On Saturday (New Year's Day) we got a slow start, but eventually got packed up and on the road to Lancaster County. This time we headed to my sister Doris's house where we were served a delicious supper of chicken corn noodle soup. During the evening I worked on music preparations for Sunday morning while Dick took Destiny to meet Frank. We were more than ready to hit the sack in Doris's comfy living room/guest room.
What makes that room extra special is that this is the house we Witmers grew up in, and this living room is where Dick and I dated and actually had our first kiss, hahaha!
Don't you love this unique clock in Doris's kitchen?
Here's where Doris and Dale relax in the evenings on their recliners in the family room.
On Sunday I led worship at our church and we had a beautiful communion service. Then we met up with Doris and Dale and their youngest daughter Ellen for lunch at Subway.
Later in the afternoon we went to Dick's parents for a family gathering. We have had many, many wonderful, fun times with Dick's family over the years, but last evening rates up near the top.
We started with a meal of Mexican Pile-Up in Grandpa's lo-o-ong basement. I took a bunch of pictures while people were eating and talking, so there are some less-than-flattering expressions! I'm going to post a lot of pictures for the sake of family members who were not able to be there.
Other activities that took place during the evening were: Austin enjoyed the marble rollers and little school desk,
some of the guys looked at pictures of a hunting trip out west,
the younger set played Rook,
the ladies discovered an entire cedar chest full of handwork, comforters, dresser scarves, cut patches, etc. that were Mother Stauffer's. We had no idea those things were still there until Dick's step mother showed them to us.
But the most spectacular activity of the evening was this:
Several weeks ago when we were sleeping at Dick's parents for the weekend, Destiny discovered boxes of "slides" in a closet. She wondered what they were. We explained to her what they were, and also started looking at a few of them. Dick and I decided they were family treasures that really must be gotten out of that closet! So last evening, with a somewhat broken slide projector, we viewed those slides, most of them from the seventies. Talk about FUN!!!! Any time the Stauffers are together, it becomes a wit fest. But those slides brought out more wit and belly laughs than anything we've done for a long time. After I was almost asleep last night I remembered a certain slide and started giggling. And I still laugh out loud every time I think of last evening. Anthony is researching the best way for us to get these slides converted to digital pictures. Any suggestions from anyone who's already done it?
Here are some very special pictures. Four generations of Stauffers:
Dad Stauffer with his five sons: Dick, Bob, Jim, Steve, and Fred. Their dear mother had five boys in eight years!!!
The six Stauffer couples: Dad and Arlene in front, Jim and Carolyn, Dick and I, Steve and Faye, Bob and Doris, Fred and Deb.
What an awesome family to belong to! I feel blessed to have been the first "daughter" in this family and to remember so much of the family history.
10 comments:
I loved the pictures! You both have wonderful families! Dick and his brothers all have a resemblance to each other and I can see it in Anthony and Austin as well.
We loved having you here! Ellen's first words when she came in the door this afternoon were.....Are Dick and Jeanie still here?
Have a great week!
Gosh, I always love seeing what your family is up to. And it's always something fun!
Hugs,
Kat
awsome family time nothing like it is there.
You are so blessed to be able to live close enough to get together like that.
I loved looking at your pictures and enjoyed reading about your weekend.
I was trying to explain to Pete how silly everyone was during the slides...but you just had to be there I guess.
I really hope we can get those slides on a disc somehow. It'd be nice to have some from Grandma Arlene's family too, don't you think?
When we were cleaning out the house of my parents in law, we found boxes of slides, too. But out of all the boxes, there were only maybe ten slides of people. It was all scenery from the different trips they had taken (maybe the amish background lent itself to this, I don't know) but Daniel and his siblings were so disappointed -- they have so little history that they remember and what they remember doesn't lend itself to "belly laughs" and giggles in the night.
So, I just wanted to say what a treasure that is! Happy, happy family memories make such great family gatherings. It is an incredible blessing, indeed. The neatest thing of all was that someone instinctively KNEW that what was happening as a family was worth recording -- just as you are doing for yours. Not everything is fun. Not everything is how we would ideally WANT it to be, but it is still our family's history and it is a great gift when we record the moments worth celebrating.
Love you, Jeanie-girl! Wonderful pictures, wonderful post.
Jean, it sounds like such fun times! Love the 4 gernerations pic and Dad with his 5 boys! POOR mOM! we HAVE LOTS OF OLD SLIDES. TOO. bUT, HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH THEM YET!
don't know why part is caps and part is not...just my confused personality, I suppose! :)
Oh, I forgot. LOVE the header pic! I feel cold just looking at it. I wouldn't want ti be standing IN it, you understand...but, it is beautiful to look at!
Jean, what fun pictures! I especially enjoyed the picture of you five couples. I knew everyone of you girls as a friend, neighbor and even a relative! I'll bet you all don't get together that often. It was fun to see Bob and Doris whom I haven't seen for at least 40 years! I keep saying we need to look them up sometime as we are both Minnesotans. Looks like you have a great time together. Have a great New Year!
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