Family Reunion 2007

I want to write about this before it's so old, I've forgotten the details. This past September, my immediate family (brothers and sisters, their spouses and kids, my parents, and my grandmother) had a fabulous family reunion. We met in Emerald Isle, North Carolina and it had been almost two years since we had all been together. The location was prime. It was beautiful and awesome but truly, for me the best part was just being together!

Thanks to the generosity of Mom and Dad we stayed in this fancy pad right on the ocean. It was our 7 bedroom, 8 bathroom, 6 balconied, 2 kitchen retreat with a pool and a hot tub. Talk about luxury. But the truth of it was, we couldn't have fit in anything smaller. There were 28 people and one dog.



Sadly for us, Dan and I were only able to be there for the last half of the week. And after being there a few days, it really made me sad for the part that we missed.

We played on the ocean a lot. The forecast kept predicting rain, yet somehow we avoided it for the majority of everyday. Ava was in love with the ocean. We arrived just in time for a family picture on the beach. That meant that Ava would go to the actual beach for the first time in her little life in her picture clothes and not be able to get in. Talk about torture for a little girl. She made it through the pictures but kept saying, "want get in pease" over and over. When the pictures were over we let her get in. She thought the waves were so cool.

Mom had to hold her hands or she might have just run right in.

In the morning, it was so nice to go out on the balcony.

Dad and Daughter

Me and Ava

Chris and Noah

The kids had fun playing on the beach and in the ocean. Actually I think everyone did! After the kids went to bed we'd play cards and eat candy. And we took turns on the Wii. My nephew, Brayden, was the master and showed us how it was done!

Ava, excited about the waves

Ava and Marin

Luke relaxed on the beach too!



Mom took Ava down to the beach and they found this huge shell.

She was thrilled!

This is one of my favorite pictures of some of the girl cousins. During our stay Ava learned all about princesses as "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" was always on a TV somewhere in the house. When I look at this picture I just think these are my little niece princesses.

Marin, Sara, and Sofia

We celebrated Mimi's 80th birthday. We all went around the room and told something we remembered or loved about her. It was a special night because she is such a special lady. There's nobody sweeter than my Mimi.

Oliver was so interested in Luke. He asked A LOT of questions. "Is he hungry?", "why is he crying?", "how long will he sleep?", "what is he doing under there?" (as i nursed him under a blanket), "what will be his first word?"
It was funny that a little boy would be so enthralled by a baby. He is a cool kid!

Sofia, Oliver, and Luke

Oliver and Sofia are lucky because now they have a new baby at their house. Their little brother Santiago was born November 2, 2007. I don't worry at all because I know Oliver will be looking out for his baby brother!



Ava and her cousin Sara are just 6 months apart. It was fun to watch them interact. At one point they sat on their rocking chairs and chatted on the porch like a couple of old ladies.

Ava and Sara

The 2 Elises

So, Mom and Dad, Mimi, Bret, Christina, Rebecca, Elise, Sara, Chandra, Paul, Brayden, Kieran, Torin, Eavan, Roan, Marin, Dallin, Ian, Cristina, Oliver, Sofia, Leah, Chris, Noah, Dan, Ava, and Luke, thanks for being my family and coming on this trip. I love you all so much! I wish we could be together always! And I'll tell you all what I tell Ava, "Don't forget I love you!"

Mom and Dad, thanks for making this wonderful trip happen. I bet you can't help but look at all of us and think about how it all started with just the two of you, 40 years ago.