Family Reunions - Just the Best

First Cousins in the Cook Clan - not all by any means but a good representation. (why do we look so old???) Cousin Jim grew the produce!

Of all my childhood memories the one about our family reunions are some of the best,  I come from parents with HUGE families.  Dad's family had 9 kids and Mom's family had 11 kids.  We had yearly family reunions on both sides.  It was a blast.  For many years the Hope family reunion was held on Thanksgiving at my Uncle Jim's house in OKC.  They lived on a golf course so there was always a large football game on the course after dinner.  Uncle Jim also owned a hotel so we always got free rooms and all the kids went swimming at the indoor pool.  Cousins are just the best.  Both families believed in having 3 day reunions so we could really get some good visiting and eating (homemade blackberry cobbler at the Cook reunion and Dressing made 3 different ways at the Hope reunion ). Family is truly a gift from God. I really feel bad for people who are only children or do not have any cousins. I know I could call on mine at any time for just about anything.  
Since I moved to Tennessee I have not been able to attend all the reunions but I try to do one side or the other each year.  This year I went to the Cook reunion.  It is amazing how you jump into conversation as if you had only seen them last week instead of 2 or 3 years ago.  That's the beauty of family.

Collins Clan leads the hymn sing.

3 of the 4 Lee Cook kids (missed you Warren) and my husband

Maybe it's because I'm getting older and we are starting to miss some of our loved ones who have gone on before us, but this year seemed sweeter to me.  I especially loved when the cousins from Arizona led us in a hymn sing on the lawn with guitars and 3 part harmony.  Sooo cool. Just doesn't get any better than that. Ok well maybe the chocolate malts in the soda shop or the chocolate cinnamon ice cream nachos that my husband had might be better.  The resort in Northeastern Oklahoma where we have the Cook reunion is "Fin and feather".   It's straight out of an old movie (think of the place in Dirty Dancing) . Rustic and quaint.  Fishing lake in the middle, soda shop with great menu and porch with fans, all you can eat buffet every night, and fun house with games for the kids.  Of course there is the pool too.  The gift shop is stocked to the brim with all kinds of great stuff (we don't find that in Tennessee).  Let's just say this place is  a great memory just waiting to happen.

I your family doesn't have reunions, start one.  Your kids will have the time of their life and you will make memories that will provide smiles for years to come.

Hugs to all, ele