wood family reunion 2010

ida {you couldn't get her out of this swing. loved it.}
eli & cole

while burns & matt sang a spirited irish tune...
sam did some spontaneous river dancing, major highlight of the evening


us
mom & family
nena & family
chuck & family
the tom saunders family {missing: dave and stacey's families}
grandpa & his children
c.j. & burns prepping for fireside
breakfast saturday morning
token group shot

{{i have a problem. i took 750+ pics at the reunion we just got back from, transferred them onto my computer tonight and as things were "processing" my iphoto quits unexpectedly. when i got things going again, i seemed to have lost 400+ photos {the first half of the reunion}. c.j. says there is a way to retrieve them. will be working on that over the next few days as i down TUMS to ease the pit in my stomach...}}

in the meantime, can i say, we have had so much fun these last few days. on thursday night we packed things up and drove down to taber. the family had secured the taber legion park where everyone was meeting up and pitching their tents. it was wonderful. the weather was amazing. the grounds were perfect. the only times i saw eli was when it was time to eat and at night when he was crawling into his sleeping bag around 11:00pm. the kids played and played and made new cousin friends. the activities were great, the food was delicious. it was different and perfectly delightful to rough it for a few days, wake up tired and stiff, chat with long lost cousins and enjoy the outdoors. on friday night we had a fireside where we did some genealogy, enjoyed hearing a couple of uncle bruce's favourite poems and limericks, was entertained with a marionette show by aunt denise and to top it off, a spirited irish tune sung by matt and burns. during their performance, their brother sam {who is deaf} hopped up onto one of the tables and began to river dance, pulling off his cochlear implant as it bounced around and just danced and danced. we all laughed and hooted and hollered. it was so perfect. like a movie moment. grandpa mentioned to me the next day how he thought it was "just like something his dad, uncle rhett would have done." it was a nice thought and i am sure uncle rhett was smiling down on that little scene. i had a wonderful time. so thankful for all the good times i have had with the wood cousins. such a talented, good group of people.

i guess the only thing lacking was those of you who didn't make it. you certainly missed out. in 2012 it will be grandpas 90th year and i believe there will be plans for another reunion. save the date and do not to miss it. you won't regret it. i promise.