Easter Family Reunions

Discussion in 'Holidays & Traditions' started by Babs Hunt, Mar 28, 2016.

  1. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    For the past 10 years my whole Family (siblings, children, etc.) has held Family Reunions on the Saturday before Easter. We started these reunions the year after our Mom died to honor her life on this earth and to give our children and grandchildren a chance to know each other as we had known our cousins while we were growing up. Life isn't the same anymore, family no longer lives in the same city or same state many times..much less down the street or next door. So we wanted to find a way that our kids and grandkids could get to know each other too and to tell them about their Grandmother/Great Grandmother and how much she would have loved each and every one of them. Our 1st Family Reunion was held in a State Park where we rented the largest covered Pavillion available. We had a very nice turnout and lots of good food...and a good time was had by all. Each year after that we either rented a place at State Parks or held it at a family members home in the country. For the past 4 years we have been having our Reunions at my Nephew's home which is just perfect for all of us. After 10 years our Easter Family Reunion and Crawfish Boil has become a family tradition which we hope will continue for many more years to come. It has been wonderful to see how our families have grown through the years, and to discover (like with mine) that new little family members will be at the next Family Reunion. It's all about Family and Love...and some really good boiled crawfish with all the trimmings! :D

    Some pictures from this year's.
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    Last edited: Mar 28, 2016
  2. Lara Moss

    Lara Moss Supreme Member
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    Oh Babs, you are so blessed with a big family that all
    place the same importance on the value of togetherness.
    The last pic is so precious…beautiful eyes and smile
     
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  3. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    I couldn't agree more! On both things. Thanks @Lara Moss :)
     
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  4. Karen McKenzie

    Karen McKenzie Veteran Member
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    Gorgeous picture, Babs. What a wonderful day! You are truly blessed. I have that same yellow colander he's using to scoop up crawfish :)
     
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  5. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    Well its almost that time again...time for my Family's annual day before Easter Family Reunion and Crawfish boil in honor of our Mother.
    Moma's family reunion.jpg

    This year we will have quite a few new members of the family attending (some still in the womb) as we have been blessed with the births of some precious new babies in our family and I'm looking forward to getting to hold and love on all of them. We also have been blessed with some new members added to our family through marriages and I will be happy to visit with these new members too.

    Last year my Honey and I did not attend the Reunion...it was just a bad time for us with all the new health issues, etc. but things have once again smoothed out and we will be going to this years along with the rest of our immediate family. So far every one is planning on coming except maybe my sister who lives in Georgia as her husband's health is to bad for her to leave him unless she can get his daughter to come from Florida and stay with him for a few days.

    We also will have our two best crawfish boilers back this year. One got married right before the Reunion last year so was basically on his honeymoon during our Reunion and the other had a job situation he just could not get out of. These two Nephews have been training the younger ones how to boil the crawfish so we are passing this on too because we of the older generation hope the younger generation will continue this Reunion long after we have left this earth. :)

    May this be the best Reunion yet for all of us and may everyone remember to bring their cameras and take lots of good pictures to cherish in our hearts forever.
     
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  6. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    Since we will have more little ones at the Reunion this year and I like to bake I'm going to make my Easter Bunny cake and cupcake Easter baskets for them. :)
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    And if I have time I will let my youngest granddaughter help me make them. :)
     
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  7. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    Tomorrow is our Family Reunion held in honor of my Mom each year the Saturday before Easter. All my sisters and brothers (eight of them) will be in for it this year and I want to make sure I get lots of pictures because none of us are getting any younger and I really don't know how much longer we will all be able to keep attending.

    All my daughters and their families will be there too this year so I'm hoping to get some good pictures with all the grandkids together too.

    The weather is supposed to be perfect with a high of 75 and with some cloud cover and sunshine. We have been blessed that way for all the years we have been holding these Reunions...we have always had nice weather for them.

