The Hershey Family Spring Dinner
Sunday, May 19
This used to be our Easter dinner. However, because our numbers have grown in the past few years, I wait until May (when it is hopefully warm) so we can open the garage door and utilize the outside for the serving table.
However, it was cool and drizzling, so we used every available space in the kitchen for serving the buffet lunch.
This family is my siblings and our children and grandchildren.
Everyone brings food that I “help” them choose, which gives us a great variety of dishes.
We were expecting sixty-three people, so carefully set up tables in the garage – finding room for exactly sixty-three.
Jana and Diana chose this table for two.
We kept the driveway free of vehicles so the children could play Can Jam. The grass was too wet from the morning rain.
Ian and Jared
Roy and Deb’s newly rescued raccoons, Mercedes, Lincoln, and Bobbie Anne were also a hit with the children.
Jesse
Kelci
Annie the prairie dog was also here – and a favorite of the little ones.
Deb still needs to feed these babies every few hours, so they cannot be left at home.
Deb had to come up with “Plan B” for the egg hunt because of the wet grass, so she and some of the older girls filled the baskets with eggs and placed them on the patio.
The children each chose a basket – beginning with the youngest. Deb does not always provide baskets, but this year when she was looking at some Easter items – on sale after Easter – a clerk noticed her interest and asked is she would take everything for a certain price! That worked out nice for our children.
Maddie
Andi and Bella
I must tell you a cute story about Bella.
After the dinner Bella said to her mom, “I like Debbie. And I like her ‘house on the prairie dog.'”
Caleb
Kelci
Molly
Benny
Giving Deb a thank you hug.
Lincoln and Vince
Jana and Diana were glad there were extra baskets. 
Eggs all have something inside – candy, gum, or a note that says you get a prize.
After the eggs are opened, they go back to Debbie and are put in this large plastic box.
When I took this picture of Heidi, I didn’t realize that I also got Laura’s baby belly.
Since she was already past her due date, and I am posting this a week after our dinner, I can show you who was waiting to be born.
This is Elliot James – who was born on May 23.
The happy family – Dave, Laura, Elliot, Benny, and Caleb.
I “stole” the last two pictures from Andi’s Facebook.
