Family Ties

Tim and Kate Manahan after snorkeling

Other big highlights of 2013 involved our families. My brother Bill and his son's family spent a week with us on Isla Mujeres, a first for them. Becky and I delighted in watching Tim, Kate, Jansen, and Owen discover the joys of our favorite place on earth.

Jansen and Owen Manahan, Isla Mujeres

We attended the Idaho wedding of Becky's nephew Scott and spent ten days in California with two of Bill's other sons, our sisters, and my godson's family, as well as many friends. 

Sarah and Becky's nephew Scott Havens arriving for their wedding
Ponderosa State Park, McCall, Idaho

Salad and grilled chicken with Ric Havens' and Vicki Bohan at their home in Lincoln, CA

Vicki Bohan and Becky Bohan near Vicki and Ric's cabin in Arnold, CA

Our first visit to Disney World, Orlando

We visited Universal Studios and Disney World with my sister Pat Anderson's family, screaming our way through stomach-dropping attractions and meandering through Disney exhibitions with an educational veneer. Harry Potter World was our favorite area, from Hogwarts to Butter Beer. Now Becky is reading all the Harry Potter books, following the example of Pat's grandchildren.

After five exhilarating days in Orlando, we drove across the Florida Panhandle with Pat and two of her grandchildren, Norah and Emmet, to St. Georges Island for our annual 5-7-day reunion. This year only 36 Manahan descendants showed up at this beautiful but very hot and humid beach location, not for the faint of heart.

Another highlight was the annual Work/Fun Day at Pat and Steve's farm in Madelia. Three generations of Andersons and Manahans pruned trees, stacked firewood, cleaned barns, and did other major and minor chores to keep the family homestead in good repair.

Manahan/Anderson annual family reunion, August 2014, St. Georges Island, Florida

Nancy's nephew Mark, with Norah and Emmet Anderson, Wakulla State Park, Florida, riverboat cruise

Bridge with niece Chuchang Chiu and grand-nephew Jimmy Manahan

Becky and I played a lot of bidge with those three generations at the family reunion and back in Minnesota with my siblings, a surprisingly deep pleasure full of intense competition, side-splitting laughter, and sips of Xtabentun, our favorite liqueur from the Yucatan, or Brady's Irish Cream-- better than Bailey's, we've discovered.

Becky and me getting ready to bid a grand slam--dream on--with my brother Bill and my sister Pat 

The four bridge-playing Manahan siblings, Madelia

And finally, 2013 marked the tenth year that Bill has been living with us at Rustic Lodge, a rich, playful, productive, joyful blessing in our lives.

Bill Manahan at Nautibeach Condos on Playa Norte with a fresh-pineapple home-made pina colada.

 Yes, the sand really is that fine and white, one of the miracles of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, just voted number 6 in Trip Advisor's list of the 10 best islands in the world.