Rezlerpalooza?

By Momma's count (which should be verified), there were 39 Rezler affiliates by way of Three Oaks this past weekend. Rezlers and Jezowskis, Vincents and Paxtons, Fullers and Irishes...Richard Scott labeled it Rezlerpalooza, which just might fit.

Emily and Zachary made the trip w/ Momma and Dziadzia (with a short visit by Daddy), and every day was filled with so much fun! It was a joy to see E&Z get so excited about being around family, and getting to know their aunts/uncles and cousins. We couldn't possibly list all the favorite moments, but here's to Momma's best attempt:

I took the first photos... Whether I really did, as the priority was given to family photos, I called it...












Playing in the play yard. Throwing so many kids together in the play yard was a lot of fun. It was full of bigger cousins taking care of little cousins and little cousins trying to keep up w/ those bigger. Emily is not used to being the bigger cousin, so she was particularly excited about Becca trying to keep up with her.....

Aunt Michele helping the kids paint their own t-shirts. It was a great idea and Emily just loves her shirt. Momma enjoyed watching mostly from the porch so the anxiety of all that paint (and where it was going) wouldn't ruin Emily's treat. She really really liked doing the whole thing on her own!
Playing w/ A. Michele in her loft. What 2007 Irish family vacation wouldn't be complete w/o rain! Momma was a bit worried thinking we'd have another trip full of rainy memories, but the sun did spend some time shining and it was HOT. While we waited for the first storm to pass, E&Z played w/ A. Michele in her loft...where the kids quickly learned that they can have a lot more fun playing under A. Michele's rules...

Crafts, crafts, crafts. Crafting with cousins couldn't have been more fun for Emily! After the t-shirts, there was beading, and foam visors and glittery butterflies. The resort also hosted a ceramic activity where Daddy helped Emily paint a star box,and Momma helped Zachary paint a school bus.

Games galore. Then there was the game room, where it was relatively quiet except for when Danielle was kicking someone's butt in foosball...

Zachary took his turn too for a bit slower paced version... But I think air hockey was Zach's favorite. Particularly when he was playing w/ Brianna (or "Nonna"); Zach couldn't quite get the puck to the goal, but he'd get it awfully close, and then "Nonna" would tip it in and let him score.

Family photos. Well, these weren't so much fun getting taken, but they sure are nice when they're done! Busia and the eight older children...Busia with almost all grand and great children...and almost all the younger children perched on a fire truck... (where cooperation was lacking and naps were on order for E&Z for sure. And it was HOT.) Zach's favorite girls. When not around "my Emly", Zach took to his fellow 2-year old toddler Zoe. Here he's sharing his bubbles (which he also enjoyed sharing w/ Uncle Gordon)...
And I think the air hockey games really attached him to "Nonna".... Z's worst part of this day (Sunday I think?) was the poor piñata. He got really upset when it was knocked to the ground, like the kids were beating up this fish. Or maybe he was upset because Emily walked away w/ the biggest bag of candy. (Of which, I told her to share, so she (on her own) walked up to everyone present to offer a piece of candy.)

Let's go fishing! Dziadz, Zachary, Brianna and Emily waited patiently for cousin Chris to come and show us how to fish... A whole bunch of people got to fish who've never done so before... and thanks so much to Chris for showing us how! Maybe next time more of us will be ready to bait our own hooks, and even work our way up to un-hooking our own fish!
Not sure if there's a story to the fish kiss... but almost every one received a good-bye (or thank you? sorry-we-hooked-you?) kiss before Chris released them...While waiting for our turn, Momma and Emily took a ride in the paddleboat... Where we caught this glimpse of everyone on the fishing deck.... turns out Sarah was an especially good fisher-woman while U. Fred tried and tried, but seemed to be just 10' too far from where the fish were really biting.Emily was finally ready to take her turn... and U. Gordon kept watch over the fish swimming around her hook...Turns out Emily didn't have the patience to last through the 40 minutes of fish continually eating our bait, but not getting hooked! However, Momma persevered and after 3 years of looking at this fishing pole that Grandpa gave me for Christmas, I finally caught my first fish!! (Yes, I know I should've turned it sideways so you could actually see it. Nobody told me this at the time though.) Pool time. Nothing much could top the week... and it was time to think about getting back home. Unfortunately, Zach had some sort of spell in the heat and decided to be sick the rest of the day. Emily didn't seem to mind. She spent the time playing with her cousins and then went for an evening swim with A. Michele and the gang.... A. Michele worked w/ Emily until she felt comfortable to eventually put her head in the water! (A big step for a little girl who hates to get her head wet.) And then turned to jumping in!Emily thanks everyone for their cheers and support; maybe next year she'll be jumping in just like Becca and Zoe!

Finally time to head for home! Here are the girls (and boy), Emily, Brianna, Zach, Zoe, Danielle and Sarah, w/ a rare recording of Zoe's Momma (and such a nice picture it is!) just before good-byes were said. (Emily and Sarah are modeling their hand-painted t's.)
When Momma thinks too much about family, I used to feel sad that Emily and Zach would only know 2 aunts, 1 uncle and 4 cousins. Momma grew up around so much family, that it's so different to understand how much they'll miss. But, once again, I realize that very thankfully, I was just being silly. And then I sometimes think about my cousin's children and what cousin does that make to E or Z? The info could easily be googled and researched as to what we all are.... exactly... to each other. Naaaa. No need to know. We are family. Period. My aunts/uncles/cousins are theirs. And I am thankful to be able to share my large-family memories with them, and watch them make their own!