We spent Sunday watching softball--got up early and went to see Becca and Alex play in the morning. I have been having trouble sleeping and didn't drop off till 4 AM. I asked Mom to wake me up at 8. It arrived quickly! I just threw my hair on top of my head, got in my clothes, and off we went.
Alex and Becca in the field
After the game, Mom and I went to a diner for breakfast and stopped by a bakery to pick up rolls for later. Came home and showered and got ready to head to Vineland for a double header between Alex's team and our cousin Timmy's daughter Veronica's team. A little fun family rivalry ensued. :)
Finally got to see my brother, Bill, who's been working constantly since I arrived! Here he is with his wife, Patty.
My Aunt Mary and my Mom
Aunt Mary, Mom, my cousin Robert with his daughter Melissa and my cousin Tim's son Aaron, Bill and Patty
Aaron with my nephew Billy
My cousin Tim's wife Brandi and my cousin Robert (her brother in law) who came in from Maryland for the weekend.
Aunt Mary, my dad's sister
2nd cousins Alex and Veronica. Both teams came into the games undefeated and gave each other a run for their money. The scores went back and forth with regularity but Alex's team ended up victorious in both games. We had lots of good-natured trash talk going between the two sides of the family, but no blows were thrown and we all left still friends. :)
My cousin Tim, also known as Tom, and his lovely wife Brandi. Our family has always called my cousin "Tim" or "Timmy." At the game, I noticed that Brandi called him "Tom," as did several of their friends. I finally asked Brandi, "Are you calling him 'Tom'?" and she said yes. I asked "How come?!" Well, silly, that's his real name! I guess because we never lived here growing up and were only around our cousins on vacations and brief stays, I was never clued in to the story behind his name. His real name is Thomas, but one of his older brothers started calling him "Tiny Tim" when he was a baby because he was very small. It stuck and the whole Rice family called him "Tim" from then on. But Brandi met him at work, where he had applied under his official name and was known as "Tom." He said it was too much trouble to explain to people that he went by a totally unrelated name so he's always been known as Tom at his jobs over the years. Brandi said her whole family calls him "Tom," his friends and neighbors in Vineland know him as "Tom," but our side of the family continues to call him "Tim." How crazy that I was completely unaware of this information! We all went back to their home for dinner after the games and I had to practice calling him "Tom." It did not feel right!
Brandi and Tim/Tom's son Devon helping his Grandmom Mary and Great Aunt Betty to the car. What a nice young man!
We had a lot of fun at the games and hanging out with family over dinner and discussion later. I think it's cool that my brother and family get to be friends with cousins and their kids get to play together. I used to wish I lived near all my cousins instead of only getting to see them on vacations and at reunions. I like the idea of some of the "good old days" when extended families all still lived near each other and got to spend time together, but I suppose those times are mostly gone. Even so, it's fun to catch up once in awhile and see how everyone's doing.
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