Gilbert Family Reunion at Deep Creek

I have pretty much always been curious about my family background and where the people I came from, came from themselves. I've wanted to know their names, what they were like, what traits may have come down to me, and what their lives were like.

Thankfully, the older I'm getting the more I'm learning. My aunt Karen has been key in providing information for me. Yesterday proved to be no different. : )

The grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren of Lewis Edward Sr. and Nancy Vann Gilbert gathered together at a beautiful cabin in the mountains of North Carolina near Bryson City. There was a total of about 40 people there.

There was a catered meal and that was set to be at 4pm. So, we, my family, Karen and Tony, Peggy, Julie and her kids, and Aaron, Shannon and Maisy went to Deep Creek before lunch and had a picnic and played in the creek until then.

And for a central meeting place, we used the B and B Karen and Tony stayed at - The Folkstone Inn.

A beautiful, historic farm house.

As soon as Peggy and I walked in the breakfast room, we were taken back to the breakfast rooms of the B&B's we stayed at in Ireland. : )

Reconnecting with each other.

Here we are at Deep Creek. Isn't it gorgeous?!

Daddy arranged and snapped this almost-uniformly flattering photo. 

By the way...Nathan only *looks* goofy. ; )

We are doing our best to cross that current without getting anything other than our feet wet.

Natalie and her playmates, Savannah and Jordan,  getting ready to play.

So picturesque...

A little bashful of the cousins.

Savannah is 2, Natalie is 2 1/2 and Jordan just turned 4.

Standing stones.

This was so neat! Karen brought this and another family album. One held pictures from her and my mom's childhood. While the other held pictures from probably 150 years ago, of our people who are long gone. I don't want them to be forgotten! Karen took the time to copy some photo's of my grandpa's family and even further back. While we were looking at pictures and talking, she helped me label them. There's no way I would've remembered them all. So interesting. 

A couple action shots!

A baby mermaid. She was absolutely fearless in the water!

Aaron and Maisy even braved the numbingly cold water.

Isn't this funny? They are both posing. In the foreground, you can see the water is moving pretty swiftly. That is like a highway for the tubers. One has just gone by (Natalie's watching it) and another is coming (daddy's watching it).

And there it is! This boy brought a companion...his doggie!

We were reminded how fun (and affordable) it is to go tubing, so we are seriously planning to go back before the summer's over. Yay! : )

Should've brought her swimsuit!

Time to go find the "Oh my gosh" cabin! (yep, that was the name of it!)

Here is what I made to help me understand who belongs to who. Click to see a larger version.

This is why the cabin is called "Oh my gosh". Because when you look at the view, you say "Oh My Gosh!" This picture does not do it justice! Click on this to see it full size too.

Oh my. Savannah has got some lips : {}

Sweet girl, Jordan. I got to know her very well when I went to be with Julie for a week after Savannah was born.

My cousin Julie and her blond-headed babies. The fair coloring comes from their daddy.

Water balloons! A great hot weather, family reunion activity!

Natalie loved it!

Family pictures time!

These are the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Frances Gilbert(first born daughter of Lewis and Nancy Gilbert) and Jess Hall.

These are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Eunice Gilbert (second child of Lewis and Nancy Gilbert) and Raymond Dreher.

These are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Lewis Edward Gilbert Jr. (the baby and only son of Lewis and Nancy Gilbert) and Jewell Pitts. That's the one we're in.

 From left to right, back to front: Nathan, Tony, Ted
Sunny, Karen, Janis, Natalie-Rose
Aaron, Peggy, Elijah, Julie
Shannon, Maisy, Jordan, Savannah

Another great family picture!

Then we took a picture of the whole family. This was my view.

Good-bye "Oh my gosh" cabin and everyone inside! Oh, and the food was GREAT! Barbecue, baked beans, Banana pudding...beautiful!

It was a miracle! Natalie was so tired she fell...asleep...in...the...car. Yay!

And a fun time was had by all!