Featuring games, sports, and lots of cake.
When my late husband Jay was sick, he said, “nothing really matters but your family and friends.” The older I get, the more these words ring true, which is why I was so excited to host a reunion for my wonderful family: My late sister Emily’s two sons, her daughter-in-law, and her two grandchildren; my sister Kiki, her three kids, their spouses, and her five grandkids; and my brother Johnny, his two sons, their spouses, and his three grandchildren. Only five family members couldn’t make it, but hopefully, we’ll see them next year!
We first started gathering as a family at the end of August to celebrate my dad’s birthday on the 28th. This year, we paid homage to him by eating fried chicken and celebrated Johnny’s birthday with a Caroline’s Caramel Cake, our dad’s favorite.
It was a fun-filled and sporty weekend — we played tennis, Pickleball, and cornhole. Plus, Ellie’s husband Mark threw around the lacrosse ball with my great-nephew Max. I forgot how much I love the sound of little ones jumping in the pool and running around in the yard.
My favorite game for family gatherings is called Salad Bowl — you put famous names in a bowl and your team members have to guess as many names as they can in a minute. This year we played my nephew Jeff’s version, which involved two additional rounds with one-word clues and charades.
It was fun, raucous, and — given our family — pretty competitive. The weekend left me exhausted but grateful. I feel so lucky to have a family full of smart, accomplished, and (most of all) kind human beings. I love knowing how happy my parents would be seeing the Couric crew back together for some FFF: Forced Family Fun.
