As descendents of Francis Marion Linn, we gathered for the 82nd year in row. That's right! First reunion was held in 1929! As the "postcard sender/coordinator" of our reunions, I love to make it fun, so there is always a sign-in notebook and a chance to win some prizes..........
We gathered once again at the Lehigh Ballpark Shelter. It works well because there's a kitchen and some shade. For many years the reunions were held at Dolliver Park just west of Lehigh, but using the ballpark shelter works great now.
I began setting up the fun at a little after 9:00 a.m. that morning. My helper was my niece, Sue Ellen, pictured below, along with Zane, son of Amber Linn. He was a real cutie. Sue Ellen was a real trooper as she helped set up the tables and sweep and just generally be very helpful! And Amber's boyfriend, Tony, was a big help, too, because he brought big fans that really helped keep the air flowing. Smart man!
Here's Zane again........
he loved these squishy bracelets. For the past few years, I've bought about a dozen toy items at the dollar store and the kids get to pick something and they think that's fun. We had more kids than expected this year and that is great so I will be buying more toy goodies at the dollar store for next year!
I love watching family members enjoy time together. So does my cousin, Bette, seated in the chair. She used to be the "postcard sender/coordinator" and passed it on to the next generation in 1996, which was me. I love being able to continue to keep the reunion going!
There are always photo albums available to look at and recall past reunions or times when we were all a whole lot younger. There is also a book that has guest lists from the reunions that date back to 1959, plus other tidbits from past reunions.
When I'm planning for each reunion, I seem to always find some item that will make a good prize and these colorful pots from Michael's were perfect. Thanks to really cheap, end-of-the-season plants at Wal-mart, the winners even got real flowers mixed with some artificial stuff. :-)
And the food!! The food always makes us smile because there is always chicken, lots of hot dishes, salads, chips, dessert, you-name-it and it's probably on the table!
While Kathy, above, came from the farthest distance - Florida - the oldest member attending was cousin, Shirley (Linn) Goettinger. I think she's 85 because she and my dad were born the same year. They were both just tiny babies at that first reunion in 1929 and the paper recorded it, of course. I love reading old newspaper clippings of events because you found out who went where and really knew what was going on!
The kids enjoyed the watermelon. This picture of Joshua (I think it's Joshua, somebody correct me if I'm wrong) doesn't need words to describe his pleasure in eating that watermelon. :-)
My mom's favorite part of the reunion was meeting cousin, Marilyn, who came from Omaha. My mom had never met her but was childhood friends with Marilyn's mother, Thelma. My mom even had a grade school picture of the girls together that she shared with Marilyn. It was fun to watch them visiting and I am so glad Marilyn could come.
Here are a couple winners of the flowers........Aaron recently bought his first house, so now he can decorate. :-) If that smile on cousin Patty's face looks familiar, it's because she is sister to Sharon who I mentioned earlier. There were lots of smiles and laughter in spite of the heat!
More smiling faces.......my daughter, Collette and husband Daryl........
This happy couple had news to share.........
And another winner was Joey. There were three brother.........Joey, Joshua, and Jacob who I met for the first time, so I might not have them straight.....I know some family member will help me with this, if I have their names wrong. I had no idea this plush dinosaur would be so coveted by the kids. There was also a pink polka dot piggy bank that Katie won.
Now, in the "how could your forget to take pics of the kids in the park and also not get a picture of your grandson?"......well, I am guilty. I guess it was the heat because I looked over at the playground and saw the kids having fun but I never took a single picture. And so the only one I got of my grandson is this hat shot while his mom Collette is mixing up the salad she brought. I'll do better next year!
And so that's it for this years Linn Reunion. It all started in Lehigh, Iowa. It's my home town and I still see it like it was in the 50's when I grew up. I'm so glad when I can go home and share memories with family and friends. Cousin Kevin (son of Bette) brought an album filled with antique postcards and he let me take a photo of this one...........
Hope you enjoyed the visit to our reunion (and I do realize this is probably only enjoyable to family and friends) and "Greetings from Lehigh, Iowa"!!!
For all my quilty friends, see you tomorrow with a little something "on the line" and a week of fun with Jacquelynne's book tour. Have a lovely Sunday!! I'm sure I am enjoying the day because I am retreating at Bonny's all this weekend! See you tomorrow..............
Sandi
9 comments:
It looks like your family had a good time. I think the heat was getting to you by the looks of the picture. You are such a good hostess.
Oh, what a lovely time you must have had. I remember when I was very small that we would have family reunions but we haven't had one for 10 years or more. Maybe I'll have to be the one to organize it for next year.
I love seeing pictures of happy family reunions.
I am glad that you survived the incredible heat that you had to endure for the event. It doesn't look as though it stopped any of the fun.
That little Brock is a doll of a baby. I see why everyone loved him.
Looks like fun. We organize a reunion for my DH's mother's family each September on Grandparents Day. At each funeral the cousins would reminisce about the summer picnics at their grandparents' farm, and they would always say that they would like to see each other to visit for a day, not just meet at funerals. He talked about it on the way home one time, and I told him that if he wanted it badly enough to organize it, I would help all that I could. We have had maybe ten by now. I will use some of your ideas to spice up our reunion this year, and I encourage Diane to do one. The first year we didn't have very many of the addresses that we needed, so we sent a packet of flyers to the oldest person in each branch of the family and asked that person to pass them out to their family. Then we had a sign-in sheet on reunion day, asking for name, address, phone, and email.
Another Hoot from the Owl Lady
What a great family reunion. So good to have past albums for those that can't attend each year....you about did your self in I could tell in the picture you were to hot. It is a little dangerous in this kind of heat to over do. Maybe someone else was taking pictures and got one of you grandson...I hope so he needs to be in that family album next year. Trish
It looks like you had a wonderful day. How nice having yearly reunions.
What a great time you must have had - family reunions are so much fun. You family is lovely - everyone seems so happy.
As a child we had family reunions on the weekend close to my Grandmother's July 26 birthday. My Grandmother had 10 children, so there were people there of all ages just like your family. Thanks for bringing back memories of that great occasion we had every year.
The reunion looks like a great time for all. It is so much fun to get together and see relatives that you don't see often.
I love that the boys were so into the baby. That photo was so cute of them with Brock.
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