Being Family H

Last night we had a fairly big family dinner at my mom's house. Normally, our family home evenings are spent there. We usually have dinner and then someone gives us a lesson. It's fun, and keeps us on top of the goal to have family home evening once a week. Anyway, last night we got together most of my H side of the family. We had a fairly good turn out for this family dinner..considering a few live too far away, and the others who DO live around here were working. Four out of Eight isn't bad!
This is the side of the family I TRULY belong to. We're stubborn, ornery, and we often stick our feet in our mouths often. Kinda fun, kinda hard to be! In this family, even if you are second cousins twice removed...or some other far removed family member, you are just "cousins." I sometimes get into trouble if I don't say hi to these people out in regular day-to-day life.

Our part of the family is in charge of a larger family reunion this year (the JPH reunion). Usually, my mom is in charge of most things, simply because she's the one who will take charge when no one else wants to. That's just the kind of person she is...if no one else is doing it, then she'll step up. (I think I've started to take after her in this regard...) So the JPH reunion is ALWAYS held the last Saturday in July. We have set the tradition that it's the Saturday closest to JPH's birthday. It NEVER changes...and EVERYONE knows this. EVERYONE!! Well, we've been hearing complaints from other "cousins" that they haven't gotten a letter about it, so they're going to make other plans for that weekend. I guess if they do, then it's their loss. My grandpa was kinda upset over this information and decided that we needed to get that letter out. He immediately went to my mom.
My mom has gotten tired of being the "go-to-woman" in the family, so she suggested that we have a family dinner/planning meeting. Unfortunately, since she IS the only motivated person on this side of the family, a few of my aunts don't really like her that well...therefore, they don't like US, her children. If she were to call a meeting, they wouldn't come, but if grandpa would do it, they would! Because of this, he went and called this family meeting/fish fry! I think it was also a way to con them into coming...Us: "Hey!! Free food!!" Them:"Man, we're going there...they have free food!!"
So about the time we NORMALLY have family home evening, the relatives began showing up. My mom and I had been working on the food for most of the afternoon, before Cam and I had crashed for a DESPERATELY needed nap. When I got up, my mom was outside in her backyard cooking some hamburgers for those who DON'T like fish (that would include me!) And I was in the house trying to bring all of the previously prepared food outside. I never realized how far it was from my mom's back door, to her picnic shelter! (Yes, my parents have a picnic shelter in their backyard...it really comes in handy!) So while my brothers were sitting around being lazy bums...I walked back and forth from my mom's house to the shelter like 20 times.

One of my brothers, Shad, was there with his new girlfriend and her parents. He was standing around trying to introduce me to his girlfriend, all the while completely ignoring the fact that I was busy. I started thinking, 'I'm sorry, but I've got OTHER things to do, especially if you want to eat!' My brothers, Braiden and Doug, were just watching my mom cook the hamburgers. My OTHER brother Daren was helping my mom cook the burgers. He was the ONLY one with a legitimate excuse! I was getting the stuff out, when I realized that I needed the hot dog sticks from the trailer, so I asked Doug to get them. His reaction was annoying!! He asked me if I knew where they were. I told him they were in the trailer. Then, as he was walking away he said, "Then you go get them." I was so mad...but I sucked it up and went to get the hot dog sticks.

The dinner went FAST!! Very little food was left when that brood got done with it! Then, when we had all settled down after dinner the adults circled the folding chairs and began the meeting.

We actually got a LOT accomplished! We delegated everything out, and even added a NEW event to this reunion....we're going to have a dunking booth! The first person my uncle volunteered to go into the booth was my dad! They're going to charge $1 for three throws. Any money raised for this reunion goes to the next year's fund, so we have raffles, an auction (with donated items from each family), and some paying games.

Every year for this reunion I donate a tile picture. My dad has made about a hundred boards, my mom buys the stuff for them, and I make them. They usually sell pretty well...if we find the RIGHT picture to make. I need to start this project soon...it takes me a few hours to put together, but it takes at least a day to dry and set up. This family is not so much the religious type, as they are the hunting type. So normally I make an animal picture and then I make a "girly" picture. I'd better get my rear in gear! It's going to be here before I know it.

All in all it was a fun time. I got to see cousins I haven't seen for at least a year and got to laugh at an uncle who is close enough in age to me that he's almost like a big brother. We had fun. I just hope that this happiness will continue as we have this reunion!