Warning: this post will be long, but I hope you'll stick around and read it all. The poems at the end are worth reading.
My Grandpa Marvin turned 90 this weekend and we celebrated with all but 6 of our family members. We spent the weekend at a Methodist camp in OK and it was so much fun to see everyone and catch up.
The Décor:
We made small family trees to put as centerpieces on all the tables. We used old and current family pictures. I think everyone enjoyed walking around and looking at all the pictures.
The birthday cake and cupcakes.
A poster board about everything that was going on during the year he was born.
Some other fun facts about Marvin's life.
The activities:
We all wrote down our favorite memory of grandpa and then my mom read them aloud and we guessed who wrote each one. Some of us learned some new things about our grandpa during this time and there were some very sweet memories.
We also played a game called "How Well Do You Know Marvin?" We read all our answers out loud and then my grandpa gave us the correct answers. The person who won got 13 out of 16 answers correct.
My grandpa started writing and sending us poems on our birthdays. I shared some of his infamous poems on my blog post here. We decided to write him poems for his birthday and combine them into a book. My Aunt Jan made the book and did a fabulous job. We all read our poems out loud to him. I was so impressed with all of them and I'm going to share them at the end of this post. Some were so sweet they made us all cry (see below).
Sorry Kaleigh, I couldn't resist.
As you can tell, he was thoroughly enjoying all of our poems.
Looking at his book for the first time.
Then we asked him to get up and share his favorite memories. Instead of sharing memories, he recited a speech.
We also played tons of games throughout the weekend. We played basketball, four square, sand volleyball, putt putt, indoor board games, and hiked. We also had a talent show at the end of the birthday party.
The attendees:
The whole gang.
Grandpa's 6 children.
The grand children and their spouses.
The great-grandkids
One big, crazy family that I love so much!
The Poems:
"There once was a dad named Marvin, who never wanted to be starvin', so he took his kids and some seeds, to work the ground and pull weeds. One day there was a big snake, he killed it with a big rake, it was really a shovel or even a hoe, but those two don't rhyme don't you know. We started in the cool of the morn, then later we had to shuck corn. We ate sandwiches for lunch, cause mom had made a whole bunch. We had a horse tank for a pool, full of water to keep us cool. Now if you don't believe my story, just ask Pete, Jan, or Lori." -Poem by Hope
"There once was a boy from Oklahoma, who lived near the town of Dacoma. He was raised on the farm with no chance to use his charm, 'cause the girls didn't like the aroma. This boy had the nickname of Skip, and he always enjoyed a good quip. When the war broke out, there was no time to shout before the Navy put him on a big ship. This Okie sailor went out west to train, in Southern California where there's not much rain. He met a lovely girl in a worship service, then was sent to Iwo Jima and that made her nervous. But he returned so that her love he could attain. They were married at Wee Kirk O'the Heather, and then set off for Oklahoma together. They attended college at A&M in Stillwater, where the summers couldn't get much hotter, and their love survived in spite of the weather. The family began to grow when the boy became a man, with Skippy, Sunny, Peter, Lori, and Jan. Then there's Hope, who's last but not least, so when they're all together, there's quite a big feast. And that is the story of Marvin and Fran. Happy 90th Birthday old man!" -Poem by Jan
" My Dad....he would say 'hit the deck,' and we would say 'what the heck?' Off to fishing we would go with liver as bait and cane poles you know. His favorite line was 'I know what we can do today...' We didn't want to go anywhere, we just wanted to play. After moans and groans, we'd hop in the car, and the Falcon would take us, sometimes near sometimes far. As the years went by and we got older, we also thought that we were bolder. After school we'd watch TV, Gilligan's Island is what it was, you see. In came dad and said 'get to the garden and pull those weeds.' And off he went to continue God's deeds. We looked at each other and said 'Let's watch one more show.' Thirty minutes later he'd come back in and by the look on his face we knew we should go. He lined us up oldest to youngest to give us each a swat, with the dreaded fanny paddle a swat is what we got. He got to the youngest and mom stepped in and being bold, she said 'don't spank her, she's got a cold!' He taught us how to love to sing. So much happiness it did bring. We even learned to sing songs in a round, most of the time we loved the sound. In church on Sundays he would say, 'would the Polson kids please come up here, make your way.' From the back pew we would go, embarrassed, sometimes mad and in slow motion. We'd sing a song that we learned that week during our morning devotion. Every day he wore a suit and tie, he always looked nice, I cannot lie. Off to meetings he would go, to help someone in need, he never said no. (insert her sobbing here) He baptized us and he married us, he even drove the pep club bus. He almost fell asleep driving us from a football game, but he got us home safely all the same. He is unique in every way, he does something interesting every day. He'll be turning 90 in March this year, you, my dad, are loved so dear." -Poem by my mom, Lori
