(7.9)--McCracken Family Reunion

PARTY TIME---FAMILY REUNION!!

It was so awesome that we could finally have a reunion. It'd been a long time since we've been all able to get together and enjoy being together as a family!! YAY...for family!! Julie and I orchestrated the reunion by making sure we had all the food...ok, Julie did all that!! (:

Here are the invitations that I sent out to everybody---

McCracken Reunion

July 9-10, 2010

The Patrick House

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It’s about that time o’ year again,

We will all meet up July 9 and 10.

The “shin-dig” will be held at the Patrick House,

A black snake may join us to snack on a mouse.

We’ll eat at noon, so please bring some food.

The Family’s together...”Let’s Party Dude!!”

So bring your sleeping bag, you can stay the night.

A big breakfast will be cooked; it will be quite a sight.

With Belly’s full, we will all gather ‘round.

There will be preaching & singing as we sit on the ground.

For what to bring and what to do

Call Jul Babe or Willy Boo Boo.

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So we sent those out!! The line about the black snake was reminiscing when we all spent the night in the Patrick House. We were all ready for bed and all the li'l cousins got together for a game o' Hide-&-Seek. The adults all sat around the fire talking and laughing. Next there was screaming and panic yells coming from the upstairs bedrooms. Four li'l boys came running out o' the room. Upon further investigation my father found a BIG black snake hiding in the closet along side Johnny, Jesse, Andrew, and Timmy. Poor kids got a scare as they were hiding in the dark closet and felt something moving beside them. Haha...My dad had brought his gun with him (You may be asking yourself, "Self, why did dad bring his gun to a family reunion." Or maybe the question is...why didn't you think o' that idea for your family renunion. It's my father!!)...and he shot the snake. Ah...such fond memories...traumatic...but oh so wonderful!! (:

The night before the reunion, Lindsay (Johnny's girlfriend) came over to our new house we just bought and helped me cook some food for the reunion.

We made cupcakes...with GREEN centers...
(Can you see the green? Would you expect any other color?)

Shamrock Cupcakes and Lucky Charm Cupcakes...

I must explain this next picture to you--

We made a game that we could ALL play. We made a cupcake for EVERYBODY that was going to be at the reunion. On top o' that person's cupcake, was a picture o' something that described them. The game was that they had to guess which cupcake was there...it was a li'l bit harder than it sounds. Lindsay and I had SOO much drawling the pictures...if you even want to call it drawling!! (:

Here's all o' them together...

Can you guess who's is whose?
Start with the ?? going clock wise

Check your answers below-

The ??------------Doug and Heidi are preggers with a boy? or a girl?
Petunia------------Aunt Patty's fav flower.
Nike Shoe---------Jesse has like 78,456,831 shoes!
Bird---------------Cassie has 2 birds.
House-------------US...we just bought a new house!
Sunset-------------Aunt Tammy loves sunsets!
Fish---------------Garrett...He loves to go fishing.
Motorcycle--------Uncle Decker...he's got lots o' cool toys like that!
Camera w/flash----Aunt Juli is a great photographer.
Truck w/camper---Edwin and Julie got a new camper!
JEEP---------------Jason...drives a jeep.
Car-----------------Johnny and Lindsay just got a new car!!
Gun shooting deer--Dad...obviously!!

Ok...here goes Round TWO:
Start with the basketball...GO

Basketball-----------Buddy plays basketball.
Flower----------------Baby Caity Mae we didn't know what else to put.
John Deere-----------Uncle Chucky...he sells John Deere equipment.
Girl studying----------Katy...she'd going to college in the fall.
Church---------------Uncle Jeff...he got ordained and is now a preacher.
Flower Garden--------Jesse's Lindsay...she loves flowers.
Amish Barn-----------Edwin works with the Amish to build different things.
Hospital Cross--------Mama McCracken is a nurse.
Horse kicking a guy---Uncle Tom got kicked and broke his leg by a horse. Only later to find out that it was his father and NOT him. Whoops!! A+ for right family?
Thomas the Train----Cody loves Thomas the train.
Veggie Garden-------Jul Babe has a wonderful veggie garden.
Football--------------Caden likes ALL balls!! (:

So....How'd you do?

Yes...I stayed up this late.

McCracken Family July 2011

Silly faces...o' course!! (:

Johnny playing for his supper with a tambourine...

Cassi and Ace with their toys...

Isn't this the cutest picture ever?

Playing Banana-grams.
(Note: Jason and Aunt Juli the unstobable team...
...also note Cody is on Aunt Patty's team!)

After supper, the boys went to shoot groundhogs.
(They don't call us Hog-Smackin' McCracken's for nothin'!)

My best attempt at a sitting feet picture.

The kids playing with Uncle Tom...

Cassi praying for supper...

This picture cracks me up...
...Make Believe is the greatest...

They were arguing about something...HILARIOUS!

These two together made everyone laugh!

Happy Birthday Baby Caity-Mae...
...she turned ONE!!

Story Time with Auntie Jill...

See the book shelf behind us? It was filled with all sorts o' ancient books. This one is an encyclopedia on birds. Yes, I can make any book entertaining!!
Cassi listening intently to the encyclopedia...

There was even a funny part...Haha...

Saturday night after story time as Jesse, Lindsay, and Cassi were leaving the boys found a huge hoola-hoop! The boys tried jumping thru it as it rolled down the hill as Cassi and Cody would chase after it. Then Cassi and Cody would bring the hoop back up to me. Well, Jesse took the hoola-hoop and was going to throw it down the hill and it hit Cassi...right in the schnaze!!
Please note her bruise...

I love this girl!! (:

There's only one Uncle Chucky...

Dad waiting for brunch...

Yes, Cate, I give Johnny the same look.

Johnny & Lindsay look good with a baby, yeah?

Haha...one o' my favorite pictures...

Silly faces...

...more silly faces...they are also my favorite...

Don't we look like we're related?

Johnny and Cate...he's so great with babies.

Cody and Cassi became such great friends.

Cassi's name was "Jill" for the day...so this is Jill.

Best Buddies....

Me and Cousin Cody...

The McCracken siblings (minus Jeff)...

This was supposed to be a silly picture...brothers!!

Haha...I love Cate in this picture...
She's like "Yup, I'm comfy right here!

Johnny, Lindsay, and Cassi *ahem* Jill! (:

The Barton Family.

Laughing at Uncle Chucky!!

Sunday, after brunch and a li'l devotional, we all went for a walk.

Everybody on the walk...

Pretty orange flowers...yeah?

The boys with their girlfriends...
...seeing who could carry their boy the farthest...

Who do you think won?

Jesse's Lindsay won!!

Pretty lake...we couldn't swim there cause they were doing lifeguard training.
Isn't it gorgeous?

Looking at the li'l stream under the bridge.

Uncle Chucky found two salamanders!

Letting Cody hold it...

Everybody watching the fish eat the salamander...

Oh look...a li'l cabbage worm...
(from Li'l Orlie)

Cate was sooo tired.

Me and Ace...

After the walk, Jesse's Lindsay brought water balloons to cool off.

Cody and Cassi threw them at Jesse...

...but Jesse was getting THEM soaked...

Cody wanted to get Jesse...

Jesse and Cate...he loves babies...

The end to a perfect weekend.

Everyone, hopefully, had a great time and we look forward to getting together next year in July. Family is so wonderful, and without a doubt, I have the GREATEST family o' all times!! (: Just wish we could've spent a WEEK together and not just one or two weeks.

THE END!!!