The Phosie-Gertie 2016

Those of you who have been following me a while knew it was coming - the annual Reeder/Foster/Fuller Family Picnic named after the two women who were grandmothers to all the direct descendants. 

We have been holding it on Sunday of Labor Day weekend, with only a few interruptions, for 43 years now at our cabins on Whidbey Island. 

This year's theme was The Olympics, so along with the raising of the Phosie-Gertie flag we had the torch lighting. 

Then it was time for the family photo. There was quite a bunch of us this year.

 Jill was chief organizer and master of ceremonies. Next on the agenda was the veneration of the elders. The youngest generation assisted in honoring the oldest generation of Direct Descendants. 

 Three of the elders are getting really old! Tom, Jan and Dean will soon celebrate their 75th birthdays.

 Now let the games begin! First up is the water balloon toss. 

 The winners were awarded medals. 

 But watch out! We're being attacked by a mob armed with the extra balloons!

 New this year was the water bucket relay. Olympics do have to have relays, you know.  Jill got them organized, no easy task. 

 In this case, slow and easy won the race, with the most water in their bucket.

 Then it was time for the sand castle contest, with an Olympic theme. 

 As the teams explained their entries, there were mentions of green water in the swimming pool and Ryan Lochte. This team had to hurry before the tide took it all away. 

 The winning team created a combination track and soccer stadium and featured Usain Bolt. Winners all around.

 And more medals presented on the podium. 

 Multiple medal holders were acknowledged. Rowan was draped in gold. 

 For the kids only, the last event was the candy scramble. 

 After which they set up shop to conduct trades, and eat candy, of course, while the grills were being fired up for fixing the food. 

Of course I did not get photos of the food and the eating, but there was lots of both, and lots of visiting too. 

The last formal event was the presentation of the Saddle Shoe Award ( no, we can't explain, it's a family secret). The Del Fava Family, winners last year, presented the award to Dave and Vicki Reeder. These members of the Reeder clan are all up from California for the picnic. 

 And then the kids free ranged all over the area and the adults settled in to visit and catch up. 

Right on through the golden hour and into the early darkness of September.