Grandparents

I thought these thoughts about grandparenthood were funny and sometimes maybe even true!!

Dad


Grandparents

A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television. ~Author Unknown
Never have children, only grandchildren. ~Gore Vidal

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric. ~Pam Brown

Grandchildren don't stay young forever, which is good because Grandfathers have only so many horsey rides in them. ~Gene Perret

When grandparents enter the door, discipline flies out the window. ~Ogden Nash

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete. ~ Marcy DeMaree

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice ~Author Unknown

A grandparent is old on the outside but young on the inside. ~Author Unknown

One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby around the finger of a grandfather. ~Joy Hargrove

It's amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one. ~Author Unknown

Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old. ~Mary H. Wald!

You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to
your grandmother. ~Proverb

An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Any thing
longer than that, and you start to age quick ly. ~Gene Perret

Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies. ~Author unknown







Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts
forever. ~Author Unknown



If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, I'd have
had them first. ~Lois Wyse




If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on
schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're
the grandma. ~Teresa Bloomingdale







Grandparents are s imilar to a piece of string - handy to have around and
easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren. ~Author Unknown

My grandkids believe I'm the oldest thing in the world. And after two or

three hours with them, I believe it, too. ~Gene Perret

If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise

every one of you straight away to become one. There is no fun for old

people like it! ~Hannah Whithall Smith

It's such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother - that's why the world

calls her grandmother. ~Author Unknown

The best baby-sitters, of course, are the baby's grandparents. You feel

completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods,

which is why most grandparents flee to Florida. ~Dave Barry

I wish I had the energy that my grandchildren have - if only for

self-defense. ~Gene Perret

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short

on criticism and long on love. ~Author Unknown

What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I'd like to say that

grandparents are God's gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear

and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a

fast rate. ~Bill Cosby

Grandchildren don't make a man feel old; it's the knowledge that he's

married to a grandmother. ~G. Norman Collie

Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting. ~Author Unknown

What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change, and

they give me a million dollars' worth of pleasure. ~Gene Perret

Grandmothers are just "antique" little girls. ~Author Unknown

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~Welsh Proverb

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little c hildren. ~Alex Haley

We love you guys.

Dad

See you soon!

Can't wait to see everyone in a few days!

Remember to learn these lyrics . . .

Neil Diamond - Soolaimon Lyrics

Come she come say
Ride on the night
Sun becomes day
Day shall provide

Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon
Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon
Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon
Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon

God of my want, want, want
Lord of my need, need, need
Leading me on, on, on
On to the woman, she dance for the sun
God of my day, day, day
Lord of my night, night, night
Seek for the way, way, way
Taking me home
She callin'

Bring home my name
On the wings of a flea
Wind in the plains
Dance once for me

Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon
Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon
Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon
Soo, soolaimon
Soolai, soolai, soolaimon

God of my want, want, want
Lord of my need, need, need
Leading me on, on, on
On to the woman, she dance for the sun
God of my day
Lord of my night
Seek for the way
Taking me home

God of my want, want, want
Lord of my need, need, need
Leading me on, on, on
On to the woman, she dance for the sun

God of my day, day, day
Lord of my night, night, night
Seek for the way, way, way
Taking me home

God of my want, want, want
Lord of my need, need, need
Leading me on, on, on........

Revised Reunion Plans

Thanks for everybody's comments and suggestions. Basically, I've tried to incorporate all of them into the revised plan below, revisions in green:

Wednesday, June 20th

Mick, Mag, Meg, the Worland Fosters, and Drew, Kristen and Adam arrive very late at Iron Springs, approximately midnight.

Thursday, June 21st

• Breakfast and Lunch: Everybody on their own


• Morning: Margaret and Megan make a run to the store


• Jeff, Angie and Cal arrive mid-morning.


• Ty, Dana, and Max arrive early afternoon.


• Afternoon: Settling into the cabin, visiting, and arguing over the topic of your choice.


• Late afternoon: Expedition to the Boulder Pile. We'll see who can still fit down Phil the Tooth.


