The Whitesell family came a' callin' yesterday for a mini family reunion of sorts. Auntie Sue was here, Uncle Joe, Vicky, Steve, Eric and China (Vicky and Steve's pup). We had a fine time eating lots of food, talking and laughing uncontrollably! One of the highlights of the day was watching an old 8mm movie of the family from around 1952-1959. What an incredible treat to share a slice of family history with the elders (who were the youngers at the time of the film) and to listen to their comments and family stories. Many thanks to my brother-in-law, Mike, who patiently transferred some of Daddy's extensive collection of 8mm film reels to DVD!

Mother, Auntie Sue and Uncle Joe

There are about 10 years that separate each of these siblings with Mother the oldest and Sue the youngest.

Hostess gifts from Cousin Eric. Eric has taken up home brewing wine. "The Medicine" he calls it. Read into that as you will.

Cooking in the kitchen with Uncle Joe and Cousin Vicky, clearly the best cooks in our family although Eric gives them a strong run for their money. Joe treated us to the favorite foods of generations of Whitesells...country ham rolls (ham he cured using Granddaddy's old family recipe), fresh fruit Whitesell style and corn, stripped from the cob and frozen moments after picking. He reconstituted the corn with 2 sticks of Land O' Lakes and milk. He was a bit disappointed that my refrig contained only skim milk. We were thankful, our collective waist lines can't take much more!!

from left: Leslie, Eric, Vicky, Steve and Mike

When the Whitesell family gathers, there is never a shortage of food. Eric and Vicky's father (Mother's brother), Tom, always said that food is an expression of love. Sometimes our family loves too much. Besides sandwiches, an ignored bag of baked chips, fruit and corn, we dined on deviled eggs, 4 bean salad and two of the most incredible desserts possible-brown sugar pound cake with carmel icing (baked by Joe's girlfriend, Shirley, a petite little blonde) and German chocolate cake (from Vicky's kitchen). I am still suffering from a food hangover today!

Leslie listening as Uncle Joe spins his stories, throwing all of us in fits of laughter!

Bother and sister, Eric and Vicky

Daddy and Carol listening and laughing, must be Uncle Joe telling another story

Dinner is over, dessert has been consumed and now it is time to settle down with a sip of "The Medicine" and some good conversation.

The camera is turned on us

The Whitesell family (John is taking the photo), front row from left: Vicky and China, Mother, me, Leslie. Back row from left: Eric, Carol, Daddy, Sue, Joe and Steve