A Reunion...20 Years in the Making!

This weekend is so special to me, and it's all thanks to Aunt Vivian who brought all her nieces together for an annual reunion several years ago, and that tradition continues today, with her looking down on us from Heaven!

Fourteen of us nieces, great, and great-great nieces were able to come this weekend, to our 20th Nieces Reunion! And through the years, the weekends have even become "themed!" So this weekend, with all the love in the air, our theme was very appropriately..."Valentines in July!"

Aunt Nancy played hostess, and decorated our lake house from head to toe in pink and red! Carrying with tradition, we play tons of games....all "Niece Reunion" trivia, questions drilling us on past reunions and family history! And of course all the games come with prizes! Just look at all this loot!

And in case you forgot all our names, we plaster them all over the walls! HA! (Way to represent, Aunt Sandi!)

The weekend is hosted by a different niece each year, at a destination of her choice, and this year Aunt Nancy chose her Valentines Reunion to be at Lake Martin, at the lake house of a dear friend (remember Melissa Carter, Jess?). We took lots of sunset cruises on my old stomping grounds, and I instantly fell back in love with these waters.

Dad dropped off his pontoon boat for us to enjoy (affectionately called the "love boat" for the weekend, of course) so I hauled all my crazy, er, lovely cousins/aunts around the lake as Cap'n Jenn with love in my heart....but deep down, I was a nervous wreck! I've driven that boat a hundred times, but Daddy was always there to turn to when I was ready to turn over the reigns....now he just abandons me with a boat full of these women...on the biggest lake in Alabama....with a cell phone and a map?!!?!? OOC!!!

This is what I looked like the whole time!

Somehow I got the nerve up to pull my cousin, Amy, along with everyone else in the tube!

We enjoyed Niffer's by the Lake for lunch on Saturday....not pictured: Mama flirting with the waiter, the five baskets of corn nuggets, or the 47 glasses of diet cokes the 14 of us went through.

As always, there's reunion craft time, when teacher Debbie's in the hizzy....we made the cutest clipboards!

When we weren't crafting or eating, we were swimming and exploring for sure! Third generation Aubree and Ellie hunted for shells for hours!

Another tradition: we must pile as many bodies as possible in a single bed....just 'cause we can!

Now after Mama Debbie french braids hair, suits are on, and more pics are taken, its back in the water some more! Second generation pic before floating and gossiping about our mamas no doubt!

And here they are, our mamas! The first generation! The daughters of Aunt Vivian's siblings, and the ladies who grew up picking butterbeans, and listening to her stories, and spending summers with her, and were asked, as her NIECES, to please begin an annual weekend with her.

And so it began!

I love you....Andrea, Marcie, Connie, MAMA, Sandi, Betty Carol, Nancy! I know Aunt "Vuda" is so proud of yall!

And generation #2....Amy, me, Jessie, Rachael, Lauren.....love you girls! And love this weekend!

I'm so thankful to be a part of such a crazy wonderful family!!! I'm already looking forward to next year!

The Country, The River, and Family

Friday evening after work started the weekend off right. Steaks. Bacon wrapped scallops. Aspargus and squash. All on the grill. All in this beautiful backyard with some great friends.

Jeff and I played hosts at his home (which felt just shy of perfect ;) I'm just saying) and our company spent the afternoon and evening enjoying good music and drinks, the pool, and the trampoline, and even the cows!

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Saturday we set off on another mission....to buy a boat! Though we haven't made the final decision, we did enjoy the ride, and definitely love this monster! And Robert, who works with Jeff, and is boat's current captain, made the day extra fun!

After a long day on the lake, we took our ratty selves, and I do mean R.A.T.T.Y...in bum tshirts and wind blown hair to probably the nicest steak house in the tri-county area! Hunter's Pub....ahhh...delish! People drive from ATL to eat their steak, I'm telling you what! And the best part is, I'm more than welcome to come looking ratty and eat my $50 steak, because this steakhouse sits on the interstate ramp in an old gas station! Beat that, Bobby Flay!

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Sunday was "Ganmudder's" 84th birthday, and I couldnt wait to get to that woman and tell her how much I love her to pieces! It warmed my heart so much to see how many sweet family members were able to come and spend this precious day with us too!

This woman has had a rough few months (years really) and WILL come out on top. She had so much family around her this weekend, so much love, it was contagious! The Parkers and Simpsons will always be bound by one amazing man and woman, and I am forever grateful. Ganmudder....as you wished on your (way too chocolate!) cake, here's to the next ten years!!...CHEERS! I love you!

Girls Night Out & A Wedding Date!

Friday night my usual bunko group decided to step outside the box...and onto the bowling lanes...to celebrate Brandi's birthday! Two things to note here, I forgot how much fun bowling is, and I also forgot just how bad I am! Of course we had our bowling themed cupcakes! Aimee and Ashley were all smiles....BEFORE their scores went south! hehe

me with the Birthday Girl!!

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Saturday night I had a much overdue date night with this cute guy.... and I'm sure a wedding is just what he was thinking, ha! But we had a blast!!

Two sweet friends from Auburn, Callie and Bradley, finally tied the knot, in one of the most fun weddings I've ever been to! The wedding was at the beautiful First Methodist in Opelika, and the reception at Saguahatchee Country Club in Auburn, and everything was beautiful!

Such a happy bride, being sung to by the grooms ELEVEN uncles!!

This guy and I danced all night long, with some of my most precious friends! Jeff even said "this is like a big reunion!" and it sure was! It makes me so ready for football season!

Sweet Michelle, the new mom, looked absolutely beautiful!

All the hoots singing Shades to Callie (well, those who can still remember all the words!)

My bestest Leah, who I never can get enough of, or her precious twins! I'm coming back down to see you soon, MM and Hayes already invited me, k?

All in all, it was an AWESOME weekend, busy, but fun. I spent it with my favorite people, and made lots of fun memories!

The Fireworks were good....

But the company can't be beat.