We are Family

Last week, we traveled to our annual Family Reunion. We're a big and loyal group, clearing our calendars well in advance so that the 50+ of us can get together for a week's worth of activities.

On our way up, we stopped in Ashland to visit long-time friend Kathy. We've been friends with her whole family in fact for 20+ years. We caravaned up with Ains and Patrick and met the rest of Kathy's family for dinner at her house. Her brother Jim also has twins - boys Zach and Henry who are 4 years old. Her other brother John also has 2 little ones, so the girls had a blast running around the back yard with all the "older" kids. It was so much fun to see them blend into all the activity, and a special treat with the 7-hour car trip behind them!

We spent all night eating, drinking and catching up -- it's both Kathy and my 20th high school reunion this year, so we ended up looking through old yearbooks and talking about the impending activities. The next morning, a little groggy, while we were packing up to get back on the road, the girls gave us a little surprise. Needless to say, Kathy now refers to them as her little Picassos. They had somehow got a hold of Kathy's office supplies (she works from home) and colored the walls, the mattress, pillow and comforter with their highlighter and dry-erase marker.... any ideas how to get that out?? We did get it off the walls, but worry that the expensive trip to the dry cleaners won't get it all out.... shucks and very embarrassing!!!

At the reunion, we had lots of fun. Even though we've been to Sunriver 8+ times, it seems there's things that we still haven't done. This year, we added a softball game (organized by 10-year old cousin MacKenzie), a trip to the observatory (really great, btw), the hayride (nice for little ones and great for spotting deer), the concerts on the fairway, and for the first time, we didn't have time to shop at the mall or nearby Bend. The girls' naps do seem to chop the day in the useless brackets of time. Also, we ended up celebrating some great impromptu events: Jessica's baptism (in the hot tub by Uncle Gary, the preacher), Jack & Peg's 40th wedding anniversary and a surprise baby shower for Ains and Patrick.

Paul and I really enjoyed spending such a great amount of time together and with family. It was a fun-filled week and we were sad to go back home to "reality." To see the whole week's activities, click here.

Generations

Bettina poses with my Grandma - the oldest and the youngest (separated by 86 years) at the annual family reunion.

Every year we have a family reunion. We're in Sunriver this year - a tradition we'll likely continue for a number of years as there is no elevation issue for our aging grandmother and it's an easy drive for her as well.

The girls are having a ball with all the activity: second cousins, aged 15 to 6, rally around them and escort them from house to house. It actually makes life easier for me having so many pairs of eyes - most with far more energy than me - herding and entertaining the girls.

This year is the last year that Bettina will be the youngest to pose with Grandma, the oldest. Next year, Ainsley's little boy Braxton will take her spot and the generations continue.

You Are the Mother of a Devil-Child!

I put my kids down for a nap at Grandma's house.... Grandma agrees to watch them while I run a quick errand; "Be back in half-an-hour," I call behind me....

I get back and Tina, not surprisingly, is not asleep and chatting away in the other room. As I enter the front door, my mother tells me, "You are the mother of a devil-child." Oh, no... what's she done now?

Not only has she figured out how to disrobe and take off her diaper (we knew that part already), she's also found out how to unzip the crib-tents that are suppossed to keep her from climbing out and creating additional mischief. Appartently, when my mother found her, she had tried to release her sister (she got Ava's tent unzipped - she just wouldn't climb out like Tina does) and was sitting on the floor playing with the electric fan -- plugging it in to and out of the wall. Tina looked a Grandma, peed on the floor and ran out the open door, giggling. The devil child for sure!

"How long since you put her back in?" "Five-minutes." "Well, you know she's got to be out again." Crash!! I go in this time. Tina's out, diaper-less again. Her smile turns to a solemn face as she sees me over the electric fan she's tipped over onto the floor. Wordlessly, I put her back in, strap on another diaper and look for a safety pin and lock the zipper closed. "That will do it," I think.

Ten-minutes later, more footsteps can be heard in the room.... "Couldn't be Ava," I think. I open the door -- it's Tina again. She's found a hole between tie-downs and has somehow squeezed through them.

Nap-time isn't working today. So, we go outside to express some of this creative energy in another way. You think we got that accomplished??

