THE Peck Family Christmas Barbeque

Isn't that a nice photo above of Rick and Sir Arlo?!?! (taken, by the way, at Jon and Shirley's house during the Peck Family Christmas Barbecue)

Yes, I know it is August and you may be wondering what the hell is this woman referring to a Christmas event? Well the loooooong story is ... going to be told at the end ... maybe. Now for the photos of this year's event.

Below is a photo of Chad and Amy (guided by Sir Arlo in the water) using the "rowers" to propel the row boat around the pond ....

Brother Jon and brother in law Charlie (aka "Chuck") (sister Candy's husband) solving the problems of the world ~ or hopefully relaxing and enjoying the day.

Sister Candy and I solving our own world problems .... well there were no problems out there but we sure were enjoying our time .... and yes, that is Sir Arlo to the left of the canoe. The problem here is that whenever I went out in the canoe with anyone Arlo became quite agitated and HAD to follow. Well Sir is a great swimmer to be sure, but sometimes it is just fine for me to have a moment or four away from him ... much to his dismay. And when the clock chimes three seconds off he goes in pursuit of ME .... Well I, on the other hand, have to worry that he can not and should not swim/chase me around a pond because he certainly will get worn out and I will have to rescue him. Being that I can't swim, the rescue is certainly doomed. Bottom line here is that someone (nameless of course) should be watching Sir more closely on shore because we all know that he (Sir) will be chasing me soon!

Above is Charlie reading a poem from a book that my Grandmother wrote many years ago. There are poems in there for some of us grandchildren as well as a few Christmas poems - it seemed appropriate that Charlie read one .... Thank you Charlie.

Each year at the Peck Family Christmas we do a "yankee swap". This is so so so much fun. For those unfamiliar with this event ... it goes something like this .. everyone brings a gift. We all draw a number and the swap begins with number one and proceeds with each person taking a gift when their number is "called". Well after you open your gift you can keep it OR exchange it for someone else's gift (this is where it gets so much fun). Obviously, the person who has number 1 has no one else's gift to exchange, so at the end number one has a choice of ALL the gifts there! Does it all sound crazy and complicated - or crazy and FUN?

Below is Richard decked out in his holiday finery and a lovely garden ornament that he selected - but didn't end up with - Elisha (daughter of sister Candy and her husband Charlie) has it and it is in a lovely spot in HER garden as we saw the other day.

Below is Andy (soon to be new father) (son of brother Jon and his wife Shirley, whose house this party was held). The gift Andy selected was a candle in the shape of a cupcake ~ that he truly had no interest in, and he is trying valiantly to have someone else be delighted with the candle as he balances it on his shoulder to remind those behind him of what a lovely gift it might be!!

Below is Shirley opening a lovely selection of DVDs, as well as microwave popcorn (if I remember correctly).

Next we have Kelly (wife of Tim who is Jon and Shirley's oldest son) and her daughters Emily and Hailey. Kelly is holding a gift that she "traded" with someone and the girls have special "kids" gifts.

Next we have my sister Kimberly doing I don't know what after the exchange was over. Behind Kim is Charlie - note the hat on Charlie's lap - this hat has been in the yankee swap for several years and I guess could be referred to by some as the "booby prize" ... every year it comes back - will it be back next year???? hmmmmm who knows!

Now, for the story of the Peck Family Christmas Barbecue (PFCBBQ). As all four of us Peck siblings grew and raised our families and moved distances away from one another it seemed the ONLY time we ALL got together was at Christmas - our family celebration was always the weekend after Christmas so we could have THE day in our own homes and our children would not have to be uprooted from their new toys etc. to travel distances to be with extended family. The tradition was started by our Mom back in about 1976 (???) when they (my parents) had built a "cabin/camp" in the western part of MA. Fond fond memories of those first family celebrations - nephew Owen was a month old and slept in a dresser drawer on the floor in that camp heated by a coal stove - no we weren't there over night in those days - only for the party so there was no neglect of Owen happening - just LOVE LOVE LOVE. The extended family from back then is gone - my grandparents, great aunts, and unfortunately both of my parents. After Mom and Dad built a permanent home in that area the celebration was moved there (obviously) and took on a grander scale ... with my mother ceremoniously pushing the Christmas tree off the deck and into inevitably a large snow bank as soon as the "celebration" ended (that seems to be the constant in my son's memory of the "Peck party" is Boppa pushing the tree out). After my Mom passed away in 1998 the family celebration stopped. I don't clearly remember if we took it up again a few years later or not but I do remember that my son Chad and my nephew Owen felt strongly a few years ago that the celebration should be started again and took it upon themselves to find a place that was mid-way for all of us (from southern New York, northern New York, northern Vermont and south of Boston). The tradition had thankfully started again because these "kids" had strong sense of family ... Rick and I were not here for the celebration in 2007 (that was the year we left on "the big adventure") and unfortunately I don't remember where Chad had planned the festivities that year. The celebration for 2008 was planned for Putney, VT but weather prevailed and the celebration was "cancelled" at the 11th hour (Chad and Amy did have a nice weekend away though before the cancellation call came). Shirley took it upon herself (thank you so much Shirl) to reschedule it as the PFCBBQ for August 1 and fortunately Rick, Arlo and I were around for it and we had an "awesome" time ..... weather was perfect, love was all around and it was just a great fun and loving day. Shirley Peck - YOU rule!