Salty Eggs & Family Fun (Day 19 Road Trip)

Today we went to Teresa & Johnny’s for a potluck.

While the food was terrific, the highlight of the day was spending time with Teresa and Johnny, family friends Laurie and Willie Wooten, Teresa and Johnny's three daughters, Missy (oldest), Teri (middle), and Jennifer (youngest) and several of their children (Teri’s oldest Kamryn and her daughter Landrie, and Teri’s youngest – Ryan, Jennifer’s son JD, and Missy’s youngest, Anna). Laurie is Jennifer’s best friend.  Her husband, Willie (Or Preacher Willie), is the preacher at the church the family attends and they have all adopted each other. Laurie and Willie have three older children ranging in ages from twenty to twenty-eight. Seven years ago, they were blessed with surprise twin boys - Jase and Jaxson whom we also met today.

Even though we were at different tables we could easily interact with each other during the meal. After dinner, the younger generation went off to hang out together. Missy, Teri, and Jennifer put away the food, did dishes, and put away tables and chairs. Teresa and I visited while Johnny napped in his recliner and Joe napped sitting up on the couch.

The food for the day was excellent. Jennifer’s husband, Jay, cooked ribs, sausage, brisket, and Boudin. Teri made up a mixed green salad with colorful peppers and tomatoes, Jennifer made macaroni & cheese, Missy made cheesy potatoes, and Laurie made the best baked beans. There were also dinner rolls and Teresa had prepared banana pudding and a sweet potato pie. Joe and I contributed Blue Bell Butter Crunch ice cream.

Oops I forgot the deviled eggs! Ryan, Teri’s youngest wanted eggs so Teresa threw some together at the last moment. The consensus was that the eggs had too much salt. Johnny was the first to mention it, and he since he likes to tease, I figured he was just saying they were too salty so no one else would eat them – more for him. Nope, others began to comment. It seems Teresa had used Pink Himalayan salt this time and the eggs were indeed saltier than usual. Still, those eggs disappeared quickly, and the good news was that Missy got two servings after having missed out at their recent Easter celebration.

Of course, family members were having so much fun giving Teresa a hard time that they found ways to work the salty eggs into multiple conversations throughout the meal. Teresa took it in stride. A little time would pass, and people would comment on how good the other dishes tasted and then out of the blue one of the grandkids would say something about the salty eggs – as if they were the first to discover the eggs were salty. Comments about the eggs would start all over again. We all laughed a lot during the meal, mostly about salty eggs.

After everything was cleaned up, Missy, Teri, and Jennifer came into the living room, and we sat and talked. They answered my gazillion questions and were as sweet as could be. We talked about birth order – they are all close in age only 18 months to two years between each of them among other topics. It was fun to sit and hear their stories of growing up, marriage, and their children. I appreciated their openness and willingness to chat with an older family member they had never met face-to-face. They each happen to be friends with me on Facebook.

Joe, Jennifer, and Teresa snapped some photos of us all together. The last few photos are bloopers. It seems the Johnson girls are all a bit on the sweet-silly side and getting them (okay and me) to stand still and smile for the camera was like herding cats.

 

                    I think Jennifer caught this photo of me, Joe, and Teresa (holding Landrie) after dinner.

MIssy, Jennifer, Beth (me), Teresa, and Teri

Johhny and Landrie napping

Teresa holding great-grandaughter, Landrie

Missy, Jennifer, Teresa, and Teri

Me and Teresa

Blooper Photo 1 Missy, Jennifer, Teresa, and Teri

Blooper Photo 2 

Blooper photo 3

Tomorrow morning we plan to have coffee with Teresa and Johnny. Then we are hoping to be able to see Kathy again before we leave on Tuesday morning to go to New Orleans.

We have appreciated all of the time that Teresa, Johnny, Kathy, Joe and their families have made for us this trip. I saw this meme today and thought it appropriate to end with tonight.

P.S. Jennifer (Johnson) Murray is my editor these days. Hey, Jennifer - did I spell all of the names right??