Family Reunion - 2010

We just returned from Cherry Grove in North Myrtle Beach, SC attending our annual family reunion. It is always great to get together with as many as our family members as possible in that this is about the only time we see some of our family from year to year. We had about forty members of the family in attendance this year, which is a little lower than previous years. Hopefully next year when our brother Billie, and his wife Patsy plan the reunion, probably in his hometown of Fredericksburg, VA, we will have more in attendance.

Here are some pictures of my family:

Shot taken with my iPhone; Cherry Grove Beach, SC

Kids taking a break from their game!

Our signature event: The Auction. Someone in the back causing trouble!

Chowing down on the obligatory Carolina Bar-B-Que! It was delicious.

Waiting for the food!

Was Mitchell telling Mom about his engagement to Lexie?

Catching up on the past year events.

Visiting at Uncle Tony & Aunt Nobie in Cherry Grove; talking about all those not there!

Gathering at the "hospitality suite"! But where is the beer?

Sisters catching up!

Breakfast Sunday at Mama Jean's. It is just too early for Melissa!

Note: All of the above pictures, except the sunrise shot, were taken by my photographer wife: Jenny.

Family Reunion - June 2009 - New Bern NC

Brothers & Sisters

New Bern Riverfront Hotel

Let the race begin!

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As I have indicated previously, our family has been getting together for the past twelve years. This year about forty of the family got together at the New Bern Riverfront Hotel to share lots of stories, laughter and of course eating. It is always great to see anyone since we normally only see most of the family once a year. And it goes without saying the kids can really change in one year. Maybe we should figure out how to do it twice a year!

The highlight of the reunion is the Saturday night dinner and silent auction which of course is anything but silent! Even the part that is supposed to be silent isn’t and then all of the “hot” items go to a live auction. Now that is when the fun begins! Some of the kids didn’t know what a live auction was last year, but now they hold their own with their parents money!

I can’t begin to say what my extended family means to me but here is a thought about family that fits us nicely; I don’t know the author, but as I read it, maybe it is a quote that my sister Joan used several years ago when she planned the reunion!

Our family is a circle of strength and love…
With every birth and every union the circle grows…
Every joy shared adds more love…
Every crisis faced together
makes the circle grow stronger.

Family Reunion - New Bern NC

Not too many weeks ago, the subject of my blog was my Mother and Grandmother, who not surprisingly were very influential in my life.

Next week we go south to New Bern, NC for our annual family reunion. As family reunions goes, this reunion is modest, in that includes only descendants of our Mother and started fairly recent .

After my Mother passed away in 1997, some of us were concerned that since our matriarch was no longer with us that we would stop getting together as a family. We made a vow to continue getting together as a family at least once a year and I’m happy to say that this year event will be our 12th reunion.

As i pack to go down, I thought it would be nice to include some pictures from our past reunions.

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The beginning - Al & Jennie - Pine Level - 1998

Eating time again - Richmond, VA - 2008

Hot day! Time to cool off - Richmond, VA - 2008

Cousins playing poker! - Richmond, Va - 2008

Cousins enjoying food and photos - Lake Gaston, NC - 2007.

A big part of the reunion: eating - Pine Level - 2005

Sisters sharing a moment - Pine Level 2005.

Favorite activity - looking at old family photos - 2007.

A little relaxing time - Lake Gaston - 2007.

Getting refreshments before hitting the beach - Pawleys Island - 2006

The Family in front of Uncle Tony & Nobie's house - 2005.

Some of the great-grand kids - Pawleys Island - 2006.

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