Family Reunion*

Right now I’m sitting in my parent’s living room, curled up in their big arm chair after a very busy day. The Hubster and Teep are across the room watching an old Clint Eastwood film (not my cup of tea), so I thought I would steal a minute here while the wee-bean sleeps peacefully upstairs.

Every year since before I can remember, my dad’s family has hosted a huge family reunion in Muskoka. I love Muskoka. It is seriously one of the most beautiful places in Ontario, and I love coming here to visit with my family. It’s a weekend of laughter, catching up with my aunts, uncles and cousins, and food.

Oh my gosh. SO much food.

Today I had homemade strawberry rhubarb pie, broccoli and cheese soup, world-class potato salad, and about eight billion other things that I “needed” to taste. Including homemade Twix Bars.

I could actually write an entire post just about the food, but let’s not dwell there. (or I may start eating again. And I’m pretty sure I never, ever need to eat again.)

(Until tomorrow when we’ll do it all over again. Ha.)

While we were living in the Great White North, family reunion was one of the few opportunities we had to visit with our southern cousins. As we all sat outside the lodge today, I couldn’t help but smile as I look at us now, some twenty family reunions later. We all “sat” outside and caught up, and by “sat” I mean enjoyed brief bouts of sitting down in between chasing our children who were loving playing with their cousins and being outside with lots of room to run.

Ruby loved being there. From the minute she was unbuckled from her carseat, she took off running and didn’t stop. There were cousins to meet, lots of places to explore and tons of aunts and uncles to say a quick hi to before running off again. I’m plumb tuckered out after chasing her all day, but I couldn’t help but smile as I watched my beautiful little girl embrace the day.

And then I smiled again when she embraced her bed without struggle tonight. :)

After a long, fun-filled day, I think it’s time for this momma to crash so I am ready to do it all again tomorrow!

(And by “it” I mean eating, obviously. ha)