My wife and I just hit 40 years together, and we decided to celebrate the way Southerners do best – with family, food, and chaos.
We packed up the kids, the grandkids, and Gammie, and headed down to Florida for a week that had everything: sunshine, laughter, and enough stories to last until the next reunion.
🎣 Fishing, and a Boat Full of Opinions
We rented a boat for two days of fishing, which meant half the crew was trying to catch dinner while the other half was trying not to fall overboard.
Every time somebody yelled “I got one!” it turned out to be seaweed, a flip‑flop, or somebody’s patience. But we did catch a few – enough to brag about and not enough to feed everybody, which is exactly how family fishing trips are supposed to go.
Gammie said she saw a fish that looked like it owed her money.
I believe her.
🎶 Cook Nights and Karaoke
We decided everybody would get a “cook night” – one evening to make their best dish. That turned into a friendly competition that got louder every night. There was seafood, burgers, hot dogs, steak, pasta, and one mystery dish that nobody could identify but everybody ate anyway.
The kitchen looked like a Food Network finale by the end of the week.
After dinner one night came karaoke, which is how we learned that confidence and talent are not the same thing. The grandkids sang Taylor Swift, the grown folks sang old R&B, and the Gammie sang something that sounded like both at once.
It was perfect.
🏊♂️ Pool, Hot Tub, and Family Time
Most days ended at the pool or the hot tub with everybody laughing, splashing, and telling stories. The grandkids raced, the grown folks relaxed, and the Gammie gave unsolicited advice to strangers who didn’t ask for it.
That’s family.
4️⃣0️⃣ Forty Years and Counting
Forty years of marriage teaches you that love isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, laughing through the chaos, and remembering that family is the best kind of noise.
This trip reminded us why we started CousinsDozens in the first place: to celebrate the culture, the humor, and the people who make life feel like home.
We came back sunburned, tired, grateful, and ready to keep building this brand and this family one shirt, one laugh, and one cookout at a time.
Thanks for stopping by!