LU MEETS HALF OF HIS BIG FAMILY

The cousins on Grandma's front porch


Lu and Aubrey have birthdays just a few days apart.


Nate, Lu, Clara, Jay and Max survey the farm


Pop Pop gives Lu his first wagon ride


Now there's a triple dose of trouble if I ever saw one!


Nate, Lu and Clara share some laughs


Pete and I both come from especially large families. Pete has 12 brothers and sisters and although I only have 3 siblings, my Mom has 10 brothers (she's the only girl) and my Dad has 8 brothers and sisters. Our kids have 18 first cousins (mine total over 45) and if I counted right, on my Mom's side alone, they have 53 second cousins (with 2 on the way).

The better part of my childhood was spent on my Grandparents farm where my Mom grew up. There was always an abundance of food, chaos and of course, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. The Malarneys celebrate holidays and reunions better than any family I know (besides the Chaput's, who can throw a pretty crazy party themselves!) and Clara, Lu and I hopped a plane to hang out with my parents for a week and go to my cousin Jenny's lakefront home for this summers family gathering. Pete, heartbroken at missing out on any Malarney gathering, had to stay in MN and work.

Having spent his first two years in a pretty big family of his own, Lu warmed up to his cousins pretty fast and couldn't get enough rough-housing and playing with my nephews. At the family reunion, both he and Clara had a great time swimming, running wild and playing with a school-district sized population of kids. Although usually fairly strict about sweets, at these events I let them eat whatever and of course, easy access to a slushie machine, cakes, trays of cookies and an occasional half eaten dessert left by an unsuspecting relative (eh, whatcha gonna do?) made the day that much more memorable to Clara and Lu.

We're grateful and fortunate for both of us to have families so big, boisterous and fun!