August 10, 2008
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Family Memories
There are some things about childhood that I feel I can't remember very well. For example, there are certain trips I went on with my family where I can recall certain details but much seems lost . In fact, much of my childhood seems like a dream to me quite often. But one thing I do remember well is that I always loved getting together with extended family. My dad comes from a family of eight kids who all had kids themselves, so I have over forty cousins just on his side, and for the most part we all get along really well.
One thing that our family gatherings have always included is music. My uncle Tom plays a great piano and my uncle Tim always seems to have his harmonica with him. My dad plays guitar and many of us cousins and siblings play or sing as well, so we're always jamming or just singing some old hymns that everybody knows.
Another activity always present at these family events is sports. Whether it be volleyball, ultimate frisbee, basketball or even just jumping in the pool after a long game, both the older and the younger have always been big on being outside and competing against each other.
Also, as things wind down some of us will play some board games. Games like Risk and Rail Baron have always been family favorites and were usually filled with alliances, bartering and a lot of competition over ice cream and coffee.
I'm blogging about this now because today we celebrated my grandma's 88th birthday - she turned 88 on 8-8-08, so we had a big party for her at my uncle's house. While many things remain the same, some things have also changed as there are some new faces as well as some familiar faces who are no longer with us. My dad's oldest sister, Vera, for example, passed away last year and other relatives have moved away. Also, I used to be able to run circles around some of my younger cousins who today kicked my butt in basketball. But even though things change, many things are thankfully still the same. Though the people who used to be young are now older and some relatives are no longer with us, we are still blessed to have most of the family still around. This is especially true for my grandma, who has lost much of her memory but retains all of her kind and optimistic spirit. I feel the need to blog about this because today's get-together in my uncle's backyard brought back all the great memories of growing up and getting together with my family. I can't say that I had a picture-perfect childhood by any means but I can say I am thankful to still get to have times like these with my family.
What is one of your fondest memories from childhood?
Comments (14)
Wow, it sounds like you have a really great family. My family isn't very big at all. I only have 2 first cousins, and I'm not very close with them. My teeny family gatherings usually would consist of my parents, siblings, and my mom's parents just playing games indoors or out. My mom is a riot to play with because we have to explain the game a trillion times while we're playing.
Man, my family never did that kind of stuff together. When we got together, all the women would crowd the kitchen of whoever's house we were at, and cook while the guys sat on the couches and talked about anything that would pass the time, and the kids (me) would do their best to find something to do elsewhere. I don't know why exactly, but all the women in my family love to cook, and they're all good at it, too. We would then sit down to a massive meal (crowded around someone's dining room table, extended with a couple card tables, and surrounded by folding chairs), bless the food, and eat till we couldn't imagine swallowing another morsel. My mom's side of the family is scattered all over the country, while my dad's side all live within a 60 mile radius of each other, so most of the time the family gathering only included his family. It was always a good time, and all of us love eating, but it would've been nice to have a larger-scale family gathering with everybody at least once or twice.
happy bday to grandma!
Do you guys really refer to a family game o' frisbee as "ultimate frisbee"?
@sean - Thanks! ultimate Frisbee is kinda like football or soccer except with a frisbee. Good fun!
@pedrothepoet - ah see, we just call that "frisbee football"
@sean - Here's ye olde link
@sean - Good fun tho!
Have a great day, Pete!
What great memories, and a lucky grandma to have such a nice family. I'm not surprised that music runs in your family. I've been listening to your CD and it's obvious that music comes naturally to you. Check out my review. It's posted on my site today and I'll also put it on my review site, http://www.jojoba.vox.com. Cheers! --Barbara
What a great way to spend the day. It sounds like you are quite blessed.
quite inspiring post congrats to your grand mom..its cool the 88 8-8-08
friends come and go family 4 ever..fondest childhood memory..drivin a big pontiac down the cul de sac on dad's lap at about 5-6. many more of coures..and not gettin caught... :-0 latter rock on
hey man, i love that your g-ma turned 88 on 8-8-08........how cool is that? And I love when others write about the family reuinions........we, in our family, don't really do that.......not sure why, except I guess my parents just are not close to extended family.
but, on my parents side, we do Christmas every year.......hopefully to soon expand out to my wife's family too.......as in all of us get together......but I don't know if it's possible.
Cherish those times man......they sound really fun
Nicely done, Pedro
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