Saturday, January 2, 2021

Family Reunion To Celebrate Ruth's Amazing Life -- August, 1 - 7, 2021

Updates

Photos:


 



Sophia and Caleb:


Karla, Laura and first visit for Judah and Levi: this was July, 2020, during the year of Covid-19. Bruce rented an Enterprise Honda Camry and squeezed Sophia in the back seat between car seats for Judah and Levi.

In photo, left to right:

  • foreground: Gemma
  • background: Judah, Levi, Laura
  • midground: Sophia, Karla

 

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Original Post: Plans

Save the date: August 1 - 7, 2021. 

Jan is doing an incredible job organizing the family reunion for this summer (2021).

It looks like we could come close to 100% participation.

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Update #1

lodging, schedule, car rental
(in progress -- this is in progress -- things to think about)

1. Lodging

  • the house will accommodate a few folks, not many; talk to Jan if you have special needs, requests
  • Kalispell, MT is closest, about a 15-minute drive from Kalispell, to Flathead Lake
  • Whitefish, MT, a more significant drive, but a really, really beautiful location
  • cabins -- which sound very, very exciting -- are available but they could go quickly -- contact Jan ASAP if interested in cabins on the lake; very, very affordable; single-day reservations as well as longer reservations available; link here to Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp;
  • remember: most important to reserve "something"; motels generally allow late cancellations;

2. Car rentals

  • some have said that car rentals can be tight during the summer; again, reserve early; there is an Enterprise location in Kalispell; once reserved, Enterprise is generally flexible if things change
  • I assume some folks may fly into a bigger city in Idaho, Colorado, Montana, rent a car there and drive to Flathead Lake;

3. Events

  • Jan will try her best to balance flexibility with structure so folks can plan their vacations
  • assumption: memorial service earlier in the week than later, perhaps Monday, August 2, or Tuesday, August 3
  • assumption: memorial service early to mid-afternoon, followed by family remembrances late into the evening
  • assumption: at least three evenings where we will have family barbecue on the lake; start early enough for youngsters but go late into the evening for those who like to party

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Update #2
what to pack

1. Swimming trunks

2. That's about it. There's a huge Walmart and every other retail store you could possibly need.

3. Casual: We don't care if you wear the same blue jeans, shoes, shirts, blouses, the whole week.

4. One empty suitcase: to carry back all the goodies. Seriously.

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Update #3
events

1. For the adults:

2. For the kids:

3. For Kevin:


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Update #4
amenities


1. Wi-fi: the house has wi-fi.

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Update #5
responsibilities

 

Connor: lifeguard for those who fall off their paddleboards
Dave
: boat capain
Jan: event organizer

Monday, December 14, 2020

Milestones

 

December 1, 2020: on/about this date, Jesus Romero becomes naturalized citizen of US.

November 7, 2020; Sofia and Jesus -- married in Tucson, AZ. 

March 3, 2020: Laura's twins, Judah and Levi born. Avery born the same year.

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Family Birthdays -- Carl And Ruth Family Descendants

Generation 0: Paul and Kristine

  • Paul:
  • Kristine:

Generation 1: Carl and Ruth

  • Carl: Feb 6
  • Ruth: Sept 13

Generation 2: Carl and Ruth's children

  • Bruce: August 14
  • Yvonne: Oct 5
  • Karla: May 14
  • Craig: Sept 28
  • Kathy: Aug
  • Jan: June 28

Generation 3: Carl and Ruth's grand-children

  • Kiri: March 25
  • Laura: Jan 30
  • Eric: Dec 24
  • Jennifer:
  • Kallie
  • Robbie:
  • Victoria:
  • Anna:
  • Sofia: Nov 1
  • Cameron: March 21
  • Connor: May 2

Generation 4: Carl and Ruth's great-grand-children

  • Arianna: July 6
  • Olivia: July 10
  • Sophia: June 30
  • Levi: March 3
  • Judah: March 3
  • Jillian: Oct 23
  • Bennett: Oct 23
  • Amelia Grace: April 19
  • Oliver: April 23
  • Caleb: January 9
  • Kaitlyn Mae: March 8
  • Gemma: March 25
  • Cora Jayne: Feb 14 (Craig's granddaughter)
  • Avery: March 9
  • Sydney Harper: August 28
  • Stella Kate: November 11
  • Leif Atlas: November 18

Generation 5: Carl and Ruth’s great-great grandchildren.

All:


END.

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Jesus and Sofia Romero

Married in front of their family and friends on November 7, 2020. 

Civil / official / "legal" wedding late November, 2020.

Same day, Jesus Romero -- received official US citizenship. Whoo-hoo!!!

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Jamón Serrano Español -- December 3, 2020

The Greenwalds are giving this a practice run before moving the experience to the lake next year. LOL. 

The photos first, then a note from Jorge.



The note from Jorge: 

Jamón Serrano is the name of that style of ham. We used to eat it in different ways.

As a snack, in the mid-afternoon, as a side for breakfast, or in a dish, mostly like soups. We hardly ever ate it in thin slices, probably because it is so hard to cut in that way. We ate it mostly in thick pieces, maybe a 1/4 inch or so. My dad loved jamón serrano thick, about 1/2 inch; in that presentation you pretty much chew your way for the entire day!! 😅

We had a walk-in pantry, with double-height ceilings; the leg of ham hung from a natural rope (not nylon or synthetic) and after some time, the fat would begin to drip. It cast an odor that we just absolutely loved, until the fat began to turn stale. If I remember correctly, the fat will turn stale long before the meat goes bad. I do not remember the meat ever going bad.

A leg like the one you have would probably feed a family of 7 or 8 for about 6 to 9 months.

Once they started carving a leg, they would keep it hanging covered with a cheesecloth; it needs to breath. I don't know how it is kept on that stand it has there. The idea behind the method used at my Dad's was to let the leg air out and not touch anything so mould would not begin to grow.

Nowadays, people will probably freeze it. I don't know. Of course, our governess would have never ever considered such sacrilegious of a thing.