Lingefelt Family Reunion 2012

(if you weren't there you will not get most of my seemingly random references)

 That’s right.  It’s Family Reunion time.  A time for stuffing your face with more food than Raaandy, Raaandy, Raaandy can hold.  A time for swimming until your redder than a 1^st place red velvet cupcake.  A time for dancing until your aunts start “rollin’ down the river”.  A time for bed sack.  Let us begin.

We lost some on the first day.  It’s a tough crowd to hang with.

(that's a tootsie pop)

Had time for a little shopping.

We had a late birthday celebration while we were all together!  And I actually got pictures of my Aunt Betty smiling instead of talking!  LOVE YOU MOM BEA!  :)

Aunt Betty and her big brother, Uncle Man

Beautiful cake from Ambrosia "Hapy 70th Birthday, Betty"

The Lingefelt siblings (6 out of 13 anyway) left to right:  My mom, Aunt Shirley, Aunt Liz, Uncle Man, Aunt Betty, Aunt Normie

Poo and Mom Bea

And off to the pool!!

I was out of it.  Putt Putt in the 90°s is intense.

No caption needed

Sunday was the actual Family Reunion day.  The cake was amazing.  This one was also from Ambrosia.

Top row left to right: Aunt Betty, Uncle Man, Aunt Shirley (hiding), Aunt Louise, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Doodle (being held). Bottom row: Uncle James, Uncle Tommy, Aunt Mary (face turned away), Aunt Barbara, Uncle Jerry, Aunt Liz (squinting), Aunt Normie (crying), Mom (Grandma's belly :) )

And bring on the desserts!!

Tonya's Cupcakes:  Lemon with lemon curd filling and a lemon drop on top, Strawberry with a brownie bottom, Red Velvet, Peanut butter with homemade peanut butter icing and a Reese's cup on top, and Chocolate with Kit Kat pieces and a Rolo on top.

The Bake Off entries!!

Strawberry Cheesecake

I can't remember what this was called but it was really good!!

Brownies and Strawberry cake with cream cheese icing

Chocolate Cake

Cupcakes

This was more than a chocolate cake but I can't remember what all was in it.  I went into a sugar coma somewhere around here.

Strawberry Pie

Dirt Cake!!!  How awesome is that presentation?!  :)

Love the icing!  Lol!  White chocolate cheese cake with white chocolate curls and white chocolate covered strawberries!

The judges had their work cut out for them.  (sorry I didn't get pictures of two of the desserts seen on this table.  One was coconut and another looked like a strawberry topped something)

And the winners ARE.......

1st place Tonya's Cupcakes!  2nd place Cathy's Dirt Cake!

All the contestants (minus one)

It was a wonderful time and can't wait for next year!!
Now for shots of Batman performing everyday activities:

Batman.

Batman smiling.

Batman drinking coffee.

Batman being creepy.

Batman being nosey.

Batman breaking his one rule.

Batman eating strawberry cake with a cream cheese filling on his favorite princess plate.

Batman being bed sack.

Philippians 4:8

A little over a year ago I posted a Facebook note about this verse.  I must admit, I have yet to conquer the charge I gave myself then, but I am continue to try.  I felt it warranted revisiting and decided to dig into the verse a little deeper.  I found a great website that uses Strong's concordance and through my digging I must say I gained a much more interesting understanding of the verse and ALSO learned of the existence of a word I had never been exposed to before except when referring to the month... august.  Who knew?  :)

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

                                                                                                                                Philippians 4:8
 

"Over here is my brother Ted, his wife Melissa, and their children Anita, Diane and Nick. Over here my brother Tommy, his wife Anzie, and their children Anita, Diane and Nick. And here, my brother George, his wife Freda, and their children Anita, Diane and Nick."

For those of you who do not know, I have a very large family.  And we are very close.  Many people may see their "extended" family once a year.  I do not understand this behavior.  My "extended" family is not the same as everyone else's.  Reason:  My mother is the last of THIRTEEN kids.  Big families always seem to stay closer longer.  By that I mean (instead of just siblings and maybe first cousins being close to each other) I have first, second, and third cousins that I am very close to.  Another reason for that is:  My mother is the LAST of 13 kids.  Because my mom is the baby of the family, some of her older siblings ended up being more like parents to her since some of them were married and having kids of their own (or about to) by the time she came along.  Which means for me that I have first cousins that are the same age or older than my parents and second cousins that are closer to my age.  I could talk about my family forever!  Ever seen "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"?  That's us, except not Greek.  :)  It's horrible because everyone is wrapped up in everyone else's business, and it's wonderful because everyone is wrapped up in everyone else's business.  I love it.

This was my first family reunion as a married woman!  And because of this I get gifts now!  My aunt brought all the married ladies these cute key-chain teacup tape measures!  I knew I got married for a good reason.  :)

This is the view from my aunt's lake house where the reunion was held:

And there I am in the lake.  I have decided I am a pool kinda girl.  The lake was fun, but I like clean water without animals in it better.

This was a REALLY good restaurant we ate at.  It has a museum right by it.

The Dinner Rules

My lovely husband was pretty full at this point.  You can see it in his eyes.  This is (from right to back) my mom, my cousin Ben, my aunt who I call Maw Maw Liz, and my other cousin Alyssa.

This was in the gift shop across the way.  I seem to have a lot of pictures of me in phone booths and cages.

My cousins Morgan and Bree went out on the lake and picked some really pretty water lilies.  Bree was too busy to have her picture taken.  ;)  FYI, water lilies are slimy.

My proud cousin Ben and his bass he caught.  I don't think anyone else caught a bass while we were there.  I tried using his lure after this, but alas, I still caught nothing. :(

These are some of my cousins (except my mom in the back).  Poor Bree was worn out and pretty sunburned.

The Beautiful Courtney  :)

My beautiful cousins with my handsome husband

Fighting over a kiss.  I can't blame 'em.