The Vos Feest

Saturday was the Vos gathering - 39 people from my mother's side of the family. In the morning, Jesper, Lisanne and I helped Cor and Coby get the food prepared. And then before you knew it the house was full of people! It was a very nice time - these are people I have met before or have at least heard of!

I'm not sure what to call her, but Melanie, the daughter of my cousin, and I shared fuzzy memories of my last trips here. When I was 7 and she was 5, I remember us making mud pies on someone's sidewalk. She remembers - and still has - a rainbow necklace I gave her, which must have been during the trip we made when I was 13. I was VERY into rainbows back then... I think I successfully convinced her and her fiance to come to Seattle in the summer of 2008!

There were a lot of blond little children running around - at once point there were 9 under the age of 5! Plus Ron and Han brought their dog, Youpie. It was hard to talk to many people because of the activity and sheer number - I wish I could have had more one on one time with everyone. I have a much better grasp of everyone's names from this group - here is a pretty good idea of who was there and how they fit it. Actual attendees are in bold. All names on the left are my Mom's brothers and sister.

Oom Dirk/Tante To - Kees (son) and his wife Joke, son Jesper, daughter Flortje.

Oom Jaap/Tante Yo - Marja (daughter) and her husband Loutje, daughter Anouk and her "friend"( what the Dutch call someone you have children with but aren't married to) and 3 daughters, Marja and Loutje's son Andy and his 2 daughters.

- Robert (son) and his wife Thea and their sons Jamie and Wesley.

Tante Jenny - Ronnie (daughter) and her husband Han, daughter Melanie and her "friend"and their son Thomas and daughter, Ron and Han's daughter Marsha and her "friend"and their twin sons Wes and Raul.

- Cor (son) and his wife Coby and their son Jesper and daughter Lisanne (the party hosts and who I am staying with)

Oom Leen

Mom, Dad and Me

Hopefully that makes sense. I seem to be missing someone... Oh well! Here's the pics:


Marsha, Thea and Wesley


Han with he granddaughter


Loutje, Marja, my Dad and Oom Leen


The spread


Loutje, Anouk with her youngest daughter, Robert and Wesley looking at something cool on the computer


Tante Jenny, Tante Yo and me


Andy, Dad, Han, Melanie's "friend", Marsha's "friend"


Marsha, Melanie's "friend", Flortje, Joke and Jesper


Ronnie and Han (no, Ellen - you don't look alike anymore!)


Dad, Mom, Oom Leen, Tante Jenny, Tante Yo and me


Raul and Wes


Mom, Thea, Marja and her youngest granddaughter


Jesper making the zalm sla - salmon salad


Lisanne wrapping up wursts


The moie zalm sla (pretty salmon salad - decades of "odd" summer salads have been explained on this trip)


Melanie, Thea, Andy's youngest daughter, Marja and her youngest granddaughter


The smoking circle - Thea, Tante Jenny and Mom (who was just keeping them company)