After our little vacation to Corpus we came home and then packed it back up again to head to Wimberley for the 49th Annual Cousins by the Dozens Reunion- FIESTA Theme!
My Grandmother was raised by her Aunts & Uncles because my Great-Grandmother died in childbirth and with the Spanish Flu (remember on Downton Abbey when Matthew's fiancé passed away... that was what my Great-Grandmother had). So family was also so important to my Mimi. Her cousins were more like her brothers and sisters. Our family is so unique because my 6th/7th cousins are more like 1st and 2nd cousins... Our family name is "Espy." These are the original family members of that family unit that would begin the family ties that we have today. This picture is from the 1800's.
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| They look so serious! The far left woman on the bottom is my Great-Great Grandmother, Henrietta Victoria Espy Jones. |
From this family unit, my Great-Grandmother, Emma Angelina Jones Session would then have my Grandmother, Marietta Session Martin, and that was where the reunion was started. So, 49 years ago the very first reunion was held and it was tradition for all the women cousins on my mom's side to gather together for a WEEK and be together. They would eat, play games, pull pranks, and of course laugh. Every year there was a different theme... so we've kept up the tradition! Except now it's only for a weekend :) This year was especially unique because it was Charlotte's first time to go.
I had been anticipating bringing her because last year I was pregnant and didn't even know I was expecting a girl! I found out the day after we got home from the reunion that I was having a girl and at the reunion last year everyone kept making guesses on what I was having. With the wonderful invention of facebook, everyone has been able to see pictures of her but not actually meet her so we were thrilled to bring her and introduce her to all her crazy lovable cousins that love her so much already. Drew, my dad & brother-in-laws didn't go... so it was just the girls: my mom, sisters, niece and baby C.
We had so much fun dressing up for the theme for Friday & Saturday night! On Friday, we got in just in time for dinner. It was a short evening that night because everyone was pretty tired. On Saturday, we shopped around town, told stories, pulled pranks, ate delicious food, had a dance party and even did the Harlem Shake! Haha... you can find it on youtube :) We also took family pictures. Sadly, I didn't get one of all 53 of us dressed up but I did get some of our immediate family. On Sunday before everyone left, we worshipped together before saying our goodbyes until next year.
Can't wait till next year cousins for the 50th!!!
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| Ready to meet my cousins! |
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| Her Aunts were so excited to see her! Aunt Amy |
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| Aunt Katherine |
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| Schedule of events for the weekend |
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| Lunch at Marco's on Saturday... she's loving sitting up like a big girl :) |
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| Me and my girl on Saturday night :) |
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| Grammy & Charlotte |
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| The girls! Best picture we could get... Katherine's eyes are closed! |
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| Family Picture time outside |
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| Charlotte & Me with our sweet cousin, Betty Jack |
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| Hanging with Zane |
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| My mom and her sister, my sweet little aunt :) |
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| Kaitlyn and me |
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| 3 sisters... 3 mamacitas |
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| Probably a favorite of me and my mom! Haha! |
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| My cousin Matt leading worship when his precious little boy Samuel wanted to join him :) |
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| Samuel and Charlotte playing at church... they are EXACTLY one year apart |
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| Ready for next year cousins! |
What a fun tradition! And Charlotte can really pull off the little Mexican dresses…love it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! We look forward to it every year :) And I just love those little dresses, aren't they hilarious?!
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