Oriel's House of Fluffy Pancakes

74 high, 34 low

Ok so it was too hot to stay in the jeans that I finally pulled out again, but now I’m gearing up for the almost freezing drop tonight. Can we say bye-bye summer? I think our heat came on for the first time today and just before we left to go out of town it was on air most of the day. I guess we got the last good weather when we were gone to the reunion. And I am sooo thankful that we got all that beautiful weather up there too. I spent the majority of my summer not by the pool, but by the phone and on the laptop. That’s just fine with me, it was a lot of work but I hope it was all worth it and maybe next year we’ll make it to the beach.

I’ve already said enough about weddings, now about the more involved event. This year was my siblings’ second annual (or maybe it will become a bi-annual) reunion. This is no small undertaking and I must say that Deborah and Jon went up several ranks in my respect for putting together last year's even before all the fiascos that made this year’s plans difficult. But then, I’m kinda dumb. No really. As if it isn’t difficult enough trying to coordinate to get all 8 participating families to the same place at the same time and make sure that it is going to be an enjoyable place to stay. I thought it’d be a good idea to volunteer to coordinate the meals and make most of the dinners. Like I said, kinda dumb. But I really-eally-eally wanted us all to have as much social time as possible and for us not to be in each other’s way in the kitchen--GOOD social time, not just apologies for tripping over each other in the same space. Oh, yeah, and at least half of my family has dietary issues and you can’t pretend that everyone doesn’t at least have preferences on what they like/don’t like to eat.
Like I said, I'm kinda dumb. For a first attempt though, I think it went pretty well once we got responses from people on menu plans. And it ended up being pretty cheap for most of us. If we all get to eat (and fellowship) at relatively the same time and place and everyone doesn’t have to spend every day or night in the kitchen getting theirs ready and the cost is a bit less and there’s more room in the fridge then I’m happy to do it every time. I do hope it was good for everyone else.

As a side note, thanks to all that helped make the meals happen, and especially to Laura for the fabulous food and the expert help in the kitchen. I still want to come visit to learn more from her. The authentic Mexican food was soooo good and I only wish I could have had more than just the sauces and a smell of the meals. I’m sorry too that everyone wasn’t able to eat it. I know that those who had to miss out really wish they could have enjoyed it too. Laura is extremely good at what she does, just ask Ben ;-) She's beautiful, and woo, can she cook too! what a catch, Ben. Ria, killer coffeecake--I had to actually put it up out of reach when I was trying to focus on dinner, it was making me drool. Thank you everyone for all your various gifts and contributions. This was great.

The whole reunion was good in my opinion. Not that there weren’t those “cuss, I hate this” moments. Like the sweetest little boy spending the entire night up every hour or less screaming because his body is in extreme pain (and neither he nor his parents can do anything about it) because of some food he’s highly sensitive to that he accidentally ingested. Or when for the third time in the first two days one of the kids fell off the Big log queen bunk beds. And it was my kid. Yeah, not cool at all. Thankfully no lost teeth, and no real permanent damage for any of them. And then there was the falling down the side of a hill on and off the four-wheeler and busting his knee really bad. I do hope that it heals all the way and that there’s no lingering yucky for years to come on my brother’s knee, cuz my husband knows, “that ain’t fun.”

