Meeting the Mallicks

Every two years the Mallick siblings and their families get together for a family reunion. This year it was in Buffalo, NY over the 4th of July weekend. And I had the great pleasure of joining John for the vacation. John's dad is one of nine children. Eight of the nine were able to make it for the weekend and most of them are married with 1-3 children. I met a lot of people. It was a blast!

The reunion was held at John's aunt and uncle's house. They have a huge backyard with lots of land, including a pond stocked with fish! They put in an above-ground pool, built an amazing deck around the pool and even have a trampoline! We hung out at the house most afternoons, as there was plenty to do there. There was also a ton of food. I had just recovered from a little food poisoning incident where I dropped a couple of pounds. But I had no problem gaining it back with the pizza and wings that Buffalo is so famous for.

We arrived in Buffalo on the 4th for a nice picnic and fireworks show, put on by John, some of his uncles and cousins. Then, Friday morning we went to the Maid of the Mist. I had only seen the Niagara Falls a few months earlier on our trip back from Toronto, but I really got to experience it this time! It was so fun to get doused by the falls. After the boat ride, John and I trekked up the steps just along the falls. We were SOAKED!

American Falls from the Maid of the Mist.

Me, John, his sisters and cousin on Maid of the Mist.

The stairs we climbed after the boat.

That afternoon we did some arts and crafts. John's mom is a very skilled crafter, and she made everyone "smash" books. She brought stamps, stickers, pages and brads galore for us to fill our books with. Then we'll add pictures from the reunion. I'm pretty sure this was John's favorite part of the day. My favorite part of the day was that night when all the women of the family sat on the deck and shared some laughs. We also got to know his Aunt Maureen very well. She's so funny.

Family craft time

Such a good sport.

On Saturday, we went for a hike along the gorge. It's a beautiful trail along the Niagara River, and it's crazy to think that you're looking at Canada on the other side of the river. We had a relaxing afternoon, which included exploring the shops of Lewiston. Lewiston is a super quaint and cute town. I loved it. That night we went out for a BBQ dinner, which doubled as a surprise party for his Aunt Diane. They hired a photographer to take family pictures, and I was lucky enough to get this one with my handsome man.

Enjoying the BBQ and open bar!

The highlight of the dinner was when John's 10-year-old cousin, who I was sitting next to, turned to me and said "Aunt Jessica? (pause) Er... what do I call you?" This happened just after we bonded over our love for macaroni, chicken fingers and fresh baked bread. For once, my picky eating paid off!

Sunday morning was my favorite. We went on the whirlpool jet boat tour, which takes you through class 5 rapids! (Class 6 is the highest level, which the river also has. Unfortunately, the class 6 rapids are too dangerous for their boats, so we didn't get to go through them). As our guide said, no matter where you sit on the boat, it's still going to feel like you jumped in a pool. Of course, I sat in the front row with John, his uncle, cousin and sisters. We were creamed by the waves every time we went through them. There are some pictures where you can't even see us because we're under water. And it was cold!!!! They offered you ponchos to help protect you/keep you warm. I stupidly denied one. But I don't really regret it. 

We ate lunch along the river at a little place called the Silo. Their haystack sandwich was featured on Man vs. Food, so I had to get one. Steak, mozzarella, mayo and hashbrowns on a hoagie. It was delicious!

Our group before the jet boat tour.

So much fun!

I'm starting to think I should have people meet me in Lewiston instead of visiting me in Pittsburgh. It was seriously such a great weekend. The town, the activities, and the people. I loved it all!