• Dinner: Mickey and Margaret


• Evening: Guitar playing, cards, etc.
  

Friday, June 22nd

• Breakfast: Mark and Elizabeth


• Morning: The Classic Matchup on the courts


• Lunch: Megan and Adam


• Afternoon: The Mole Hunt revisited--remember that game from the Ranch?--or some other creative Foster competition at Little Flat Rock (Jeff and Angie in charge) (To answer the Mick's concerns: bring your two walkie talkies, and anyone else that may have access to some, bring 'em. But I'm counting on Jeff and Angie to come up with some game that's even better--is that possible?--than the Mole Hunt, one that may not even need walkie talkies . . .)
  
• Dinner: Ty and Dana


• Evening: Catch a flick in Prescott. Ocean's Thirteen, anyone? (Megan in charge) (Megan is previewing Ocean's Thirteen for us. Any suggestions on what to do with the kid's this night?)
  

Saturday, June 23rd

• Breakfast: The Girls have a Baby Shower/ Brunch for Wendi; the Boyz is on they own


• Morning: The Boyz have a totally open morning. They'll need to be watching the kids anyway . . .


• Lunch: The Boyz eat at Sonic; Girls on their own after the brunch


• Afternoon: Ping Pong Tourney moved to the afternoon so the women can participate . . . specifically to give Kristen her shot at glory!
  

• Late Afternoon: Everybody gets cleaned up for Pictures on the tennis courts (Margaret in charge)


• Dinner: Potluck with the Boice Clan on the tennis courts


• Evening: Nertz tourney? Night-climbing? Guitar playing? We'll just let this night sort of happen . . .

Sunday, June 24th

• Breakfast: Mickey & Margaret


• Morning: Sunday Devotional in Iron Springs with the Rustand Family (Drew and Kristen in charge) (Drew and Kristen: give Carson a call to work out details on the devotional. I'm envisioning something with just the Fosters and Rustands, but it's your baby. Don't let us down.)


• Lunch: Drew & Kristen


• Afternoon: Hike to the Old Mill? City Hill? Railroad loop? Humpty-Dumpty? (Ty and Dana in charge) . . . somewhere on this hike, Mark will challenge (and defeat) Drew in a ten-yard dash (and Mark gets a five yard head start)
  

• Dinner: Jeff & Angie


• Evening: Official Foster Family Council (Mickey in charge)


• Nighttime: Final family guitar session, featuring a group rendition of Soolaimon by Neil Diamond. Please listen to this song carefully, master its lyrics, and ponder its message deep in your hearts. We must do Neil proud on this night . . (
  

Monday, June 25th

• Breakfast: Ty and Dana


• Morning: Golf Tournament, nine holes at Antelope Hills (Mark in charge)
  
• Everybody clean up cabin and head for the hills by noon . . . on your own for lunch.


• Reunion adjourned. To be continued next summer at Breckenridge thanks to Mick and Megan.

Other issues:

• Forget the Video contest--postponed until November due to technological limitations as pointed out by Jeff.
  
• Food: Sorry about the confusion. Dana's idea is a good one--I had forgotten about it. How about those who want to buy food communally and then split the tab give Mom a grocery list by Thursday morning? Otherwise, you'll get the food on your own. Be aware, though, that it is probably at least a ninety minute round trip to Prescott for that will need to be worked into another day . . . But as you all suggested, someone would need to make that trip anyway to re-stock milk, etc.
  
• Cabin space: we'll all be cozily together in one cabin, but we need to be cognizant of everyone's space, and specifically of the little ones (and newborns) who need their bedtimes, naps, and peace and quiet. 'Nuff said. Just to reiterate . . .

There's the revision. Again, comments and suggestions are welcome, and we'll keep fine-tuning it.

2007 Family Reunion in Iron Springs

In two and a half weeks, we'll all be together in Iron Springs for the Second Annual Foster Family Reunion. (See picture to the left.)

