Throwback Thursday: Nordyke Clan.

My aunt and uncle are coming down from Wisconsin this weekend. Their daughter (my cousin, cause I'm pretty sure thats how that whole family tree thing works) is in some sort of volleyball tournament at Wartburg. And why not come say hello to the fam when you are only half an hour away?! I think the question is more why come down at all, but anyways. They are coming and so they are now the topic of this week's Throwback.

Margaret is third or fourth in the line of my dad's siblings, but the second and last girl. But don't let the femininity trick you, she's definitely a Nordyke when she opens her mouth. That must be why the look of lack of amusement on my face is totally present as she snuggles up in this picture. And her husband is the farthest one away in the picture. But I think my favorite part of this picture is John's stache that he is working, so 1980s. SOOOO 1980s.

We used to go visit Chicago and get together with all my dad's brothers and sisters several times a year. As a child of stubbornness and a general disdain for socializing, it was not my favorite weekend trips. They generally slowed down, happening less and less often, and now I think its pretty much down to weddings and the occassional high school graduation (not that there are many left of those).

Although now I suppose I should add volleyball tournaments to that list....

Throwback Thursday: Decade Ago.

The date on this photo is wrong, although I am sure that the year is right. Well, maybe not. But its close. This was at my Aunt Carol's house. Probably more Christmas time than Thanksgiving, I say that only because I don't remember a Thanksgiving there. This picture is absolutely crazy though. Everyone has changed so much, its ridiculous. Except for dad. Dad still looks the same. But my brother looks like this is a crack addicted version of him. That's not mean, its just that the kid in this picture is SKIN AND BONES compared to him now. What a difference a decade makes. A decade....geeze we're old.

As a sidenote, as this is taken at my Aunt Carol's house, I should mention her. As my dad's older sister, she is a total nutter, and it is very clear that her and my father fell from the same tree. No one screeches like that woman, but only in the most loving way....no one also hosts family like she does. The food spread at every meal and every moment in between, is insane. And so so delicious. I actually quite like my Aunt Carol.