Nauvoo Christmas Draw

Mom did the draw. Everyone, including the babies, was included. Presents must be handmade and under $5. Here are the results:

Dad has Ian
Mom has Amy
Jere has Joe
Becky has Catherine
Nick has Malachi
Ashlee has Tianna
Melissa has Joshua
Joe has Oliver
Justin has Ashlee
Laurie has Nick
Malachi has Grant
Amelia has Jacob
Elijah has Rebekah
Coralei has Lindsey
Willie has Enoch
Trish has Dad
Will has Elijah
Grant has Andrea
Nina has Milayna
Ella has Stephen
Rex has Coralei
Boyd has Leah
Catherine has Melissa
Chris has Trish
Leah has Will
Jonathan has Boyd
Oliver has Eva
Joshua has Rex
Andrea has Ella
Elsie has Matt
Jacob has Chris
Milayna has Laurie
Rebekah has Jonathan
Stephen has Jere
Amy has Becky
Eva has Amelia
Enoch has Justin
Matt has Nina
Lindsey has Willie
Ian has Elsie
Tianna has Mom

Reunion Events

K, it’s time to hash out what exactly everyone wants to do during this reunion. Comment on what days and when during the day. So far this is what we have:

Tuesday- Travel Day

Wednesday- Various Nauvoo Events/R&R

Thursday- Temple in the morning
Dad’s Birthday/Christmas at night (4pm)

Friday- Carthage

Family Reunion 2014?

So, we’re putting it out there and would like to hear thoughts from everyone on a family reunion in the next couple of years. Maybe summer of 2014? We suggest letting only a couple or three siblings plan each reunion to keep from having too many cooks in the kitchen (till the actual reunion at least). Maybe we could create planning-groups by region? For example, Jere and Justin’s families can plan a reunion in their neck of the woods one time and then say, Melissa, Will and Chris the next; then Cass and Josh’s family can plan one together, and Steve, Matt and Ti another (assuming they’ll still be neighbors when that time comes around). It’s just an idea, peeps. This would let us share our regions with the family and keep travel costs down at least once every few reunions for those close(r) to home that year.

Mom has suggested we gather in DC for the first one since America Sings will be celebrating their 25th.  She thought it would be neat for the grand kids to participate. Sounds like a great idea, but only if they’ll be performing in the summer since most of our kids will have different schedules/obligations in the spring. (Coming from CA with a tribe of our own we might need another year to budget for that trip!)  Could we make it work though??

Does anyone have any thoughts and feelings about planning and/or a location for the first one? Any “rules” we should institute? Like length of reunion or reasonable cost limits? (We’re obviously talking to you dear in-laws since we Freemans are kinda new at this.)

Do Mom and Dad want to start us off?? Just sayin’. . .y’know. . .since you’re super great at planning trips for super large parties, and since you kinda started this super family way back when, and ’cause we think you’re super great and want you to want to attend the first one.  Actually, we think Mom and Dad should always be involved in the planning, somehow, so maybe we just decide who will head up this first one and then counsel with Mom and Dad.

It doesn’t really matter. Let’s hear what everyone’s thinking and let’s get this party started!