Category Archives: Random Family Fun

Because it seems like it’s been for forever…

September 4, 2018Empty Nest, Musings of a blonde brain, Random Family Funlaura

Good morning to you on this post-Labor Day weekend Tuesday.

I am moving incredibly slowly this morning.

Trying to figure out how to best be efficient with the day ahead while I am also considering how soon is too soon to take an afternoon nap.

Probably should wait until after “noon.”

Since I have nothing profound to share with you, maybe just some pictures of our weekend and then it’s off to tackle the To Do list that is lurking around the kitchen counter somewhere near the calendar….

I will do a quick summary of the weekend highlights and let you get on your way <3

Friday night, we went to our second game of the season…

this time to see our favorite cheerleader more than the actual game…

and since we had to eat dinner…

there was this.

We decided I could do a fall football game food review so I can report that the Maroa Forsyth team made a pretty tasty burger last weekend.

Since I am not and expert on pork tenderloins, I have nothing to compare this one with but Russ said Mt Zion serves up a good one.

I worked on Saturday and Russ held down the home-front.

He reported that the grocery and post office lines are ridiculous…yes, yes they are.

And I am so grateful he embraced the wait so I don’t have to do those tasks today <3

Sunday we headed to St Louis after church to attend…

with these two…

And yes this is a spliced together picture because we just snapped on the way to the car after dinner.

Details.

On Monday we celebrated Labor Day by laboring in the yard and taking a long walk.

Soooooo hot….

Then dinner with some friends and time to read before we crashed.

This morning we got a text from Rachel with pictures…

Graham checked off one of his summer bucket list wishes…he caught a monarch.

In case any of you are activists for this beautiful butterfly, no worries…mom also said that they had a talk about what it might feel like to be a glorious winged creature reduced to living in a cage and so they set him free…

And that is how we ended the Summer of 2018 <3

How about you ?

And so 60 is in the books <3

July 16, 2018Empty Nest, Random Family Funlaura

Good Monday Morning to you <3

Our family and a couple of close friends are keeping their phones close in case I need intervention for what they are calling PBLDS….Post Birthday Let Down Syndrome

…but so far I am doing okay.

The fact that I have to move all small pieces of furniture off of all carpeted areas before 9:00 is helping keep the adrenaline rush steady because… the carpet cleaners arrive in a short 48 minutes.

So here’s a quick rundown of how #60 went …

or as my new favorite baker in the whole wide world said it…

the “new 30″….

We kicked off the celebration weekend with our annual “twin birthday dinner” with this sweet one ….

Not the best pic…but not much lighting at The Burg that isn’t neon <3

From then on it was family that feels like friends and friends that feel like family so here are the highlights…

John treated us to late night Escape Room adventure so Zach could join us when he got off work.

We did beat the room with an extra five minute grace gift from the guy who worked there. He said we were so close to beating it and it was only a 10% success rate room so…he had to let us finish it out.

I was maybe a little less than 10% helpful since most of the time I was still trying to finish reading the clue when the rest of the team had solved it, opened the lock and …mooooved on…oh well..it was a blast and I loved every second of it.

All 3,630 of them <3

Sunday Russ arranged to have brunch for everyone at Tuscany’s…

Thankfully Rachel did not follow her google map…

and it was kinda nice of Caroline to coordinate with my dress…

making her solidly my favorite granddaughter <3

After lunch we came to the house for yard games like…

ball bounce…

and..

empty the cooler…

…because we are fun like that.

We gathered for cake…

at the exact moment my west coast family called to sing to me..

so it was a high tech song fest of silliness..

Please note the first aid kit on the counter because it wouldn’t be a Reimer event without some kind of chaos.

We took a few zillion group photos…

and you may have noticed we are missing Zach, who had to work, and the rest of the Corley bunch…

Couldn’t figure out why all the littles are looking at Tia but she set the timer and then would run back to get in pic…and I think they were just highly impressed with her.

So were we.

But we were too cool to act like it.

Then there was this attempt at a jumping pic..

which proves that John has regained his skillz at imitating Air Jordan…

and no, Sarah is not using a trampoline…

that’s just her…

and once again Joel and Caroline can’t take their eyes off of her…LOL…

And then there is this…

for which I am so very thankful.

Have a happy Monday.

I promise I am going to just settle down now and get on with regular life.

Thanks for celebrating one of the big ones with me <3

And then this happened…

June 25, 2018Empty Nest, Random Family Funlaura

It was a whirlwind weekend…that started with a quick trip to Texas and the chance to be with this one…

to attend one of the sweetest weddings I have been blessed to be invited to.

We loved the celebration and of course the added bonus of time with John.

We loaded up on Texas BBQ…

to the point I may need to change my blood type to “Brisket”…

We took in all the cultural aspects of the state…

Bid good bye to our boy…

and headed home…

because this one…

had a birthday.

