Pets, Pets ,Pets, Pets, and More Pets

We had a surprise today with our pets. As most of you know our cat, Emmett, hasn't been around for 10 days or so. We have a family of foxes in the area and came to the conclusion that Emmett had met the foxes and it wasn't a good meeting. Today Ken realized that one of the dogs was missing, Molli, the front door wasn't chained and the dogs can push the door open and get out. He went out the door to look for Molli and he found Emmett! Then he started walking the neighborhood calling for Molli. I was at work and waiting for a phone call telling me that he had found her, no call came. I called home 4 times he didn't answer, the last message I left I said "are you not answering the phone because you don't want to give me bad news". He finally answered the phone Molli was found in the bedroom, she had never left the house. So we are back to a full house again. Emmett was hungry, tired, and very dirty.

Plans for the Family Reunion

I thought I would put out a schedule for the time we are Island Park so everyone will know what to do when. If you don’t want to do the day trips that is fine it is up to each family, but we will come back together for the evening meal, nightly activities and campfire. As far as clean up I think we are all know that we all need to help.

Wednesday Breakfast None Arrive date Lunch-Tricia Dinner-Leorands Activity Masa Falls/ Big Springs
Thursday Breakfast-Carters Lunch-Grandpa/Grandma Dinner-Tricia Activity Yellowstone
Friday Breakfast-Leorands Lunch-Carters Dinner-Grandpa/Grandma Activity Canoeing
Saturday Breakfast-Tricia Lunch-Leorands Dinner-Carters Activity Jackson Hole
Sunday Breakfast-Grandpa/Grandma Go Home

Nightly entertainment/craft/whatever
Wednesday Carters
Thursday Leorands
Friday Woods (One Tree Forest)
Saturday Tricia
Ken & I will do whatever anyone needs to help in this area.

Ken and I will also bring the stuff for S’mores. The meals are all inclusive,except the drinks. Each family will need to bring their own snacks and drinks for their family.
We are real excited and looking forward to spending time making memories.
I also thought that if you had extra pictures that you are not going to use we could all bring what ever we don’t need and other families could take what they want or need for scrapbooking.

The Last Food Blog

"Back to the Island Park food soap opera. It just feels that this food thing has been going on for a long time and there are always new twists and turns. I read everything that has been written and after thinking about it, this is the last food blog. Four families out of six want to cook and supply the meals. Two want to pay for their part of the food and not have to cook or supply food. Sooooooo, Ken and I will cook one day, Tricia will do meals on another day as well as Janet and Judy taking a day. That makes all four happy, Rob and Carole can pay for their meals and the money will help cover some of the cost. Rob said his family would be the same as 3 adult because the kids don't eat much. Your family cost for food will be 21.00 per day. That is 7.00 per adult. Carole, your cost would be 28.00 per day. Again that is only 7.00 per person per day. I don't think you could feed your family for less than that. People supplying the food will make the meals with the total number of adults in mind, which means won't be able to opt out of some meals or days. Now everyone should be happy. I know that each family reunion has their own way of doing the meals that works for them, this will be our way. We will not be changing this plan. It is set in stone, and the soap opera comes to an end."

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD

Thanks for all your feed back on the Island Park Reunion. I read all the comment from the blog I sent out. I was asking about menu options, not how the food would come to be. There are so many opinions that I think I need to go back to Janet's words when she said she hoped that these yearly reunions would be lead by your Dad and me. With that in mind Ken and I would like to purchase all the food for the main meals, and campfires. Each family could bring snacks for there own family or to share what every you want to do. If your kids don't plan on eating a meal that is being prepared speak up now so food is not bought for them and you will need to bring the food for those children. So I guess what I need is how many are going to be eating each meal and if the meals sound okay, for the lunch that is missing would you rather have tuna sandwiches or cold fried chicken. When we get the count then the food can be priced out per person. We will keep the food cost as low as we can. Part of the reunion is spending time together eating meals as a family and not little groups, I understand that kids might not like some of the food so there is the option of each family bringing food for their kid.

