Uncle Bruce's 90th Birthday

After flying home from Tennessee, my children and I loaded up and traveled with my parents all the way to Louisiana and then on to Mississippi to celebrate the 90th birthday of my Uncle Bruce and give my children a chance to meet almost all the rest of their Parish family! I loved introducing my children to the aunts, uncles, and cousins I grew up with and celebrated so many holidays with as a child! It was a time to soak in my Parish heritage with my children and take lots of pictures to share with them as they grow! We know trips to Laurel will be fewer than I'd like, so this was a special trip and I'm grateful the Lord allowed it to happen!

Bruce Blackledge

The Birthday Man! Born 12.31.1922

Our first travel day, we drove to Louisiana to spend a night with Granny.

Girl talk!

My smiling girl already loves her Granny!

Jacob, Ruth Evelyn and I spent a day resting at Granny's after all our traveling while Grandmother and Granddaddy went on to Laurel, then on Saturday the 29th we loaded up with Granny and drove to Mississippi!

Annie whisked up Ruth Evelyn out of our car and brought her straight to my great Aunt and said, "Aunt Ann, here's the next generation of Parish women!" We are a proud, loving, strong family of women and I'll love sharing this with my daughter! Aunt Ann (Mary Ann Blackledge) is the keeper of our family's history! She gave each of my children a printed family tree of their heritage back 4 generations!

Growing up, we went out to Aunt Ann's on Christmas after our Christmas morning at home and I have many memories of delicious meals, swimming, playing with cousins, and happiness in her home!

Aunt Ann and Ruth Evelyn

Mary Ann Blackledge, great great aunt to my sweet Ruth Evelyn

Annie and her great niece

2 beautiful ladies!

Stacy (Blackledge) James (my Daddy's 1st cousin and Aunt Ann's daughter) with Ruth Evelyn

Annie and her friend Robert with Ruth Evelyn

My Uncle Paul (Daddy's brother) with Ruth Evelyn - he loves all our little ones!

Aunt Shirley taking care of my sweet boy. He takes a bit to warm up to big groups of new people and having her there to walk around with him made him feel safe. She's a great aunt and grandmother!

After gathering at Aunt Ann's and Uncle Bruce's house, we all loaded up and headed out to the party!

The birthday man and his awesome cake!

The cake table!

Lemonade

This was such a pretty cake!

Mother had all the pictures organized for this beautiful collage of Uncle Bruce's life and my cousin, Tanya, helped arrange it all.

Uncle Bruce and all his grandchildren.

Aunt Ann, Uncle Bruce and their 2 children.

Aunt Ann and Uncle Bruce with the grandchildren

Uncle Bruce with Jacob

Uncle Bruce with Ruth Evelyn

All the Parish Women! 

One of my favorite pictures, as it depicts most of the incredible women on the Parish side of my family. 

L to R: Mary Ann (Parish) Blackledge (family matriarch and keeper of our family history), Stacy (Blackledge) James, Shirley Parish (wife of Paul Parish), Janet (Parish) Shook, Julia Blackledge (daughter of Tonya), Tonya Blackledge (wife of Chris Blackledge), Lyndsey James (daughter or Stacy James), Doris Parish (wife of the late Arnold Parish), Linda (Parish) Robert, Elizabeth Parish Bruffey, Ruth Evelyn Bruffey, Janet Parish (my wonderful Mama and wife of Latheal Parish, my Daddy)

Those not pictured (because they couldn't attend) are: Virginia Parish Beard, Courtney Watts Parish (wife of Tommy Parish), Katie Robert (daughter of Linda Parish Robert), Michele Parish (wife of Roger Parish), Twila Parish, and Angela McLoone Parish (wife of Chip Parish).

Aunt Ann with Ruth Evelyn

Aunt Ann and my sweet Ruth

Ruth Evelyn and her beautiful grandmother

She was enamored by the sparkly on her sleeve!

Annie loving on her great niece!

Ruth Evelyn looks a lot like many of Annie's baby pictures - which I love! And Virginia and I have always favored Annie in appearance (oddly enough, more Virginia than me  - I favor my mother's side of the family) - so I hope Ruth Evelyn is as beautiful as her Aunt Rup (Virginia) and Annie and yet reflects some of her Mama, too!

I love that Annie and Ruth got to meet!

Ruth Evelyn with my Aunt Doris Parish

Aunt Doris was married to my Uncle Arnold (deceased), who was the brother to my father's father.

Parish Women - Mother, Annie, and Ruth Evelyn

Ruth Evelyn with Aunt Doris Snow (sister-in-law to my Granny)

Mother and Granny (another family matriarch)

Sisters-in-law (Granny was married to my Granddaddy Parish before his death and Aunt Doris was married to Uncle Arnold - Granddaddy Parish and Uncle Arnold were brothers)

Girl talk - Tonya, me, and Ruth Evelyn in our Kinderpack

Jacob loved playing with his cousins, Lyndsey and Julia

Chatting with the big girls!

Once Granddaddy showed Jacob the cake, though....

All he wanted was some "Birfday cake!!!"

After cake he had a lot of toddler energy, so we were glad the gym was open and there were balls to play with!

I loved how the girls played with Jacob!

Playing games!

The guy cousins playing cards! 

Once the gym opened up, they headed in there!

Daddy talking with Patrick (son of Stacy and Doug James)

Daddy is always good for a story!

Jacob adores his Granddaddy!

Daddy telling stories!

It was such a nice party and celebration of Uncle Bruce - a hard working, family man who allowed us to have so many great family moments in his home over the years!

Happy birthday, Uncle Bruce!

To our Parish / Mississippi family - we love you and it was a blessing to see you all!

~ Mama Bruffey ~

Daughter of God, Wife of One, Mother of Two