Party & Family Reunion=Summer Mattson Style!

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I spent the last week serving on a jury.  Stressful and yet it was a very good experience.  I got out Friday afternoon and the weekend was welcomed and extra sweet.  I was mentally exhausted. 

Jury duty exacts a lot from you.  You have a huge responsibility to not let your mind wander.    By contrast, yesterday we went to our cousins' house and had the first BBQ of the season.  That was just lovely.  Being outside, feeling warm but not hot was pleasant.  The dappled shadows from the trees surrounding the patio with all its beautiful and freshly planted flowers was so refreshing. It was the complete opposite of the last week.  

There I was dealing with parking issues, metal detectors, waiting and waiting on institutional wooden benches, cold marble floors and stairways with total strangers at every turn.  Perhaps we need days like that to appreciate days like yesterday all the more.

Mia and Mattson~siblings & Taylor, Kori and Robbie~sisters!

These lovely cousins greeted us at the front door!  They are second cousins to each other with their parents being first cousins.  They are first cousins once removed by a generation to Jim.  Jim is a first cousin to their parents.

They have a beautiful outdoor BBQ.
And Dale uses it very well!
The young cousins
chattin' and chillin'!

Deanna and Mia talking with Jennifer
Everyone mingled and talked it was great!

Impatiens just brighten up 
shady summer spots!

Kris and Dale's Yard is just amazing!

I love this photo!

We came together thanks to Bobby & Deanna
 & their kids Mia and Mattson 
who came to visit from Georgia.
Cousins are great and one of my
 all time favorite things in the world!

Mattson, Bobby, Deanna, Mia
Added this photo after publication.
Took this during the week 
while they were here!

 This fun Family Reunion was a good one!
Thank you Kris and Dale for hosting!

Kris with Grandma Gloria!

Julie and her daughter Emily

 going through the buffet

which was a wonderful group effort!

Lots of healthy choices!

Not everyone is in this photo but almost!

A better one coming later from Julie...

I totally hijacked this from FaceBook.  

I didn't get a picture of Joe & Nancy. 

But Giants' Game the other night 

and this photo is adorable soooo!

Nanc, I hope your friends don't mind!

Katy, Mike and Colton

Mike, Colton, Katy, Debbie, Judy, Danny

Kori and Colton

Colton and Robbie

Jeremy and Taylor playing with Colton!

When you are the only little kid 
at a big party like this
you have a very fun day!
We love our family, each and every one.

There were cousins I didn't get pictures of yesterday.  So I hope the other family members post theirs on Facebook and I'll add them here.  

While I was in court Friday, Jim made this for the BBQ.  It is my mom's recipe for Baked Beans.  It is a perfect BBQ treat.  A few family members asked for the recipe so I am adding it here.  It is Simple, Quick and Delicious!

Gramma Jo's Baked Beans

Serves 12 *Jim doubled the recipe

Ingredients:

2 cans 31 oz. of pork and beans

1 lb bacon cut up and cooked

1 whole onion chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

1 small bottle of catsup

1 cup brown sugar firmly packed 

( can use a little less sugar)

2 Tbs. Worchester Sauce

Method:

Saute onions and pepper in a little oil 

 Add all other ingredients and bake at 250 degrees

 for 3/12 to 4 hours.

Jim did ours in the crockpot and it worked great. 

If I know him he also added some minced garlic to the mix!

Ya just can't take the Italian outta the man...

even if he is half Swedish!

And I'm good with that!