It was family picnic day on Sunday. I was so glad to have a chance to go. I know some people don’t like these types of things but I sure do and as I get older, I like them more and more.
We had a little drama the day before. I wasn’t sure what to bring so bought some brats and hot dogs. A few couple hours later Kalissa messaged me and said she had left the grocery store and they had decided to bring brats and hot dogs. Both of us bought small ketchups, mustards, pickle relish, buns and kraut. AHHH. I let her bring that and I made something else. It was kind of funny.
Anyway, the picnic is for my side of the family…specifically my Dad’s family. I’ve gone most every year for as long as I can remember. I’ve missed a few…maybe three or four in the last 50 years or so. We cancelled two years- One when my niece got married and also the year my mom died. She died a few days before the picnic and everyone was together for the funeral.
These two provided lots of the entertainment….Carver is on the left and Scotty on the right…both my grandsons.
They balance each other out really well. Carver is busy and rambunctious. Scotty is more thoughtful and careful. Together they end up being more like typical kids….
There was a little washed in silt around the picnic shelter and the two of them played and played in it.
It was fun watching them playing and having cousin time.
Both of them were filthy. Really filthy. They had fun though. Check out Carver’s legs.
Here’s my Aunt Agnes on the left. She’s my 100 year old Aunt we all adore. Them Carver, me and Kalissa.
These are two of my sister’s grandchildren.
These two are cousins. Christopher is my brother Jule’s grandson and Tabor is my brother Jim’s grandson.
Before we left my siblings all got together for a photo with our Aunt Agnes and cousin Curtis. Back row is me on the left, sister Judy, then brothers, Jim, Jule and Jay.
I wasn’t going to add this photo as I look terrible but I thought I better. Connie tells me “I keep it real”, and this friends is as real as it gets. I was talking and goofing off, saying phrases in Swedish that my dad used to say. Oh me oh my. These were the first cousins in attendance.
At the park where we gather there is a tower (look out) that visitors can climb and look out. Here are Buck and Scotty at the top. I opted not to go. I have the stairs…I hate the heights. The kids typically love it though.
That wraps up picnic 2018. We missed Kayla and Karl this year. Hopefully we’ll see them next year. I had a nice time!!
It’s always great to go to a family reunion. Mostly because some of your older relatives might not make it to the next year. Then you would have missed an opportunity to enjoy their personalities. One never knows who might not be there next time around. Thus way you will have some wonderful memories if that person to treasure.
I have a great verse for cross stitching:
When someone you love
becomes a memory,
the memory becomes
a treasure.
I also do pet memories. At the top they all say:
Stitched in loving memory of [the pet’s name]
Then I stitch — cats (or dogs) leave paw prints on out hearts
The feline one is finished with — and claw marks everywhere else.
The canine one finishes with — and nose art everywhere else
The feline pattern I found online. But I changed the end if the canine one. The original one said — and drooling everywhere else.
Not all dogs drool, but every dog I have known does leave nose art
I always said about my boys that the dirtier they got the more fun the had! I am sure that Carver and Scotty had a great time making memories of their own and having fun!!
Cousin time contains some of my favorite memories as a child. I need to do better about making time for them as adults.
Your parents named their kids starting with “J” and you named yours starting with “K”. You think one of your kids will name their with “L”?
We just held our annual reunion in July, my dads side which has been held for 75 years at the same park. I know as getting older and the family gets even bigger the importance of connecting to all the elders of the family of which I am becoming one of. We have a family historian so that many events are recorded like marriages, births and deaths. There are over 500 descendents of my great, great grandfather Herman so it gets harder to know all of them!