Juy 2022 - Reunion Preparations

 Since last fall, we have been getting ready for our first Steve & Linda Waite Family Reunion since 2019, before COVID hit.

We compiled everything in this binder including: rental house information, itinerary, Family Home Evening lesson, meal assignments, other activities and Family communications.

We had a few things planned that we wanted to be a surprise so we didn't include them in our blogs before now.

In March, we worked on putting together a Family Home Evening that was centered around our family history. We assigned one of our ancestors to each of our grandchildren.

We put together a 5 x 7-size graphic that included a picture of the ancestor and the grandchild, their linage, and some fun facts about the ancestor. Sienna's ancestor was Linda's mother, Ruth , which is  Sienna's middle name.

Each one was placed in a frame and will be given out at our Family Home Evening activity.

In April we worked on a timeline.

It included our "roots" (to the left) and our "branches" (to the right).

We used freezer paper, rolled it out, drew the line, measured the space needed for the pictures and....

added all the dates.

we spent a lot of time searching for pictures to put on this timeline. When finished it ended up being about 10 feet long. Each person will add their own picture and the picture of their ancestor as part of our Family Home Evening activity. 

In May we made a Christmas Tree Ornament for each grandchild

 (a long time tradition). 

Linda has button making equipment so we decided to make buttons, without the pins.

After all the buttons were assembled, we had to glue them together, back to back.

We added the "hanger loop" as we glued them together.

Next we trimmed each one with colored ribbon and bows

Each ornament matches their assigned ancestor.

On one side we had a picture, along with the name, of the ancestor. Both sides included graphics that will remind the grandkids of their ancestor's life. While growing up, Vernon liked to play all kinds of sports. His family used lanterns and a hand water pump. As an adult, he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and enjoyed reciting poetry like "Casey at the Bat".

We ordered little "Reunion Journals" for each of the Grandkids.

Taking into consideration each child's favorite color, we printed their names and a graphic for each one on some sticker paper

Linda cut out the stickers then placed them on the front cover of each of the books.

We think they turned out pretty cute. Now we hope they will like these "personalized" Reunion Journals

More May reunion projects.

We received the multi-colored pens to go with the journals so there were name stickers to print and put on them.

We also received the "mail boxes"

We will have a mailbox for each grandchild and will deliver "mail" to them each day. Hopefully this will be a fun thing for them.

They came in a flat box and needed to be assembled and labeled

We printed the same name tags and graphics as we used on the little journals and they fit perfectly. We only put one box together at this time, we'll do the rest after we get to Utah.

We will need a "POST OFFICE".

 our Rental house has a nice office space that we will use.

This "Post Office" sign, complete with "you've got mail" or "no mail yet" disks, will be posted on the office door where the kids can easily see if they have any mail.

We ordered drawstring bags for the kids to keep all their "mail" in. The description said "assorted colors" but some reviews said they only got 2 or 3 colors so we were a little bit nervous about what might be sent.

When the bags were delivered we opened them up and were pleased to see that we got 11 different colors with the 12th one being a second black bag. With 11 grandchildren it works out perfect and each one can have a different color, and, we won't have to label them!

 

Linda has been busy making pom-poms to serve as "warm fuzzies".

Since she wants to make about 50 . . . .

 she got a set of pom-pom makers which has made the job much easier.

  Linda had lots of yarn tucked away in the craft closet so . . . 

 she dug it out and has been making good use of it!

56 Warm Fuzzies, done!

We are asking each grandchild  to give out one warm fuzzy each day. 

With nearly 25 extras, there will be plenty to choose from and some for the grown-ups too!

(Update: I took all the left-over pom-poms to primary to give out for being good singers, they loved them)

Let's have  a "Scripture of the Day"

We will "post" a different scripture each day at Breakfast with a suggestion of something they can write in their reunion journal.

Write a commandment you will try to keep

in your Reunion Journal

Draw a picture of your favorite piece of Armour

in your Reunion Journal

Write the name of your favorite church song

in your Reunion Journal

Write about a talent you can share with others

in your Reunion Journal

Write something you are thankful for

in your Reunion Journal

Wednesday 6/8

A while back Linda designed a "Cousin's Quiz"

It was designed to be fun so it's pretty easy.

When they complete the quiz . . . .

They will get one of these silicone wristbands that say . . . . 

