A Girl Named Timi

Paula Deen Dogged Us

Yep folks you read it right.

Paula Deen stood us up for our big 70th year Gregory family reunion.

I know , I know your all saying “wow, what a rude bitch that Palua Deen is!”

In case you don't know about the invite

Click Here

In her defense it wasn't entirely her fault. I didn’t attach an RSVP to that invite so it’s not like she HAD to let me know she was for sure going to be there or not.

Still she probably should have let me know.

Normally if someone was a no show at one of my parties I would just say "oh well, they missed out" Then think twice about inviting them to the next party.

Yeah, I take it personally........... that's how I roll!

Being published on the Paula Deen web magazine and wondering if she or some of her staff (Brandon her gay, is who I was hoping for) would really show up just started more bat shit craziness around here at The House of B's that had crazy already in full swing.

I spent the last couple weeks before the reunion, running around like a crazy woman (and making my mother crazy too) trying to get ready. As if the general getting ready stuff wasn't enough........ Oh no no no.......I had to start adding stuff on top of all that.

Yes, this is were the bat shit crazy really kicks in.

I spent hours upon hours over the weeks prior to the reunion looking for matching tablecloths. I know your saying "why, who the hell cares?"

ME!

I was hell bent on finding red and white picnic check vinyl tablecloths that all matched for 10 tables. Over the years everyone has brought tablecloths to the reunion and we just put what we had on the tables.

This year they needed to match. Partly because Paula Deen or Brandon might show up and mostly because it looks better in pictures.

This was also part of my efforts (bat shit craziness) to make our 4th of July a complete "theme" weekend.

I had my mother looking, I sent Laura looking, I sent Donna looking, I looked and we came up with nothing that was suitable or that I could get 10 to match.

In the final hours before leaving, I settled with a huge roll of disposable red and white plastic table covering that I picked up at Cash and Carry.

100 yards for $9.99, not exactly what I wanted but it worked and it was more affordable than the $37.99 each I was considering.

I don't know about you but, when I spend a lot of money on a tablecloth and then something gets spilt on it I go nuts. I try to act like it's no big deal on the outside to my guests but inside I'm freakin flipping out. They would have had to drive me to the mental hospital on reunion day had I put those $37.99 cloths on the tables and something got spilled on them.

This is why thrift store tablecloths and vinyl disposable tablecloths are my friend.

They are like anti crazy medication for me.

OK, back to my story...............

Other craziness that happened.............

Finding the perfect 4th of July decorations for tables, trailers, parade, walkers, dogs and kids. Baking, cooking, packing a trailer, getting Charlie to the beauty shop so he would be parade ready. Then trying to decided what to wear and what shoes I should take.

There is also the on going "discussion" that The Hubs and I have before every trip.......weight limits on loading The Mobile Estate.

Busy Busy Busy!

So let me show you a little of what Paula missed

Welcome to Stanton Park Canyonville Oregon.

Where the Gregory Family takes over the lower half of the park and we turn it in to Gregoryville.

Check out those matching tablecloths!



Everything looks better on matching tablecloths

A little glamping going on there on that table.

The tablecloths are on, the decorations are hung........let the festivities begin!

Aunt Jewel helping Uncle Sam stand back up or giving him a little lovin we weren't sure. It was cocktail hour.

This is my Great Uncle and Aunt

They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last month.

How freakin cool is that?

This year the Gregory family invested in a PA system.

Apparently there are some of us that are a bit hard of hearing, some of us that are stone deaf, and some of us that just never stop talking long enough to let someone else speak. A PA system was truly the best thing that happen to us.

Remember the donut maker from Long Beach?

It made it's debut at the family reunion

Early Saturday morning (way too early after pulling an expensive late night the night before at the casino with my mother) Jay and I started making donuts to be served with fresh hot coffee.

Apple cinnamon, blueberry, chocolate, banana, and raspberry were on the menu for flavors.

Also on the menu which was not shown was a big ole pot of sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits.

Ohhhhh we know how to eat!

Your donut makers

Mr and Mrs Nuckinfuts!

We usually have our reunion the first weekend in August. Because of a scheduling issue with Douglas County Parks Department (the issue being that it doesn’t matter that we have reserved the same places in the park, the same week, for the same reason for the last 15 years, they decided to rent to another group. If there is someone in the Douglas County Parks reservation office that takes bribes please contact us. We are happy to meet your demands to ensure we get our weekend back.) we had to have it over the 4th of July. Which in the beginning everyone was all “this sucks”, “we don’t to do it that weekend” “ why can’t we do it the weekend we always do it?” You know bitch bitch bitch. Me being one of those big time bitchers.

After hearing this news Princess Spoiled Brat sent a little note to Cousins Jim and Angie. Here’s a copy of the note she sent.

From Jim to all family members;

I want a parade! We received this note from Kayelee (aka Princess Spoiled Brat). She really wants a parade at the reunion — so let‟s accommodate her. We‟ll have a parade of bikes, pets and people too. . .of all ages. Even if you don't have a bike or pet, dress up for the 4th of July Parade! Oh yeah, and bring "decrashiains‟ too!

BRILLIANT IDEA!!!

After that note went out to everyone there was excitement in the air. We had to start preparing for the parade.

