It's a Family Affair

So we have moved into our new place in Virginia.  We love it but are swimming in boxes and disorganization.  It has been an adventure and I will share more about that in a post coming soon.  I wrote this one up a few weeks back and wanted to get it out before it becomes outdated.

Memorial Day weekend was a great one for our family.  Ed, the kids and I had been cooped up in our apartment for a few weeks too many and were looking forward to a family wedding reception for Zack and Lacey the latest newlyweds.  This reception was not the kind where you shine your shoes and buy a new dress.  We took our rain boots to play in the mud, life jackets for the paddle boats and wore our play clothes while celebrating our new bride and groom.

Now I have mentioned that my family’s roots are in the Appalachian Mountains; my mother’s family specifically grew up in Catlettsburg, KY.  You could say Catlettsburg is a suburb of Ashland, KY which is in Northeastern Kentucky where Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia meet but Ashland is only a town of 30,000 people so I am not sure that is suburb worthy size.  My mom is one of 5 girls in her family and her mother is one of seven(I hope I am counting right!). 

One particular Great Aunt has a fabulous farm complete with a covered gathering space(it is the former chicken coop), playground, and a pond.  You must realize that Aunt Peggy has sainthood status in my family; when my mother was in the ICU after I was born Aunt Peggy came and “rescued me” from my father’s care and kept me at her house until my mother had recuperated.  She also taught me to eat dill pickles at age 2….I still love dill pickles to this day.  We have always loved coming to her farm; and even when Ed and I were dating in college we would come and fish at the pond during the summers. 

It is really fun to come back here with our kids and see them enjoy this special place. 

We had a blast with all of our cousins; our family has been through its own “baby boom” in the past 4 years.  We have 8 children under the age of 4 between 3 families so it is fun to get them all together.  After the initial shyness all wears off they play together like they see each other daily instead of the 2-3 times a year it actually is.  Isn’t it funny how kids have no concept of time…I wish I were the same. 

Little man and C got the chance to try fishing for the first time; and G-Dad and Papa had the joy of helping “catch” the fish. 

My mom and her sisters are fabulous; they honestly have each been a role model for me each in her own special way.  They are hardworking, loving, intelligent, serving, creative, crazy and just plain fun to be with.  Let me just summarize it with if these 5 ladies put their mind to something you better watch out because it will get done.  They love nothing more than having a family event to plan; no event is complete without games for the kids and decorations.  The decorating gene has spread to some of us, my cousin Alee and her finance Davis pictured below designed this tractor ride décor for our bride and groom’s event.  Bride and groom pictured 2^nd below on their “tractor chariot”.

We had a blast and can’t wait for our next big family event where Caroline gets to debut as a flower girl in Alee’s wedding.