Today is thankful Thursday and I am thankful for my extended family. My dad side of the family had a family reunion last Saturday as we celebrated our family coming together. It is hard to believe that we have been doing this for 25 years.. They try to plan it for the first Saturday in August.
It started with my father and his 5 sisters and 3 brothers and it is a tradition that has continued every year. Every year someone else hosts it in their home so it travels around. So far we had traveled to Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
This year, my father was there along with his 2 brothers and his one sister. Those who did not attend of his family were 4 of his sisters. And 1 of his brothers has passed away. (This started because of him...he had heart problems and wanted his brothers and sisters to have a family reunion like they did when they were younger.)
Out of all the aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, there is 4 of us that have made it to all of them. This is includes my father, my aunt(my uncles wife) and my cousin and then myself. Of course, there are some who have attended all of them since they have been around, but not 25 of them....There is one cousin who we had thought had been to them all and had finally confessed that he is not in the club...this year he tried telling me that my aunt had moved and gave me a fake address...lol....I believed him then it finally sunk in that he was trying to keep me away...I need to get back at him...any suggestions?
Every one brings a side dish or dessert and the host supplies the meat and buns and themes. Some of the themes have been bring a duck decorated, make a boat that floats, we have had a circus and many other ideas. And it is always exciting to see what will be there. The different food or if your lucky they ask you to bring the same thing every year...(that would be taco dip for me, potato salad for my sister, and chocolate chip cookies for the other sister and corn on the cob for another cousin) It is a lot of fun to catch up with relatives that we normally don't see or hang out with.
Some of my cousins would say it was them and us...but now it is we. We are a family that belongs together...to remember our grandparents and great grandparents and relatives that are no longer in attendance. I am so proud to be a part of this family ...
One of the things I noticed this year is that my brother and 4 of my first male cousins look alike they have dark hair and dark eyes. While 2 others look a like with blond hair and blue eyes.
One of the most exciting thing (besides eating) is the family baseball game that is played. My uncle(the commissioner) is in charge and of course we don't play the normal way, the rules are always being changed during the game... We do stand for the National Anthem and then the game and the fun begins....There are so many laughs (and hopefully not to many tears from injuries) and so many memories made from this game and we all look forward to it every year...
I have to say this is one of my favorite things that happens once a year and I am very grateful for that....
CANNOLI
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