I don’t know about all you, but usually on 4th of July we go some where. We let someone plan all our entertainment for the day. We go to a parade and then we watch fireworks. Not much thought goes in to it. This year…………..we had to actually think about it, think about what we were going to do and how we were going to make our own fun with our family and friends.

Princess Spoiled Brat, Grammy and I started planning what we were going to do.

THE PARADE

Meet Paige

Our new BFF cousin

Her enthusiasm for everything was infectious.

We party planners LOVED IT!

Hope she continues to attend every year.

Decorating her tent Paige our future activities director of the Gregory reunion

Paige also single handily managed to get EVERY single family member face painted or decorated with some sort of 4th of July decoration.

Not even Great Grandma was spared a face paint application.

Nor was Penelope spared

If you stood or sat still long enough you were getting painted.

Then it was time to get bikes, scooters, and anything else with wheels decorated.

I'm not sure how she managed it but Princess Spoiled Brat got Grammy to do all the bike decorating. Do you see any help there with poor Grammy?

Cousin Carrie and her Grandson

She looks like she was barkin out orders to get ready.

She wasn't , she was probably telling me not to take that picture!

Your parade MC's

Jim and Angie

Everyone lined up and ready to go.

A parade through the park.

It was like hurding cats to get us organized.

Paige and Princess Spoiled Brat right in front!

Evereyone participated. Even the Great Grammy's

Me and Charlie

*****Like my cute apron?

Avaliable at Joyworks in Snohomish

Don't know about Joyworks?

You better get them on your shopping radar!

Charlie ready to go

He wouldn't walk and I had to carry him.

But he looked cute!

Grammy all decked out

Yes, folks these are my parents!

Any questions?

They will be celebrating thier 45 wedding anniversary in a couple weeks.

Here are two of the nicest guys in the world.

Yeah they rode that bike in the parade and..They looked darn cute!

The Hubs and Clark

I hear they also both hold the title of

Best Son-in Laws ever.

This was alot of fun, we did our parade waves, threw candy, and laughed until we thought we were going to wet our pants.

A good time had by all!

Then it was time for a little R&R before the afternoon fest began.

Of course there is always a water fight of some sort.

It was a 103 at one point in the day.

Then there was a big plan hatched............

One that was going to drench one of the adults

It was a great well thought out plan

or was it????

DANG!!! Foiled again by the adults

Sometimes a girl just has to admit defeat

This is Annabelle.

She discovered that a water fight with Charlie was a lot dryer than with the other kids.

Annabelle is an adopted Gregory.

We picked her up in the parade through the park. She and her family had come from Coos Bay to camp for the weekend.

She ended up spending the rest of the weekend playing with the kids in our camp.

She was so dang cute we wanted to keep her.

If this dosen't make you laugh I don't know what will

This my grandmother

She looks like Hallmarks Maxine

Lots of visiting and catching up on what's been happenin in everyone's lives.

Did I mention it was 103 that day?

So exciting to see lots of new faces this year.

We hope to see them again year after year.

Ninja guy!

He totally cracked me up

Be the Ninja! Feel the Ninja within..........

Rosemary lookin all cute in her hat.

More story telling

LOTS of story telling going on around the back of the truck.

Some of us went home richer than others

Grandma demanded pictures with the kids......

The kids wanted to go play

Poor Grandma

Then it was time to fire up the grills..............

Your grill masters for the weekend

Your burger and dog runner Clark

"I'm goin as fast I can!"

"Alice! Your on your third burger give someone else a chance to eat! "

The picture of summer

A new bathing suite, a suntan, and a plate full of junk food.

Does it get any better than that?

This is Penelope

She went and got her little chair and shoved it right up to the desert end of the tables.

She really is a girl after my own heart

Food food and more food

After Linner (too late for lunch but too early for dinner) it was time for a little

Pinata smashing

If your a kid or a kid at heart it can never get dark fast enough on 4th of July

Let the fireworks begin

Somethings never change

Boys will be boys

Who can blow thier fingers off first?

It was a great family reuinon!

On to be remembered for a long time

Some of us will be wondering how much wine we really had and why did they take a picture of that????

You shouldn't leave your camera laying around.

Some of us caught up with what's happenin in each others lives

Some Grammy's took lots of pictures

Some people just couldn't catch a break

Some big plans were made for next year

and some of us said HELL NO to suggestions

New friends were made and some of us discovered we had a common love for My Little PonyNew family memebers were introduced, passed around, cheeks pinched, and spoiled by grammy's, great grammy's and wanabe grammy's.

Boyfriends were introduced to the family

and tested

I guess if he comes back next year it means he passed.

The Hubs

He's all biblical like in this picture with the sun shining so bright behind him.

He really is a ray of sunshine

Then as soon as we got there it seems like it was over and time to pack up and go home.

Another year of fun!

Paula and Crew you totally missed out!

This is Jim and Angie

We need to give them a big

Thank you!

They are head newsletter sender outers

Cookbook putter togethers

Park Corrdinators

and all around information centeral for the Gregory Family

Thank you for keeping us together

Since this was our 70th year of family reunions I thought I would leave you with a few pictures from past reunions.

Yeah, that's me all young, skinny, and drinkin a TAB with my Grandpa and Aunt Karen.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share with you.

Have a great day!