wedding anniversary party. Fifty years! Definitely cause for celebration. (Their actual anniversary is in October, but who wants to travel to the Midwest in October?)

My parents' big back yard was the venue. With the meat smoker out front, the horseshoe pit out back, and the port-a-potty in the garden (a creative attempt at fertilizing?, I'm now wondering), it was the perfect venue. Plenty of space for people to mill about and mingle. Highlights of the party included the re-creation of my parents' original wedding cake, the saucy stories(!) shared by my mom's long-time friend Katie Kelly, the musical performances (including an impromptu performance by Denis!), and being surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors.

Congratulations, Mom & Dad! You look as wonderful as you did 50 years ago!

Weekend Celebration Part One - Twelve Days of Christmas

The weekend started with a small affair. What do you get when you mix together 2 parents, 11 siblings, 4 siblings, 12 spouses/significant others, 6 siblings, 2 sisters-in-law, 5 canning jar lids gold rings, and a partridge in a pear tree? That's right - Christmas in July for my large extended family! My mother threw a lovely party with a 12 Days of Christmas theme for all 15 of my parents' siblings and their spouses/others - something she's always wanted to do (always meaning since that day she read about one such party in a Martha Stewart Living magazine!). My 5 siblings and I, along with my 2 sisters-in-law, donned our khakis and whites and played hosts. We prepared the brunch, served mimosas, refilled coffee, cleared the tables... And enjoyed every minute of taking part in such a fun family affair. Well done, Mom!

The six siblings/servers

Dad's gang

Mom's gang

The whole gang

The eight of us

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Talia and Claire, D's cousins, were given the task of keeping a very tired (and a very dirty!) Denis awake on the way back to my brother's one night after a hard day of playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house. So, they decided to sing. If you listen closely, you can hear D joining in from time to time, and if you wait for us to pass under a street light, you can almost see the three little singing stars... Too cute!

Plum Creek Canyon

A great name for a great place - Plum Creek Canyon. Our good friends, Gail & Jeff, have a cabin on the canyon in this lovely part of Nebraska, and going there is always one of the highlights of our summer. The views, the music, the boating, the eating, the catching up - it's all good! Denis loved playing with their girls and doing all the things that are meant to be done on a hot summer day - running through the sprinkler, digging in the sand box, swimming in the lake, and chasing fireflies. Is there anything better than a carefree summer day spent with friends?

(It's a good look for you, g!)