The theme was all things mermaid so…

we molded with sand…

hung out at the cove…

and one of us ate our weight in Triton’s grape tridents…

(which in my opinion, Triton and trident are too awkward to say together and I kind of wish they had just called it a scepter but whatever….)

We took turns jumping…

played good cop, bad cop…

pulled off a wardrobe change for the cake eating…

helped Caroline demolish said cake …

and got some yard work done…

We loved on Tia…

and got loved back…

We scored a few family pictures minus our much-missed Uncle John…

and celebrated the circle of friends who are family and family who are friends…

and that’s the end…

of a weekend of more Best. Day. Ever. <3

Birthday-palooza May/June edition…2018

June 4, 2018Random Family Funlaura

So we had some birthday fun this weekend and since I’m headed south to see Sarah this morning…

and my brain is kind fueled with sugar and such…

here are some of the highlights.

We were honored to be included for dinner on Graham’s special day when he selected a local restaurant.

We were happy to join this party of six, and the other set of beaming grandparents at this Texas style steak house.

The draw for Graham was because he loves the stories of how his daddy waited tables and apparently made the rolls, as well as consumed a fair amount of them himself, back in high school.

Back when he was dating their mom.

So when the staff brought a saddle out for that sweet little seven year old to sit on…

I had one of those moments watching this moment

I am not quite sure these two kids ever thought, back in those days, that they would be sitting around two tables full of love spanning three generations while the whole restaurant gave a rousing Yeeeee-Hawwwww! to celebrate two of their sons’ birthdays.

Nope….

I’m pretty sure none of us quite pictured it this way, but we sure are thankful God did…

On Sunday, Zach had to work and since we will be missing their friend parties later this month, and since they will be missing Papi’s birthday next week…

we had a day here to celebrate the birthday boys <3

The rest of us feasted on cupcakes.

And speaking of cupcakes…

Now that this one has a chair of her own, Lola had to pull one of the bar stools …

which seemed like a good excuse for this silliness…

and don’t worry…

this one…

got his fair share of sugar.

We did gifts, played with water and anything that could be thrown, kicked or caught…

ate watermelon…

and went out the sliding glass door at least a hundred thousand times.

We learned the fine art of setting off weird and disgusting fireworks…

yeah…

just another one of our Pinterest-perfect-patio parties….

cause that’s how we roll…

please note Caroline chugging the last of some envelope of baby goo…

girl-child fits right in.

We texted pictures to Zach and Tia and Uncle John.

And thus we loved and laughed and chalked up another weekend of …

Best. Days. Ever.

Happy Tuesday <3

May 22, 2018Random Family Funlaura

We had a wonderful time at our nephew Sam’s graduation.

Here he is with his sweet mom and dad…

I know he is full on Reimer…but do you see a wee bit of our John in him? I do <3

Which is hilarious because John is like a clone of me…how does God do that?

The wonderful blend of genetics that make us family is one of my favorite gifts He bestows.

Sometimes I forget that the Reimers are only mine through marriage and I want to take some kind of claim for the likes of them…

I’m sure you can see why…they are a smart and sweet and talented bunch.

The vase at the top of this post was crafted by Sam.

I have shown you the ones made by brother Grant and sister Olivia at their grads…and Sam is no slacker in the arts either…

Ah-mazing <3

Sonja homeschooled these three smarties and so their graduations are so different from the public or even parochial ceremonies we have attended over the years.

Each family gets two minutes (give or take…mostly give…) to say something about their child and present a diploma. With 30 plus kids in their home school association, this takes some time…but I absolutely loved every story and every presentation.

The one that just blew me away was the dad of a beautiful girl who stood a head taller than her darling parents.

Long dark hair cascaded down the sides of her lowered face as her father emotionally shared her story.

When her mother was pregnant, she became very ill and the doctors recommended the only way to save momma was to take the baby’s life.

This father is also a pastor and truly the anointing of the Lord must rest on him when he preaches because in the two minutes he was given he gave one of the most compelling pro-life exhortations I have ever heard.

With a thick Hispanic accent he said (and I didn’t get it word for word, but to my best notetaking)…

“The Doctors told us ….

ABORT! ABORT! ABORT!

But God…He said…..

LIVE!! LIVE!!! LIVE!!!

It was a dark time for us as I thought I might lose both my wife and my baby. But the Church prayed and here she is today. My precious daughter.”

Best. Grad. Speech.Ever.

Although, Randy and Sonja’s came in a close second because…for the love of Sam…they rocked the parental blessing part <3

And now as a last little thing here…one more pic of Sam’s handiwork but please also note the genius of my sister-in-law…because in the background notice the old Scentsy container repurposed …love it!!!

Journey Onward

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