Annual Rebelo Family Reunion

Yesterday we had the annual Rebelo family reunion in Bayfield, a gathering that has been going on for quite a few years now (I should check the golf trophy to be certain, but I know it's many years more than I've been a part of the family... and yes, there's a golf trophy, but I'll get to that later - too bad I don't have a picture loaded to show you what will now sit "proudly" on the mantle for the next year thanks to Greg's win).

Anyhow, at some point each summer, Greg's Tia Gloria hosts the family on a Sunday for a reunion of sorts (yes, despite the fact that we see plenty of one another in town for various occasions as well!). This year was different, however, in that it was the first year in which we did not stay the entire weekend in Bayfield as Greg's grandparents sold their trailer last summer (where we've stayed in the past). Not that we always stayed there - we used to pitch a tent on Gloria's lot in the early years and we even rented a lot close to the trailer another - but with two kids and another on the way, we thought it would be easier to drive up for the day, as many others do. It made for an early morning, as the guys play a round of golf, for which there is a trophy, with an 8 a.m. tee-off time, but we managed!

AND it was also a special reunion because it was Avo Olivia's 99th birthday as well. Greg has some good genes in his family, that's for sure!

So, while the boys were off to golf under overcast conditions (it threatened rain but thankfully held off - fitting the entire family on the porch of a trailer would be next to impossible), the ladies and children always head off to breakfast. The only thing that changes is the waiter seems to get more rude with each passing year, but the breakfast is good and we've four hours to kill before getting lunch ready.

We returned to the park and kept the kids entertained in the cool lake breeze by renting the "family car" from the office. The Couto kids did most of the pedalling, thankfully, because Stacey and I tried a round and not only was it a workout but our legs kept knocking each other.

After lunch, we headed down to the beach for awhile with some of the kids. Braylon had fallen asleep by that point, but Isaiah was still rip roarin' so he went swimming, climbed on the rocks, and tried skipping stones with daddy.

Typically at some point we play a massive game of soccer, which we eventually got to after sitting around in the afternoon for awhile. And of course the kids had to go for another ride before heading home, so we didn't get out of Bayfield until well after 8 last night. Poor Greg had to head in to work this morning, so I'm sure he'll be exhausted once he comes home!

Anyhow, we're looking forward to keeping the tradition alive - and next year is sure to be a memorable one as Avo Olivia will be 100 years old! Very few people achieve that feat, that's for certain!