65th Annual Cook Family Reunion

… complete with a hog roast, hayride and GIANT bonfire.

I’m pretty sure this is my favorite family “holiday”.  No argument over which family to visit first.  No checklist of items to bring and presents to pack.  This is so much more low-key; just show up in layers, eat, then relax around the fire and/or prepare yourself for the hayride.

Great-aunt Pat and Kaden keeping warm while mommy enjoyed the hayride.

Of all the hayrides I have been on or heard of, our family seems to have the only one that involves sneak hay attacks. I never found this unusual; perhaps it just makes our hayrides more fun & exciting.

Cook cousins

Can't tell everyone is related, can  you?

Kyle & Uncle Steve 

As I’ve become a mom and all of my cousins are "grownups", the ambush torch has suddenly been passed onto Kyle and the rest of our (male) generation.  This year the ambush team went above & beyond with a fireworks distraction to aid in their surprise raid.  After passing the family

cemetery, everyone collectively gazed up to the brightly lit sky and exclaimed something along the lines of, “Oh wow! FIREWORKS!” That was the precise moment the wagon was pelted with straw.  I think my aunt Dawn got the worse of it.

Aunt Dawn & Dustin

When it was over, the tractor pulled in to let everyone off.  The sky then opened up and a downpour began.  This was about the time everyone scattered.

Not sure what's happening here, but this one made me laugh!

I thought Kaden might actually go to bed at a reasonable hour because he looked deliriously tired.  Nope.  He took a power nap in the 10-minute drive to Elwood’s (my grandpa’s) house, which was sufficient enough to give him a second wind. I was secretly glad he woke up and got a chance to visit with his great-grandpa and relatives he doesn’t get to see very often.

Kaden lights up EVERY time he has been with his great-grandpa Elwood (Cook).

4-generations of Cooks

The LONG day ended with me assisting in draining a bottle (or two) of yummy red wine with my favorite female cousins, staying up WAY too late/early (6:00 am!) only to be awoken 2 hours later by my son patting my face and murmuring, “da-da-da.”

One could argue that it was completely ridiculous and irresponsible to stay up so late. 

I would have to argue that the opportunity presented itself and I had to seize it!

Besides, I’ve already recovered from my haze and will gladly do it again in December with whoever is willing as we return for Christmas (with Ben watching Kaden the next morning).