    We have family that come in from all over...my brother coming in from Oregon will be the one coming the greatest distance this year and traveling by automobile. My nephews who boil the Crawfish, etc. are from Denver, CO and they always fly in. Another nephew and his family come in from San Antonio, a sister from Georgia...and many siblings from Florida. It will be good to see everyone again.

    On Easter Sunday we are having dinner at my middle daughter's home and last head count we figured there would be at least 26 family members gathering for this. This will include some of my son-in-laws' family members too. Once someone marries into our family...we all become one big, and almost always happy family! :)

    Let me know if any of you are ever down here for Easter weekend....and we will be sure to send you and invite for our get togethers too. The more the merrier is our motto...and there is always plenty of good food to share.

    Happy Easter one and all. :)
     
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    Last edited: Mar 30, 2018
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  8. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    We had the most beautiful weather for this year's Family Reunion, really big crawfish...and best of all...every one of my siblings did come! :)

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    I think mine was the only family that had all their children and grandchildren there this year...but this happens as it is really hard to get the whole Family together at the same time. Still a grand time was had by all and since the pool is heated where we hold the Reunion each year...the kids, both little and big get to enjoy swimming too.

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    While most of the adults eat their fill of boiled crawfish and veggies, etc., the little ones have their fill of hot dogs, chips, and all kinds of desserts...and of course the candy they find in their eggs after the Easter egg hunt. :)
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    This year the new veggie that was boiled with the crawfish, etc. was brussel sprouts. And they were really good.
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    We also had a raffle this year for gift cards. This was only for the adults and the gifts cards were for restaurants here where we live. We all enjoyed this so we are going to make this a regular part of our Family Reunions from now on. :)

    This is the first year in a very long time that I was able to take a picture with all my siblings and it will be a picture I will cherish always. This last picture is my Honey and some of my kids, etc. enjoying their crawfish. :)

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    And here's some of our adult children who did come. :)
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  9. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    All I can say is.........must be nice! Yes, families who get along and do want to see each other.

    Had that when we lived in So California and was very nice. BIL only made it to our wedding, but at least he made to see his sister marry again. There were a couple of times we all met in Las Vegas. Wife, her brother and I flew in, the rest of the family drove in. Those were great times as well.

    One thing for sure, neither of our families are as close as your family is. We are close, just not nearly as close.
     
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  10. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    It used to be that our Easter get together would always be at my home. But then life changes. Once we downsized to a very much smaller home...that wasn't doable anymore. Then my Mom passed away and the next year the whole Family Crawfish Boils and Family Reunions started happening each Saturday before Easter.

    For the past few years my middle daughter has been having Easter Sunday at her home. She makes a crawfish pasta casserole that is wonderful and then invites our family, and all the in-laws and their families plus a friend or two. Everyone brings additional meats, sides, and desserts and we all leave stuffed! :) [000093].jpg [000098].jpg [000060].jpg

    This year we were celebrating not only Easter but two March Birthdays in our family too.
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    The kids enjoyed the pool.
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    And this year I got some new family pictures. [000010].jpg [000008].jpg [000043].jpg [000013].jpg

    My family is growing so fast it seems. The oldest grandchild is 20 years old now and our youngest will be 2 in September. Ten beautiful grandkids and another one due in October. We are blessed indeed and so thankful for every one of these blessings.

    I also realize what a blessing it is that all my daughters and their families live in the same City as we do. If they didn't it would make it a lot harder to have these get togethers and spend as much time with each other as we do. Most of all I'm thankful that in spite of their very busy lives, they all still feel it is important that we do have family time together and they find a way to make it happen. I love my family...they are priceless. :)
     
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  11. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Oh as always such beautiful photos of the family @Babs Hunt , I'm very pleased you all had a wonderful time celebrating Easter and birthdays. I can hardly believe looking at you, that you would have a 20 year old grandchild, you looks waaayyy too young.. but I do remember when the little ones were born, and they've grown so fast already..
     
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