Jon Leaves for His Deployment

My cousin, Jon, left for Iraq this weekend. He flies a C-2 (nicknamed the "Greyhound") airplane for the Navy. He will, fortunatley, have shorter deployments and will live off the ship, but still within what is considered a war zone. We're still hoping he will come home when scheduled so he can see the birth of his second child, a son this time. Above, Jon stands with his wife (far right and preggo) and daughter, the curly strawberry blonde directly under him in the wagon.

We saw his mother (my Aunt) Saturday, and she told us that he's outfitted his house, his mom's house and the laptop he will take to war with him with webcams and everything they would need to communicate with each other and see them as often as possible. She also said that his aircraft also has some communication systems that will allow extra opportunities to chat, gratis. I hope to keep in touch via email to hear about his adventures and views about life abroad and at war.

His wife sent this email out to friends and family:
"At least he has started his 2.5 month Detachment/deployment and now it's just a matter of time before it's OVER! I took him to base this morning at 5:30. Ella in her pjs and Rudder excited to go for a ride in the car but concerned because Daddy had suitcases and he knows what those mean.

He should be on the ship as I write this, where he will stay for 3 days. Not sure what time his plane left but the carrier was a 2-3 hour flight off the coast. I'm not expecting to hear from him until Monday or Tuesday when they get to Roda, Spain. The rest of July he will be traveling the Med. in places like Roda, Sicily, Italy, and Souda Bay, Greece.......yeah, google that one......
Also recently and "possibly" thrown into the mix is Cairo, Egypt. During the first couple days of Aug. they will arrive in Bahrain where he will stay until October 1st when his current orders say he'll be returning to me! As Jon's job does not usually require him to fly missions that put him the middle of warfare, his job flying much needed cargo (such as parts for other air crafts, and other equipment that breaks) as well as high ranking dignitaries of military branches around the world, he certainly doesn't leave him out of harms way all together. Not to mention Bahrain is considered a war zone and he will be living there for 2 months. With that said I ask you to please keep him along with the other 5 COD pilots and their 35 or so crew in your thoughts and prayers.

His leaving hit me a little harder today than I thought it would. I'm used to him working all the time and being gone on weekends but I can at least look forward to seeing him some. The house feels very empty today and I realized it's not going to be full again until he comes home in October. Other than that I'm perfectly fine, we've got fabulous neighbors and friends and Aunt Judy and Lee so close by. I am nervous about this baby wanting to come too early and him not being home in time. I do know that if I do start labor before October 1st the guys taking Jon's place will already have arrived in Bahrain and the skipper will likely get Jon on the first flight to the states to be with us. I can do labor without him, I just don't want him to miss it. "

Our prayers will always include him (and Emily, Ella and baby) and all our hopes of a quick return at the end of his deployment.

Ainsley & Patrick's Bundle News

In case you weren't convinced before by everyone's (Aunt Linda, Grandma Dent, our Mom, my, and Ainsley herself) premonition....

IT'S A BOY!!

Ainsley and Patrick should receive their little boy on or around December 4th. We're so excited and are already thinking of nicknames should they decide to name him Braxton, after our paternal grandfather. I say Jack, the same nickname our grandfather had. We'll see if they decide that the name they had in mind at the beginning of their pregnancy seems to fit him and them come December.

Be careful, though, Ainsley....the story we heard growing up is that Grandpa weighed 14-pounds at birth!! (as seen below)

<

Montana Pictures & the 4th of July

We arrived back from Montana safe and sound (although there were a few times we almost lost our sanity!) and had a great trip. Here are some pictures to share: click here.

On our way home, we decided to meet Paul at my sister's house in Tahoe. Her husband is a fireman and it's always fun to stay for their Pancake Breakfast, tour of the firehouse and of course, the 4th of July parade. Ava and Bettina get the choice position sitting next to Uncle Patrick as he drives the Fire Engine to start the parade. This year, however, Ava decided she didn't want to go last minute. So, Grandma got to ride with Bettina who really loved this annual ride. She took her hostess job seriously and waved to the crowd from the fire engine with a beaming smile!! We took a chance with the kids' bedtime and brought them with us to see their first set of "real" fireworks at King's Beach. They watched with wonder, commenting on the colors as they exploded in the air and slept all the way home! The 4th of July photos can be seen here!