Family Reunion Blues - is it that time already? RANT

What's up BAF?

For those of you that are my fb friends you may have seen my rant on this subject as well.

I don't know about any of you but I'm starting to dislike this time of year. I mean this whole family reunion thing is driving me nuts. I know why the old folks started it and it's a great thing to keep in the family but I'm burnt out already. I mean, I have 4 this year to go to (why can't folks just stay married these days). Anyway that's a post for another day. OK - I'm back

BAF is your family like this? You're going to have the same people on each side of the family that does this when it comes to the reunion.

1. Folks that believe in the values of the reunion and try their hardest to make it work. Yet, these folks are pissed the whole reunion cause everyone is having a good time on your dime.

2. Pooky and Ray Ray 'nem that comes to the reunion with their whole block and ain't gave a dime, ain't tried to help, or haven't participated in no damn fundraiser - nothing...........but brought a gang of folk. How about bring some pop, chips or cookies - you have the most kids anyway.

~ OK sorry I'm back...........i went left again

3. The folks that complain the whole time about what's going on and hasn't contributed anything the whole year.

4. Or the infamous........who cooked this.....who cooked that once it's time to eat..........what does it matter.........you didn't cook anything so just eat.

Thanks for letting me rant today............I'm just not in the mood for family reunions this year because it's so much drama.

Am I the only one?

all of my extended fam lives on another continent but i've always wanted to go to one.  how does it normally work is there a committee, one person in charge of fundraising then invites the whole fam?   love the idea.    shame you in michigan, thas too far to go for some free 'tata salad but, tell it gurl, what part do you hafta play?  who makin the t-shirts? lol!! 

eta - gurl i'm glad you posted this, it reminds me what my family is like without the cookout.  prayer.   Que the auntie who abused and violated the cake..? i, uh, 


i would do exactly like ya'll do b/c my cousins have sense, but our parents, run forrest....

Hey MarloT,

Well, with my hubby's family they start at the beginning of the year doing fundraisers and stuff to help the folks with multiple kids or just to purchase all the meat for the reunion (which is a ton). We really work hard to purchase all the food, most of the time we just need folks to cook it (they can't even do that). It's just a headache. The thing is....the same folks do the fundraisers, help purchase the meat and cook it.

With my family we pay dues, buy the meat and everyone has to bring side dishes. I like it better that way.

On all sides of my family I'm on the committees............in my family I'm the head honcho! lol So, it's a lot of work, a lot of planning, folks get mad on whatever day you choose for the picnic. Then, it cost to rent sheds from the parks, bouncers and stuff for the kids......just lots of money and mostly it's coming from the same faithful few.

OMG, just had one this past Sunday... and all categories listed were out in full effect... My Auntie, who bless her heart, put it all together was pissed cuz she spent $500 over her family contribution... well dear heart don't be pissed when you the one that bought belvedere hennesy milagro and ciroq and yo man is taste testing it all (multiple times) How the hell we run out of green beans but we still got plenty bottles of henn dog... And how in the hell I get relegated to the DJ table, gettin bossed around by this crazy a$$ man that I don't know where he came from talking that "play some Frankie Beverly"... Every time he bought his drunk butt to the table I blasted some solja boy or Kid Cudi... to hell wit him I wanted to ask him if he had some other family he wanted to reunite with cause we was kickin him off the island... Oh oops sorry this is ur post T... I just felt ur pain so much I lost it... I have to admit those ribs were fire with a few shots of Milagro...  

OK - so it's not just me. I mean folks are crazy. It's so funny how the ones that are not really "family" are the ones that drive you crazy?

Get it out honey............get it out!

Another thing that had me about to take my earrings off and get the Vaseline was... My Auntie, who has fifty-leven kids and only paid $40 of her $120 family contribution, got to stompin and cussing cause it was fat back in the green bean, sausage in the shrimp boil and pork chops in the pan with the hamburgers... ha ha ha maybe if she would have paid the rest of her money we would have been able to afford a separate no pork menu, but since she didn't, "shut yo a$$ up and eat the dayum cake Anna Mae"... Did I forget to mention, she too wa****ting the bar like it had done something to her. Yeah the next family reunion is gonna be a dry one.. except for what I carry in my handbag... Oh shoot wait... My surgery is in 2 1/2 weeks all I'mma have in my hand bag is a dayum protein shake. Okay, I feel better now. LOL.

this is a reason why I am OH so glad my family is SMALL!!!!! 

In my immediate - only me and mama!  Crackhead uncle don't count no more and we disavowed his daughter when he gave up his parental rights

In my extended - a congomeration of mofos my mama can't stand and have alienated over time to the point they couldn't pick me out of a LINEUP.  Nobody even has my phone #. 

So - no family reunions for me!!! 

Hey thurr,
gurrrrrrrrrrl our family reunions have since disbanded after our 2006 doozie of a reunion.  In our case we have the aunts who think that because they are the "matriarch's" that it gives them the right to attempt to FORCE those who are actually working to do things their way. Had the nerves to want me to run around placing name stickers on everyone, then the grand finale' was when 4 of my cousins spent over $400.00's to the cake lady to make this HUGE sheet cake that simply had The Davis Family reunion 06 or something to that effect put on it, welllll one of my aunts who is only 6 years older than this group of cousins got mad because they refused to have our late grandparents names put on the cake.

My cousins told my aunt back when they ordered the cake that UNLESS she chip in on the cost that they will NOT be having their names put on the cake! My aunt felt that this was the ultimate disrespect. My cousins said that had she come correct with her request in the first place then they may have granted it.

My aunt was so nasty about it and I guess that she decided to quietly and seethingly WAIT until the cake was brought out and unveiled at the reunion. Once the cake was unveiled people took pictures of it and one of my cousins had the video camera on it filming. Suddenly like a rattlesnake, my aunt comes flying from her spot up to the cake and just DESTROYED it.  Need I say more.....

Now, each year we cousins (over 100 first cousins) get together for a cousins cookout. Last year it was at my sisters and this year it will be out of town. Each one has gone very smoothly minus the drama and we have such a great time.

I love my maternal family reunions!

I'm going to ATL next weekend for my Moms side. Friday is the meet and greet. Usually BBQ or catered food. Saturday morning we're having a State Farm Insurance sponsored breakfast. After that, we have a chartered bus that will take us on a tour and to the King Center. Our formal banquet is scheduled at our hotel for that evening so we get to look good at eat good.

You can make it easier by:

* Getting a company (like State Farm) to sponsor one of your events.
* Talk to your state tourism board. Georgia is hooking my family up royally.
* Pooky and Ray wouldn't bother to come to mine since we charge by the person, not family. Children are at a reduced rate so it really isn't expensive. One price pays for the ENTIRE weekend.

I've planned two reunions and it is hard work. I live in Illinois, but I'm in charge of printing programs for Saturday's banquet and producing our video memorial in ATL. My mom's side can easily work together, but my Pops side....that's I need a whole new post to rant about them mofos.

My husband's Dad's side does it this way too Wonka! It's the easiest out of them all but still not drama free. This year they will have 2 because the "matriarchs" wants it at one park and the "young folks" wants it somewhere else..................just bananas.