Pierogi Fest

P-A-L-I-V-O-D-A... where does our last name come from??
My great-grandfather Steve Palivoda, Sr. came to the United States November 12, 1920 from Visnecabine, Czechoslovakia. He arrived here with his younger brother to start new lives for themselves in this great country. Steve soon met my great-grandmother Martha, who also immigrated from Czechoslovakia. With both of there roots coming from the same country, their family traditions were deep and continued through their new family and then through their childrens familes and now through their childrens, childrens families!! A pierogi dish is an eastern European dish and is it is very famous in my family. Each year, we have a big family reunion called the "Pierogi Festival" and everyone gets together on my dad's side to enjoy time with one another and each lots of good food!!

We made over 500 pierogi's!! Yum, yum!!

My Grandma Shirley : )

Josh and I with our oldest cousin, Julie!!

My mom and I posing, isn't she beautiful!!

Allyson, Julie's little girl, was chilly because the sun went down.

Becky, my YOUNGER cousin!! She looks older than me!! This was her 17th birthday... I still think of her playing with her Barbie's and Dana and I tormenting her - where did the time go??

Another favorite tradition in my family - wrestling!! In my dad's immediate family there are 5 boys and all but one of them wrestled in high school. My dad and Uncle Joe, the one in the background, both went to Cleveland State to wrestle. My brother has also carried on the wrestling tradition through his many great accomplishments in high school, winning a state title, and now beginning his second year as a Cleveland State Viking wrestler.

Above, is a picture of Josh and trying to 'take down' my Aunt Monica - just a normal activity in the Palivoda household. :)