And now the words ...

Don’t the pictures of our family reunion just tell you a story? 

Our last family reunion was three years ago in Mackay, Idaho, at Roger’s (the eldest of the siblings of Buford and Vera Totten) Western Ranch.

MACKAY, IDAHO, 2011

Back: Mike, Roger, Mary Jane, Cherie, Neal, Bruce
Next row: Shelly, Joyce, Tammy, Bev, Jean, Julie, Will
Next row: Megan, Natalie, Amanda, Matt, Molly, Mikayla, Andrew
Front: Bill

Virginia Beach, Virginia 2015

Back: Bruce, Jean, Joyce, Danny, Neal, Bev
Second Row: Bill, Julie, Mike, Shelly, Tammy, Paul, Kim, Cheri
Third Row: Chris, Mikayla, Matthew, Molly, Megan, Toby, Andrew
Fourth Row: Rebecca, Will, Amanda, Natalie

Don't look like no cowpoke to me!

We had a super time and left knowing that our next reunion would be in 2014, would be in the east, and would be planned primarily by Joyce and Tammy.  Congratulations to them for doing such a great job for our family.  The location was found by searching the internet; the deposit made; the photos of the place shared; and it really would have been the best place ever if the Property Management company/owners of the property produced what was shown on the website.  A word of caution to anyone else who rents without seeing … don’t!  Pictures can be deceiving.  We made the best of what we did get, though, and ended up with tons and tons of memories.  Send me a note if you want to find out who manages the property; I’m not at liberty to put it on the internet or I could get sued!!

Like Joyce said in her note to all of us afterward, it was as if no time had passed between the reunions; the kids just picked up where they left off – the older kids helping out with the younger ones and everyone getting along even with the age differences.    We had a weeks’ worth of good eats, belly laughs, games, swimming, more good eats, fishing, story-telling and family happenings and hopefully can keep those in our memory banks until we meet again.

Our next reunion will be in the year 2017, and it will be somewhere in the west.  Those reading this blog … if you know of a place that can accommodate over 30 people and isn’t too expensive, please let me know.  We are good renters and very reliable.  We western folk (those in California, Idaho, Washington and New Mexico) are responsible for finding the place.  We have our work cut out for us!!

Look how we've grown since 2011....