Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, The Gateway of Dreams statue. Greg had a conference in Atlanta and Katie and Andrew flew down from Jacksonville, North Carolina to join us for a couple days. This was in October of 2012.
Another summertime Wednesday Hodgepodge is up and running. Thank you, Joyce!
1. The Olympics kick off this coming weekend. Will you be watching? If you could watch just one event in person, which one would you choose?
I will watch some of the Olympics depending on the timing of favorite events.
Gymnastics is always a favorite.
Greg was a torch bearer for his company in the 1984 Olympics that took place in Los Angeles. As a family we were able to watch rowing events at Lake Casitas close to our home. We lived in Ventura, California during the 84 Summer Olympics.
2. Have you ever been to Paris? Is this a city you’d like to visit? What’s your favorite ‘French thing’?
I am not pulled with the desire to travel to Paris. French food is probably my favorite ‘French thing’.
3. Macaron, creme brulee, chocolate soufle, mille feuille, or an eclair…your favorite French patisserie from the ones listed?
Our son has mastered the art of making macarons. We’ve enjoyed many flavors of his melt in your mouth treat. Above are some of the macarons he made for Addy’s Birthday Tea Party and below are the ones he made for our family gathering to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Our actual 50th is on December 6th of this year but we chose to enjoy summer weather for our big celebration.
4. July 24th is National Cousins Day…do you have many cousins? Are you close to them? Will you see any of your cousins on July 24th?
I have cousins that I love and enjoy visiting with when we can. Lately it’s mostly at funerals that I might see them.
Our kids get together with many of their cousins at least twice a year. Their cousins from California came up for a visit so all our kids gathered in Leavenworth, Washington on July 16th for a quick visit.
Josh, Laura and Katie had several days of enjoying their cousins in the Seattle area last week. Josh and Laura made a quick trip to California over the weekend to spend time with more of their cousins and some aunts and uncles!
Cousins with an aunt and uncle thrown in! Huntington Beach, California this past weekend.
5. Last time you went somewhere that felt like ‘everyone and his cousin‘ was there?
Lately this will only happen when we travel. The last large crowd event we were in the midst of was in Liverpool at the Anfield stadium for a football/soccer match in September of 2023. Everyone and his cousin was there!
Even though it’s been several years since we visited London, that city is a sea of humanity that you cannot separate yourself from easily.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
One more cousin shot from Huntington Beach. My brother and his family were visiting from Dallas which was a very good reason for many family members to come together. Josh and Laura flew down from Washington to join in the fun.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
In other news, things have cooled a wee bit and later this week they are promising the 80’s instead of 90’s!
See you soon Hodgepodgers!
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
That is really neat about your husband being a torch bearer for his company and how you lived close to the location of the Olympics one year. Your family and cousin pictures are so good. Glad your weather forecast is looking up due to the temps being a little down :).
…family pictures are a HUGE part of your life. It’s nice to have them.
I was still working at AT&T in 1984 and they were a sponsor. My boss was able to attend several events and he brought me back a couple of Olympic pins. I’ve always enjoyed reading about and seeing pictures of your own kids and I’ve marveled at how close they seem. Now seeing the pictures of them with their cousins — wow! Y’all’s family is so amazing.
Great photos of the cousins, you have a beautiful family.
Take care, have a great day!
The homemade macaroons look so pretty and I’m sure taste so good. It looks like some great family time and so nice to catch up with everyone. Have a good day!
I enjoyed this post so much, Ellen. The pictures speak of wonderful times of family being together! Your son’s macrons look amazing…like they are straight from a French bakery. That is one thing that I have never tried to make. My oldest granddaughter does them well. She was so excited the first time she made them that she emailed me and sent along a picture. Have a wonderful remainder to your week, my friend.
How wonderful for your kids to have cousins who are also friends! So special and I pray that for my grandchildren as well. My girls know their cousins, but there are not a lot (at least not compared to me). Fun experience with the torch! Have a great day!
Despite crowds, I would LOVE to see a soccer game, especially in Liverpool! I can’t wait for World Cup in 2 years; we are definitely going to try to hit either Atlanta or Orlando.
We brave the crowds for a good soccer match! It would be great to be able to go to a World Cup game this time around. We went to a few in 1994 in Los Angeles and Stanford.
What a great memory to have been part of the Olympics! The macarons look beautiful, I really want to sign up for a class to learn how to make them.
thats cool that you husband got to carry the torch.
I like gymnastics too! That’s cool that Greg was the torch bearer for his company. Wow, I am impressed with your sons baking. That’s great that your kids got together with some of their cousins. Love all of the cousin photos. Things are so different today with people living all over the country. I enjoyed visiting London years ago.
A friend of ours was a torch carrier years ago. I don’t remember what Olympics it was…we went to watch him run with it. I tried making macarons once…it’s was a pretty good effort. I’d love to try again. I thought I recognized that town. Hubby and I went there last October for a few days getaway.
Happy 50th! We will reach 50 in August. Those macaroons look great! Nice family pictures too. Huntington Beach is one of the beaches we go to. We are going to Dana Point for our anniversary weekend in August. Nice that the family could get together there. Enjoy the Olympics!
I didn’t even know it was time for the olympics!
I have 17 cousins! Only in touch with a few. One lives in Huntington Beach!!
Love your family photos! The one at Huntington Beach looks a little less crowded than when we were there. 🙂 That is so cool that Greg was a torch bearer for the ’84 Olympics! Chuck’s sister got tickets at the last minute and we were able to go see the equestrian competition.
I remember the LA Olympics in 1984. I was pregnant with my last son. The soccer games were played at Stanford stadium. We lived nearby and everyone except me got to see the games! We did see the torch runner, and that was exciting!
I had forgotten until you jarred my memory!
It would have been nice to be close to some cousins but it just never happened because we lived in California. They never came out to see us, but we were always going back every other summer. I enjoyed it until I became a teenager and had a boyfriend!
Enjoyed your answers! God Bless.
So cool that your husband got to be a torch bearer – it’s quite an honour! Those macarons look delicious, almost too good to eat. Almost! Loved the cousin gathering photos! Hope you’re having a great week!