"There once was a preacher named Marvin, who enslaved his kids in a garden. To rely on its yield, we'd be starvin'. At the games he was a cheerleader, to sink my free throws would be sweeter, but while taking aim he would yell '2 points Peter.' As a third grader church was ho hum, I'd wiggle and giggle and act dumb, He'd say 'come sit in the choir with your mum.' Born on his day in fifty-seven, and born again when I was seven, because of him I'm going to heaven." -Poem by Peter
"There once was a bachelor named Marvin. Who for a mate had been starvin'. So he launched a search found Bettie M. Church and now her turkey he's carvin'. There once was a widow named Bettie, who yearned for a man she could wed. He had to be nice, she didn't think twice, when Marvin said, 'ma'am, are you ready?' -Poem by Sunny
"I've known him longer than anyone here, but don't think that makes me cry in my beer. 'Cause Marvin's my dad, and that makes me glad so lets all give him a cheer." -Poem by Skip
"There once was a man- M.M.P. who wanted to help his country. He went to D.C. in sixty-three and helped MLK make history." -Poem by Sandy
"There once was a preacher named Marvin. Who ate so slow, you'd think he was starvin'. The fact of it is, he is really a whiz because his poetry is always evolvin'." -Poem by Rex
"There once was an uncle named Marvin, for love he is never starvin', he's clever as ever, draws a really great feather to go with the words he's a carvin'." -Poem by Mark's family
"My Grandpa Marvin is the most clever man, he writes birthday poems for the entire Polson clan. He loves to play golf and can walk 18 holes- I'd say that's impressive for a 90 year old. He chews his food 21 times- You may think I'm joking, but I ain't lyin'- If dinner starts at seven, plan on stayin' till nine. He's got quite the family if I say so myself, 6 children, 12 grand-children, 15 great-grand children and 13 in-laws, we count ourselves blessed to call him grandpa. He never ceazes to amaze me or make me laugh, without him in my life, I'd be cut in half. So happy birthday grandpa, I love you a ton. Hope this year is the best, filled with much fun." -Poem by me!
"There once was a man named Marvin, who went to the bathroom a barfin', he thought he was sick, but then remembered real quick, that he wasn't a starvin'." -Poem by Aaron
"There once was a man named Marvin, and don't you worry your pretty head off, he ain't starvin', cause don't you know this man's been blessed, but hey, that doesn't mean he ain't stressed. But now here he is in his life with his cute little wife. Turning 90 today as we all stand and pray that grandpa will actually stay." -Poem by Blondell
Poem read by Isabel: "I've head of stories of a man with hair white as a snowman, he'd travel the state like a migrating toucan. He's my Papa Pete's daddy, who said he should be driving a caddy, when he'd go to be his grandpa's biggest fan. My daddy told me he would come to every game, he'd show up without notice and leave just the same. He would go to all the fun places and all I want in this poem is to draw funny faces." -Poem by Chris and family
"Luke the Tower of Power Isenhower, has a great grand fater who knows how to dive into water. His golf drive is not very long, but thank goodness he doesn't golf in a thong. I never have heard of him booze-in, but when he chews his ears are a movin'." -Poem by Luke
"There once was a Grandpa named Marvin, who didn't like to see people starvin'. He'd give up his shirt if someone was hurt and so, a better world he was carvin'." -Poem by Kas and Bob
"One time he was sleepin', but then he went to creepin', he went to the freezer for an ice cream pleaser." -Poem by Libby
"When grandpa was eating ice cream, Bettie began to scream, she said, 'I saw mice, they weren't very nice', I wish it would have been a dream." -Poem by Ethan
So do you see the pattern here: my grandpa liked to make his children slave in the garden, he eats super slow, and he is notorious for coming and going as he pleases without telling anyone.
A big thanks to my Aunt Jan for making the book. I know it is something we will all cherish forever. The weekend was a blast and I'm so glad we were able to celebrate 90 years with my grandpa. Here's to many more!!!