Food and Plans for Island Park

I guess it is time to talk about our trip to Island Park and try to finalize some of the details. When we were at Judy and Ryan's last week Judy and I talked about a menu. This is just a draft, if there is something you want or are very good at making please respond. After everything is settled Judy is going to price out the meals so everyone can pay ahead and we can by the food in bulk. This is what we came up with remember this is just a draft. Breakfast Biscuits and gravy, omelet's, cold cereal, pancakes, mountain man dutch oven. Lunch B.B.Q. Sandwiches, chicken salad sandwich, hoagie sandwiches, and we need something else for lunch. We were thinking that the lunches need to be something we can take with us as we travel in case we are going some place that day. Dinner Salsa chicken with rice, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, tacos, stuffed pork chops. We would also have side dishes like green salads, potato salad, jellos, cookies, watermelon, baked beans please add any thing to the list.

Judy said the cabin is set and the cost is covered for the cabin for July 28-31. Thanks.

In the past we talked about Yellowstone park, Masa Falls, cannoning, Judy said there is Big Springs and Tricia mentioned Jackson Hole and there is a rec center there. Voice your opinion on these we want to be busy and see things but not too busy to enjoy our time together.

Remember this is a work in progress make you comments and suggestions now. Then I will put up the final list with a sign up for you to choose which meals you will prepare and which times you will cleanup.

Island Park and Now

We need some input about our time at Island Park this summer. How many are going? Judy have you checked on the dates with your mother-in-law? Do we want to take days as a family being in charge of the food for a day or meal? I know we talked about cannoning, going to Yellowstone and Masa Falls is there anything else that anyone else wants to do or see? We want to be busy but not so busy that we can't enjoy each other.

Just wanted to let everyone know what has been going on at our house. I finally got your Dad on the Wii Balance Broad today, he wanted to see how much he weighed. He has lost 11 pounds since he last weighed at the doctors office. He rides his Airdyne bike everyday between 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours. Now I just need to get him on the Wii Fit sometimes. Ken has been working in the yard this week it has been beautiful weather here. He used the hand truck to move flower pots filled with dirt to new places.

Bo and Molli have made themselves right at home. They love playing together and chewing up anything they can. (wood tables, wood molding, plaster walls, shoes....)you may ask what about their toys? Wellllll you see we have two other BIG dogs that will gather up ALL the toys and guard them. So we put out the toys when the dogs are separated. They are more than holding their own with the big dogs. In fact Molli will attack the big dogs to get them to play with her.

I am out of school for track break for THREE WEEKS!!! I can't tell you how much I love track breaks, other than the cut in pay. This is my third day, I have cleaned my craft room, caulked the bathroom, tomorrow Ken and I will go home/visiting teaching. I am still loving my Wii I work out an hour 6 days a week, and since I started the Wii and counting points on Weight Watchers I have lost 18 pounds. Ken is very supportive but is not always sure of all the green stuff as he calls it that I fix.

Family Fun

Just wanted to let you all know that we have had a wonderful time this past week. Monday we got to spend the day with four grandkids (3 of Rob and Emma's and Izzy). We went to the zoo, McDonald's and then to the park to play on the playground. Grandpa pushed swings for at least 30 minutes. The two boys couldn't get enough swinging. The girls had a great time playing together and calling each other cousins. That evening we were able to have dinner with Rob, Emma and family, as well as Tricia and Alli. Great food and better company. Then Tuesday Judy and two cute little girls came to see us. Jacie is so much fun. I just love spending time with her and of course that chubby little sister. We really fill that the best blessing in life is having children and grandchildren that loves us, and we love them. Looking forward to seeing the rest of you soon. Sorry we were not able to go to Idaho Falls to see McCarty in his play, but we heard that he was outstanding. Counting down the days to our time together in Island Park.
Love,
Dad and Darlene