The Birketts: 2008 Gregg Family Reunion

Well... we are finally home from our busy month of travel. I wanted to take a moment to catch up on what we have been doing.
We traveled up to North Carolina the week before our Costa Rica trip. We have our "Gregg Family Reunion" every two years. It is my Grandmother's family on my Dad's side. My Dad was the oldest grandchild... and my grandmother was the oldest child of 11. My great-grandparents essentially had a baby every year. I believe she had a total of 22 pregnancies. Yikes!
We were back in Lenoir... at the original home where they were all raised. It was neat bringing Megan there for the first time.
Hundreds of family photos have been taken on these steps. Our family has stayed close... and is growing so fast. We were missing a handful of people... and still managed to have over 110 family members attend. I'm glad to carry on a great family tradition of my Father's. It is a special event for all of us.

This is the tiny house where my great-grandparents raised their huge family.

"Big brother Doug"

Games time out on the big hill... Friday night at Mamaw and Papaw's.

Our family was in charge of setting up the games. Megan wanted to help too.

Steph did a great job putting all the games together. There are so many 2nd and 3rd cousins. We remember playing out on the hill when we were little too. I hope the next generations keep it going. My grandmother's brother is still living in the home... so it has been a nice treat to come over for a BBQ dinner.

Doug and Emma (my oldest niece) took on the egg toss competition. I remember doing it with my Dad in almost the exact same spot... 14 years ago.

Lenoir is a very small town in North Carolina. We were excited when they built Bo's. It's a huge bowling/bar/fun center. We took the girls over for a few games. Megan loved it! She was climbing up the tube slide...and the skee ball machine.

The girly cousins posed for a picture in front of a pretty garden in Blowing Rock.

Lyric and Olivia were lovin' on each other.
They are only 1 month apart in age... now big 4 year olds!

Poor Samuel had to tag along with the girls this morning. We went to the park in Blowing Rock... while the big boys played in the traditional golf tournament. One little boy surrounded by 9 girls. He hung in there... "literally".

This may be one of the last times we stay here. We've been staying at this hotel for over 40 years. It was once a Holiday Inn... maintained nice... and always had our family name out on the kiosk. Now... many years later... it is owned by the Red Carpet Inn. Lets just say... it has really gone down hill. We come here for the history... not the ambiance. It is cool all gathering by the pool. It may be time to find a new place... but... its fun remembering the many years we stayed here.

This is the picnic area out back of the hotel. My Dad played horse shoes back here with my brothers every reunion. The horse shoes are still there. I had a good time watching Gregg step up... and pass on the tradition... as he taught little Livy how to play. Pop would be proud.

This was Megan and Samuel's first reunion.

"Doug having a drink with cousin Kenny"

All of the cousins hang out at the pool... catching up on the family news.

I was really excited to see Megan play with her cousins. Emma had fun swimming with her.

Gammie enjoyed some good pool time with her girls.

Saturday night... we always have a formal banquet at the country club. I wish I was able to take a picture of the whole family. We had a photographer there... who got all 110+... but man was it a chore. We have over 30 little ones... who don't like to pose for the camera... I didn't push the issue to get my own. Megan wasn't havin' it. Kev eventually took her back to the hotel to get her down for bedtime... and we all stayed for the festivities.

"Doug, Gregg, and Kevin... brought it home this year!" Last year we were pleasantly surprised with a new tradition. The family members decided to formally name the golf tournament after my Dad. My Dad was always trying to put together a golf game over the reunion weekends. Being the oldest grandchild... he was a pretty competitive golfer. After a few years of it... it stuck. A golf tournament is always played Saturday morning before the banquet. Our last reunion was our first... without our grandmother... and Dad! It was an emotional time for the guys... having their foursome separated. The boys played for him... just the three of them. Little did they know... they were going to name the golf tournament after Dad. Boy were they upset when they got 2nd place. (They needed Dad). They were prepared this year... and won the whole thing... by 8 strokes!