Family Picnic Wrap Up

Wow this whole family picnic recapping takes awhile!

Well, I saved the best for last. My annual favorites, a few thoughts and possibly some questions answered.

I look forward to two major things each year. Tomato Pie & Greg!
Tomato Pie, (what I consider tomato pie) seems to be local to the CNY, Utica area.  It is not a traditional pie nor is it pizza.  It is at every family gathering and simply awesome.  The basics include pizza dough covered with thick tomato sauce/paste then topped with Romano cheese.  Its sooo good! I really am not a fan of pizza, but this, rocks my world! I swear some people attend just for the tomato pie!

Now for Greg, quite possibly my favorite person! Greg is my grandmother’s, sisters’ husband’s brother’s son. So, not really related to me but I consider them family. Every year I get really giddy as people arrive, waiting, waiting for Greg to arrive. When I see him, I usually shriek and then run into his arms! He still picks me up, kisses me, and we say hello. Then he says this elevator is going down & drops me! It makes me feel like a trillion bucks. Yes, we only see each other once a year but it is awesome and he makes me feel like I’m the only person on earth.

 Plus, the past few years have included babies! For a good part of my childhood, I was surrounded by babies/preschoolers, though in the past 7ish years, not so much. I miss being around the infant/preschooler age so, so much.

Well, Greg’s children have refreshed our family with the babies/preschoolers! Matt & Jenn came one year with Colin, when he was eighteen months old and came this year with Colin, 4 and newbie Delaney came this year! Yeah I was crazy excited. Plus, Allison & Lucas were coming up, too! With 13 month old Elliot!

Those poor kids. I prolly seemed like a psycho, high pitched looney tune, but I was soo excited. I tried really hard to contain myself.

Elliot is a heartbreaker! He let me walk him around a bit and I got the cutest smiles behind that crucial pacifier. In the pool. I even got to twirl him around & show him how to blow water out of the pool noodles!

Colin came prepared! Last time, Colin & I were best friends, puddle jumping and running around in the pouring rain! I met them down where they parked and Colin had already pulled out five lacrosse sticks, ready to find a playmate. I left the lacrosse up to Kevin, I acted as the ball girl. Colin and I played with rocket darts, until he told me I was too old to play with! Beat out by a sixteen year old. I did win some points when I got him a nestle drumstick though!

Beth & Franny formed a strong bond with Colin that day, or he remember how fun Franny was last time. Looking back at pictures Kevin played ball with Colin in 2009 and played lacrosse with him this year. Its a bit ironic!

Along with Colin, 7 week old Delaney came. I was good and did not rip Delaney out of Jenn’s arms. I wasn’t even the first to hold her! Holding her was the bomb! We bonded and I even shared her, multiple times after being reminded by Jenn!

Lastly, if you noticed, in the past posts, there is a picture of a face on a stick. It is my cousin Mary! She was overseas on some ROTC trip. So, her siblings made flat Mary so she could still participate. Including mad Mary, creeper Mary, happy Mary and big Mary. Mary is my partner for the balloon towel toss as well as my partner in crime. I really, really missed her. 

Though it might be a good thing we only get together once a year!