With extensive input from Grandma Maggie, here is a proposed schedule for the weekend's festivities. (It looks kind of busy at first glance, but it's actually quite loose and allows for plenty of leeway and down-time.)

Wednesday, June 20th


Mick, Mag, Meg, the Worland Fosters, and Drew, Kristen and Adam arrive very late at Iron Springs, approximately midnight.

Thursday, June 21st

• Breakfast and Lunch: Everybody on their own


• Morning: Margaret and Megan make a run to the store


• Jeff, Angie and Cal arrive mid-morning.


• Ty, Dana, and Max arrive early afternoon.


• Afternoon: Settling into the cabin, visiting, and arguing over the topic of your choice.


• Late afternoon: Expedition to the Boulder Pile. We'll see who can still fit down Phil the Tooth.


• Dinner: Mickey and Margaret


• Evening: Guitar playing, cards, etc.
  

Friday, June 22nd

• Breakfast: Mark and Elizabeth


• Morning: The Classic Matchup on the courts


• Lunch: Megan and Adam


• Afternoon: The Mole Hunt revisited--remember that game from the Ranch?--or some other creative Foster competition at Little Flat Rock (Jeff and Angie in charge)


• Dinner: Ty and Dana


• Evening: Catch a flick in Prescott. Ocean's Thirteen, anyone? (Megan in charge)

Saturday, June 23rd

• Breakfast: The Girls have a Baby Shower/ Brunch for Wendi; the Boyz is on they own


• Morning: The Boyz have a Ping Pong tournament (Adam in charge), then head to town to catch a matinee flick (something with high testosterone content)


• Lunch: The Boyz eat at Sonic; Girls on their own after the brunch


• Afternoon: Everybody gets cleaned up for Pictures on the tennis courts (Margaret in charge)


• Dinner: Potluck with the Boice Clan on the tennis courts


• Evening: Nertz tourney? Night-climbing? Guitar playing? We'll just let this night sort of happen . . .

Sunday, June 24th

• Breakfast: Mickey & Margaret


• Morning: Sunday Devotional in Iron Springs with the Rustand Family (Drew and Kristen in charge)


• Late morning: Hike to the Old Mill? City Hill? Railroad loop? Humpty-Dumpty? (Ty and Dana in charge) . . . somewhere on this hike, Mark will challenge (and defeat) Drew in a forty-yard dash


• Lunch: Drew & Kristen


• Afternoon: Video contest screening (see below for details)


• Dinner: Jeff & Angie


• Evening: Official Foster Family Council (Mickey in charge)


• Nighttime: Final family guitar session, featuring a group rendition of Soolaimon by Neil Diamond. Please listen to this song carefully, master its lyrics, and ponder its message deep in your hearts. We must do Neil proud on this night . .
  

Monday, June 25th

• Breakfast: Ty and Dana


• Morning: Golf Tournament, nine holes at Antelope Hills (Mark in charge)
  
• Everybody clean up cabin and head for the hills by noon . . . on your own for lunch.


• Reunion adjourned. To be continued next summer at Breckenridge thanks to Mick and Megan.

Other issues:

• Video contest: to be explained further at the reunion. Teams will be formed, videos will be made over the course of the reunion, and a final screening will occur on Sunday afternoon. Ty, I need to talk to you about your laptop capabilities in editing/ showing the videos.
• Food: I propose that Margaret be in charge of making a run to the supermarket on Thursday morning before everyone arrives and buys the food for the whole weekend. This way, we don't need to make many separate trips and we can consolidate on items like butter, milk, cheese, etc. We can then equitably split the total tab amongst all the families. To this end, everyone needs to plan their meals and gets their grocery lists to Mom prior to the reunion . . .
• Cabin space: we'll all be cozily together in one cabin, but we need to be cognizant of everyone's space, and specifically of the little ones (and newborns) who need their bedtimes, naps, and peace and quiet. 'Nuff said.

That's it! What do you think?

Give me your comments, updates, criticisms, suggestions. We'll try and incorporate it all into the big picture and make this an unforgettable reunion!