Quick planning for a ‘small’ family gathering
Ibelieve we inherited it from my dad’s side of the family. It’s the need for all our family to be together.
My dad had 14 brothers and sisters. That equates to about a bazillion first cousins. Back in the day, which for this story is the late 1960s to the early 1970s, getting all the Flores family together was a difficult but unwritten mandatory family rule when
Grandpa Flores called. Our grandparents, Nicholas and Josefa, raised all 15 of their children in a small house with an even smaller garage on their property in Visalia.
Whenever we got the call that a family gathering was happening, our station wagon would quickly fill up with my seven siblings, our dad, and an ice chest and we were on our way to Visalia.
When you were invited by Grandpa Flores to a birthday, anniversary, or a just-because celebration, just about everyone would come.
As the Visalia Flores family grew, so did our family’s inability to continue to celebrate in Grandma and Grandpa’s small house.
Like a family fun circus, we eventually moved many of our celebrations to Mooney Grove Park in the outskirts of Visalia. My memory recalls our family taking over complete sections of the very large park perfectly lined with magnificent valley oak trees that nature had perfectly feng shuied into the landscape. I remember the paddle boat races with my cousins Ruben, Lil Ant, Chris, Gina, Nicholas, Vickie and many more cousins taking place on the small lake inside Mooney Grove. Seemingly everywhere at our picnic area you could see family playing horseshoes, volleyball, piñatas, baseball and the many other pre-electronic games in which we all indulged.
Fast track to three weeks ago. My daughter Nikki approached me and asked, “What are your favorite memories of growing up with your cousins?” I tried my best to explain that we had so many cousins all my life that it’s impossible to think of just one cousin experience.” She added for more clarity, “What about Easter memories with your cousins?”
Ah, the motivation for her mental judo experience was revealed. As Dr. Laura or Dr. Phil might suggest, Nikki was really asking my opinion of getting the whole family together for Easter. And I mean the whole Bakersfield family together. Depending on who you ask, our family size ranges from about 87 to 111. And that’s only first cousins, their children, children’s children, tios and tias.
I reminded Nikki of our family size and that we have grown so large that individual families have now started their own family traditions. Getting everyone together for a holiday wasn’t impossible but would be difficult. “What if we had pre-Easter on Saturday at Aaron’s?” she asked. “You’ll have to ask your brother first,” I replied.
I suspect Aaron had already said “yes” and like a special forces party squad, Nikki and her girl cousins Junior, Rachelle, Samantha and Jamie got together and planned.
Here are a few examples from our Easter Saturday.
My nephew Dave was the barbecue master over the 40 tri-tip hindquarters he marinated for two days and smoked. My son-in-law Carlos marinated and barbecued 20 chicken quarters. And of course, there were countless sous chefs who, with a beer in their hand, endlessly offered barbecuing advice. Side dishes and desserts are too many to describe.
Nikki estimated about 600 Easter eggs were hidden in Aaron’s backyard. Even after the egg hunt, many I am sure will be found throughout the coming year.
One of the many games played was a family history game. It was explained to the younger generation that they needed to ask all the elders questions about our family. The person who correctly guessed the most would win a prize. The questions included: What were your great-grandmother’s and grandfather’s first names? Who is your youngest and oldest cousin? Which one of your cousins has the most kids?
These were all designed to help our younger generation know more about the older generation. Most things they could not find on their tablets or on a game board.
We did an unofficial head count. Eighty-three family members together for Holy Saturday to help celebrate our family. Having our family together is important, no matter the occasion.
Nice job, everyone. Please keep it going.