And of course (I had this foreboding, but I thought it’d be me and not my sister), there was one trip to the hospital. Praise God it was only one. I was awakened by the sound of knocking, it was faint enough for me to think that it was upstairs and possibly on the main door outside. But it kept happening. I assumed that someone else was going to get it or that someone else was needed, but then I was just about to search for my clothes when our bedroom door opened and my little sister’s husband whispered, “how do you get to the hospital.” My husband was the one who knew, but getting him fully awake isn’t easy. In a couple minutes there were at least 5 of us in my sister's room with her beautiful girl laying there still trying to figure out what’s going on. My brother-in-law gave her mom medical advice. My husband gave someone directions, and then he proceeded to get the patient smiling by trying to guess what her favorite thing to have right then would be. It was about the time for the rest of the house to get up when one sister-in-law and my husband took her to the hospital. I can imagine, but I’d rather not, It makes my stomach turn and tears flood my eyes, being the mother watching as they strap down your 4 year old daughter to give her the anesthetic shots in the fresh wound just above her eye before they give her stitches. I’d also not like being the mother as you hear, “mommy, I can’t find your bed, I want to snuggle with you.” And then the thud that wakes you all the way up. Or when the same precious girl tells you she wishes we were in the hospital to get you fixed not me, cuz this was a really good reunion until this happened. Ok, now I can’t see through the moistness of my eyes. Talk amongst yourselves. I’ll give you a topic….

Ok. I’m back. I really do think that we have been blessed. I’m sure we all wish we’d had more “real” time to talk about real things and get to know someone(s) better, but we had great weather, and a perfect attendance every night on the social porch. Hey, we are so much fun even the bears and wild beasts thought they’d try to join us. Imagine if we’d had s’mores going. And don’t forget the bears in the Zoo. I still can’t believe that we all made it out there in only a couple days notice. Way to go Jon for arranging that. I must say that Knoxville is nothing compared to the zoo’s in Chicago, but at least they have like a hundred snakes behind fogged up glass and they are all drugged, and not moving so that they just look like really bad empty fish tanks. But according to the titles and descriptions they had some real interesting reptiles. They promise! Oh, and a larger than life plastic Holstein that your kid can try to “milk.”

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, we were able to use the whole 40 acres thanks to the owners for allowing us to use 4-wheelers. That was no small feat, I must say. And then there was my hippie husband killing one of the thirteen turkeys that happened across the driveway just as my sister was driving in. The place was beautiful and they played hillbilly golf (who won that anyway) for several days, “fished” in the pond (1 four inch bass), flew kites, rode on the “quaaads” (that’s Chicago-ese for 4-wheeler), Jon graciously took the blame for all the problems of any of us or our spouses for the entirety of our lives. I do hope the in-laws don’t think too much less of us since they got picked on like they were one of us. And I’m not sure that’s really what they want to be after spending a week all in the same house. But there's always the Bravest In-Law Award, which I still don't know who won this year.

I’m so glad that we all were there, I hope that it is possible to have everyone there at least in two years if not next year. Maybe we can start now and actually have a real Karaoke night. I think the alcohol investment would have to be doubled for that to really work, but it could be fun. I asked my daughter what her favorite part of the reunion was and she said getting to be with the cousins (the two girls who are old enough to “play” with her would be the favorite this moment, but next year will be another story, since there will be plenty more kids in that category.

I think my favorite part would have to be that we all (at least to my knowledge) seemed to get along well. Not that there isn’t room for doing even better, but I really thank God that He answered that part of my prayers for the reunion with a “YES.” After all, we are siblings and as was evident by the late night reminiscing, we can be pretty horrible to each other. And the in-laws too. That’s amazing to me that you all didn’t just leave at some point. Again, it’s only His doing. And I’m sure it was part of His plan to allow the ATV use and make the weather good enough to allow us all little breaks from each other. I do hope I wasn’t on everyone’s nerves too much though. Please tell me if I was.

Well, all in all, I think this summer’s work has been profitable, but alas I only have a handful of photos to show for it. Guess that’s what I get for being behind the scenes (where I always choose to be). I’m really looking forward to next year, I just need to figure out how to get it into the budget early so as not to end up missing out. I don’t think I’ve ever really “stayed at the beach” before. It’ll be new at least. I’m gonna start praying for lots of sun and no hurricanes now.

That’s all for now, but maybe I’ll have something exciting to tell before Christmas. If not, I’m sure Analeasa’s first piano “recital”/Christmas concert thingy will be enough laugh to make up for it.

Posted by oriel at October 13, 2006 11:36 PM | TrackBack