Those Were The Days

I have such fond memories of going to my Grandma's house on the farm to play with my Bowen cousins. The adventures were endless: exploring the windbreak, playing in the ditch, pine cone wars at the old outhouse, running back and forth (and back and forth) on the flatbed trailer trying to balance it on its two wheels, touch football, games of Horse, the 'fort' at the top of the swing set, playing Inny-ai-over (Bowens, help me out - how do you spell it?), snow forts, ping pong. Even at 31 years old, there are days I wish I could go play with my cousins until sunset.

Last weekend I got my wish. We had a three day family reunion in Albion and we had so much fun talking and laughing and watching our own kids play with each other until sundown when we put them to bed and we stayed up until midnight re-living old memories and sharing stories of what has been happening in our lives since the last time we were all together. I found it difficult to hold back the tears the first night we gathered for dinner as I thought of my heritage, of my Grandma and Grandpa Bowen and the legacy they left behind. They were amazing, hard-working people who raised five incredible children. Their five children raised 22 of their own children. Those 22 are currently raising 39 (and counting) of the cutest kids you've ever seen.

At Grandma's in 1988
(minus one cousin)
I'm the fourth kid from the right

22 years later
The gotta-do-at-every-get-together cousins line up from oldest to youngest
(minus four cousins)
I'm 9th from the right and looking like a total nerd


Here are several pictures from our reunion.
The family tree my Mom made - isn't she awesome?


Bowen soup! At one time we counted 20 kids in the not-so-hot hot tub.


Cousins playing in the volleyball court


Our little family - I never realized how much our girls look alike until I saw this picture


My family - minus one niece


Playing peekaboo with her new buddy


Enjoying the bouncy water slide


Two of my three loves :)


Stay tuned for pictures of where we had this awesome reunion.