March Family Gathering

Technically, this month we celebrate GG, Cory, Kaelyn and Ellie. We didn't meet in January or February. Michael and I caught up with most everyone, but they needed to be sung too and to move to the front of the dessert line...so we added in Annie, Nolan, Jamin, Liv, Josi and Alex. Kaelyn doesn't enjoy being the center of the attention and isn't in the photo. I have a ton of Ellie photos and will post them separately. LOL 

Back - Nolan, GG, Cory, Alex
Front - Annie, Jamin, Liv, Josi

We had thought we may be outside today - but not quite yet. Luke and the kids made use the snow for a snowball fight. 

The new kids gate is installed and working. 

Sure enough - I was out of ice. These three volunteered and we discovered Bushes Bunches has ice. 

Allie, Nolan and Stacia in back. 

Uncle Luke and Ellie

We added the element of a group game to our gatherings in November. This month I tried to stay with a green Saint Patrick's Day theme....I was shocked how little I could find locally. It was still fun.  The idea is for this to be something everyone can enjoy and for it to be totally random. This month I simply put the cups on a table, and everyone picked one. We started with the youngest and worked to the oldest. There were hot wheel cars, t-shirts, breath mints, a pot of gold, gift cards and cash in the cups. 

Krista - not sure what she got

Liv picked a DQ gift card. 

Luke found some green...

...as did Jamin.  LOL 

Woot! Jojo chose the $50 cup. 

Carrie and girls

Always a jokester 

Benny got green chocolate coins

Annie got some fancy gloves I think. 

Even Ellie got to pick a cup. 

We were glad to have Mark and Mona (on the couch) with us this month. 

Gideon got some cash. 

GG won the $100 this month. 

Michael had captured a great photo which led to a meme competition. I need to have him write about the captions and the winners. I'm fuzzy on the details. 

This was the first family gathering where we began to FEEL how close some upcoming moves are getting. Let's not think about it yet! We missed JaRissa. Jared is in the throes of another campaign. 

Fun @ JBER

We are SO going to miss Krista and Luke when they move this summer. Krista is currently a True North Chaplain imbedded with the 715th Air Mobility Operations Groups. This has involved traveling OFTEN to Guam and Hawaii to care for troops in those locations as well as the troops here in Alaska. Krista is known for her gift-giving ability, and she has surprised us with all sorts of unique gifts from her travels. She and Luke are also known as a FUN Aunt and Uncle. They know where the best parks are in town and on base, they bring great games to gatherings, give snow machine and ATV rides, provide easy attendance at Air Shows, bring water ballons to family gathering, are always up for a snowball fight and Krista keeps us abreast of opportunities on JBER.  Our home couldn't participate due to schedules, but Bre and Larissa sent photos. I should have blogged it in March and I'd have many more details to share...but here is what I remember from what I was told. 

The 715th hosted this day to showcase their capabilities and the equipment they use to move things around the Pacific Command. Arielle couldn't make it in, and Krista came out to the Valley and picked up Benny and Danny. Some are sure to wonder, if not ask, why there are no photos of Charles. Charles is in a special program catered to his needs and learning abilities. The others are homeschooled which caters to their needs and learning abilities. Today - they went on this field trip. Charles was at school - which he loves. Frankly, every day he can ride on the big yellow bus is a field trip day for Charles. 

Nolan drove in with Bre and her kids. 

Larissa and Noah met everyone at JBER. 

They enjoyed the flightline, explored a park or two, had lunch and hung out in Krista's office while she had a pop-up counseling appointment. Then they all came back to the valley.

These first three photos are from Larissa. The rest are from BreAnne. 

Noah & Jojo happy to together

Trudy and Noah and a big plane

Jojo and Uncle Nolan

The kids raided Krista's office and scored a LOT of pirate loot. They also thoroughly enjoyed visiting the pirate park. Note Annie in the background with her loot! 

Danny, Annie and Benny

Benny

Bella

Danny

Gideon

Annie

Noah, Danny, Bella, Trudy (in front) Annie, Gideon
Benny, Jojo (also in front)

Bre and her children 

Note Trudy trying to pull her pacifier from 
Bre's pocket. ::snort:: 

Larissa, (Trudy) & Noah

Jojo & Nolan

Aunt Koko with Bre, Annie, Benny & Gideon 

Trudy and Noah 

Bella is growing up - fast! 

Gideon 

Danny

Jojo

We need a room like this where everyone can be lined up and secured. ::snort:: 

I happened to be at CoRielle's watching Charles (and Lyra?)  when the boys came home. They had a blast. Bre commented about her kids, "I think they think the military is all about the snacks, cool parks and airplanes." Her kids grabbed recruitment brochures. 

Memories were made by all. 

Editor's note: Not to worry, Papa, Bachan and Aunt Koko will make sure they have an accurate view of military service before they act on the brochures. ::snort:: 

G Dog (GG) Goes to Stem

Arielle has been sick. Actually, the kids have been cycling through the crud and Arielle caught pneumonia. She's been quite sick.  The boys are feeling better now, and Arielle is feeling worse.  I miss the boys stopping by. I cannot WAIT for summer so I can spend more time with the grands again. LOL Anyway, the boys love STEM with their Homeschooling group, Charles was at his program at the public school, and I was available to take the boys to STEM so Arielle could rest with Ellie. 

This meant GG was going to have go to STEM because Michael was in OR for his neurology appointment.  He's a good sport - though he wasn't 100% sold on the idea of a room FULL of lots of YOUNG siblings as well as 20 or so STEM participants. 

Danny got ahold of my phone and took 53 photos of his leg, GG's leg and GG. I thought this one captured Dad's mood. 

 Benny enjoyed working on two projects. 

Danny played. 

GG Read. BTW, we've discovered he likes the young adult biographies we'd collected over the years of Heroes of the Faith. 

Arielle decided she would be happy for a bit more time, so we stopped for lunch at the uncles place (also known as the local McDonald's).

We all had a good laugh when Nolan noticed we were there. He KNOWS I don't often do McDonalds. He's been seeing a woman around town who looks like me and in fact has almost hugged her at the grocery store before realizing at the last minute she isn't me. He got a glimpse of me out the corner of his eye and thought, "Oh, that woman who looks like Mom is here," and then realized with time it WAS me. 

Nolan came over to visit and offer the boys ice cream. Danny took this incident to tell me "God says we should have ice cream." 

I challenged them to come up with a verse to support his declaration. 

Benny offered God wants us to be happy. 

Meanwhile Nolan brought two ice creams out. 

Danny looked up and said, "God says, if Uncle Nolan gives you ice cream, BE HAPPY." Words to live by. 

I kind of like Danny's self-portrait.