Family Reunion. Those two words either send shivers up your spine or tingles of joy. Luckily for me, its the tingles.

One year ago, I started planning a family reunion for my immediate family, and my brothers and their family units, plus the parents. I was sick and tired of everyone TALKING about how much fun it would be to get together for a vacation (that wasn't Thanksgiving or Christmas) but no one would plan it.

Okay, its a curse. I am a planner. I admit it and embrace it. So, I set out to plan a reunion. I picked a location that would enable my parents to get there without having to go through any major city or thoroughfares. I wasn't able to find a way that didn't involve interstate highways but if you charted your course around "rush hour" then you were fine.

I found a small lake with cabins. Each family had their own. Plenty of privacy. So, the cabins were built circa 1960? Kitchenette in this case meant two burners and a teensy fridge. Oh, and a sink. (don't forget the spiders and roaches - all a part of the flora and fauna) I had even sent out a menu for the weekend and what each family should bring for each meal. Since it turned out there were no ovens, I had to make "baked beans" via a cook top. It worked and my "slow-cooked" beans were ready in 20 minutes.

Of course, we picked a weekend with the biggest heat wave ever! Thank God there was a swimming beach. Yes, it was a mudhole in Oklahomabut you know what? When it tops 100 you will swim in a pothole.

Saturday night I dubbed "Luau Night". Here I am with my two boys (boy #3 is still at basic training in Georgia) . That thing in the foreground is Kipper's tail. Small dogs were allowed in the cabins. (ask Kipper what she did to the mini-blinds in our cabin!! She is a very bad dog and I am sure small dogs will be banned in the future!).

We all decided against cooking out Saturday night since we were calculating the heat factor standing over a grill (500-600 degrees????) so we went to a hut up the road dubbed "Catfish Cabin." NOTE TO ALL: Do not order a salad at a place that specializes in "all you can eat fried catfish." Then we came back and luau'd with s'mores and Hawaiian music.

We had several rousing games of "Apples to Apples" over the weekend (board game - I bought it at Target) and many laughs. We had lots to celebrate since my Dad's cardiology work-up came back fine, no heart attack, no blockages. Just high blood pressure and fast heart beat but both contollable via meds. He has already lost some weight and looks better. He did tire fast this weekend but he had a good time in spite of that.

My family was all already planning next years but of course dubbed me Executor of the Reunion. My thinking cap is on and I am already trying to think of a great place.