Cousins are the BEST!

Friday 6/10

Today Linda finished, what she believes, is her last reunion "project".

The reunion gift to our children. 

With the help of the in-laws parents, we were able to make each one a framed pedigree chart. It will go along with our Reunion Theme . . . . "Family History".

Wednesday 6/15

Yesterday and today Linda has been busy finalizing the "Daily Surprises" mail for the grandkids and a few other things.

Transformer fidget tag

 "Thanks for being helpful and "TRANSFORMING" our reunion into a HaPpY place !"

Punch ball tag

"Thanks for being kind to your cousins so everyone can have a "BALL" playing together !!"

Bubble Pop Bracelet tag

"We are sooo glad you decided to "POP-in" and join our Reunion !!"

Flashlight tag

"We love your bright, shining face, it "LIGHTS" up the world !!"

Ice Cream Coupon

On these laminated cards are the name meanings on the front and on the back are the zodiac sign and personality traits that spell the name (pictured card back for CORA)

The "Warm Fuzzy" coupons/instructions all packaged up and . . . .

8 X 10 Thank you poster for the cooks !

Yesterday Linda did a lot of printing, laminating & cutting. Today was spent organizing everything.

Thursday 6/16

One last piece of "reunion mail" for the grandkids was delivered today via Amazon Prime.  

Kaleidoscopes!

With the added label, they fit right in with our Family History Theme

"We are like this Kaleidoscope!

Lots of different people come together and make one beautiful family"

Linda also got some tags done for the drawstring bags

It was a challenge to figure out how to attach the tags but Linda figured it out . . .

she punched a hole in each laminated tag then threaded a matching ribbon through it and machine stitched the ribbon along the top seam of the bag. This way they are labeled for the reunion, but they can remove them later if they want to.

Friday, 6/24

Today we began building the "Best Chef of the Day" trophies.

This is our prototype, 

we will make several adjustments to it before it is done!

These are the face ideas Linda has come up with  . . . so far.

Assembling some of the parts

Linda got the bases painted and . . . .

Steve got the holes drilled.

Making the chef hats

hats finished!

On Saturday work on making the 

"Best Chef of the Day" trophies continued

The bases and spoons had to be sprayed with a sealer before the trophies could be put together. Faces had to be drawn on the spoons, The neckerchief fabric edges had to be treated with Fray Check and folded. Each spoon had to be cut to length. 

Once all the Prep work was done the assembly began!

Glue hats on - glue neckerchiefs on - glue spoons into base - clue name of trophy on base.

Linda had all the supplies needed, except for the bases & spoons, so these cute trophies only cost us about $2.00 each

In the end we think they turned out pretty cute!

We will add these to the pile of things for our reunion

and the "pile" keeps on GROWING!

Tuesday 6/28

Today we finished the last (no, really) Reunion "project"

We bought these "thumbs-up" trophies for something but ended up not needing them sooo, We decided to give them to our grandkids on the last day of our reunion

Each one will get a labeled trophy and certificate

Wednesday 6/29

Today we started sorting all the "stuff" we've been buying and making for the Reunion.

We're sorting by day. This way we won't find ourselves at the end of the week with leftovers!

Monday 7/11

Linda has been working on a "grown-ups" photo album.

(okay, so the trophy's weren't the "last" project)

We have enlisted the help of our in-law's parents and kids to collect pictures to create this album.

We did a page for each of us and one for each of our 7  kids. We also included some Family Group pictures we have taken over the years and pictures of some of our pioneer ancestors.

We will let the kids take their collage home with them for their own personal phone album.

Saturday 7/16

It's getting down to the wire now - with our reunion just 2 days away.

 We received our last delivery today ... .Mosquito Repellent Bracelets

So Linda created this cute box to put near the back door.

Sunday 7/17

We can't believe it's finally here but ... It's packing day! 

The test . . . . will all of this, plus our luggage, fit in the car?

YEP! 

 We left a space behind the passenger seat for our luggage. We will be on our way tomorrow morning and then at 4:00 p.m., in Bountiful, Utah, our Waite Family Reunion will begin. 

The problem with planning a reunion so far in advance is that one or two little project ideas seem to grow and grow with new ideas every day. We probably went a little bit overboard (okay...a lot) but we are having fun and we hope all of our fun will turn into a lot of fun for everyone else.

(everything was a big success!)