OUR FAMILY WEBSITE IS GROWING!

We are now officially "ourfamilygathering.net" on the internet!

In addition to this blog, we have a website that is under construction. Please let me know if you would be interested in helping to design and maintain it, or if you have any ideas for content.

There is also a personalized start page for each member of the family, which includes email (if you want it), chat ability with each other, and an interactive calendar that everyone can update.

Please email me if you would like a username set up for these new features.
My email is Sandi (at) ourfamilygathering.net!

The Gathering Post

I finally finished the first quarterly edition of the Family Newsletter, and it is in the mail. I want to thank everyone who helped with suggestions and news to share. And I need to apologize for the rather one-sidedness of this edition -- I just didn't hear from all sides of the family. Hopefully the next edition (December) will be better rounded.

The newsletter was mailed to every address I had. So if you do not receive a copy (or know of someone in the family who does not receive a copy), please let me know.

Why A Newsletter?

One of the suggestions that had come out of our survey about the first Family Gathering was the need for better communication. Not everyone has access to the internet. And there are even some people who just don't enjoy being online. (Personally, I don't understand that. But family is family, no matter what odd ideas they have. LOL*) This newsletter is intended to be just another way of keeping everyone in touch. And the only way it's going to work is if you become a part of it: by sharing stories, news, ideas, pictures, and even jokes. (The only rule is if you correct my grammar or spelling, you automatically become the editor-in-chief! LOL*)

I hope you enjoy the Gathering Post, and I'm looking forward to having an even better second edition! And in the meantime, keep posting stuff on this blog...

It's our anniversary!

Can you believe that it was two years ago that we started getting together online?

The Gathering Post

We're going to start a quarterly family newsletter, and the first issue will be going out within two weeks. It's going to be just one more way to keep in touch with each other. After all, not everyone has access and/or time to join us here on the family blog. (Personally I don't understand that, but I'll willing to be open minded. LOL)

If you have anything that you would like to share for the newsletter, please get it to me by Saturday, July 14th. (Anything sent after the 14th will be in the September issue.) Just as an idea of what we're looking for, the newsletter will include the following sections:

• Family Gathering updates - all the information to date regarding the 2008 gathering.
• Family News- we want share information on babies, weddings, jobs, moves, school, etc.
  
• Genealogy Notes - since it's all about family, let's talk about the family founders.
• Fun Stuff - stories, jokes, "remember when's," anything else we can come up with.

Also, if you did not get a letter about the photo DVD (or know anyone who did not get a letter), please send me updated addresses. We want everyone to get a copy of the newsletter! You can email me at slkilbride *at* gmail *dot* com. Or contact Danielle, my partner for the newsletter!

Do you noodle?

Because Gramma does!

Mom (April), Gramma (Marion), and I went over to Peanut Island for the afternoon. We had a wonderful time, and can’t wait to have a family picnic there! (You can also camp on the Island, and I’m thinking that it would be fun to get several of us there for a weekend. Anyone up for that?)

Anyway, while we were waiting for the water taxi to take us to the island, we met up with a group of young people who had already begun to empty their coolers. They laughingly offered us a noodle, probably figuring that none of us would even know what a noodle was. As far as mom and I went, they were correct. Gramma, however, totally blew them out of the water by taking them up on their offer. They ended up adopting Gramma, and we were invited to hang with them for the day.

Family Gathering CD

After almost a year, the photo CD of our first "Family Gathering" is finally finished! We had five six photographers, and over 1250 photos. It was really difficult, but I managed to get it down to just a 40 minute slide show. I want to thank everyone that helped -- you're all mentioned in the show's credits.

I'll be sending out emails and/or letters with your chance to get a copy of the CD. If you don't hear from me in the next two weeks, please feel free to just email or call me and ask for your copy. (I might not have current addresses for everyone).

Final Results for 3 Truths and A Fib

We ended up with six entries for this game, and the following people are official members of the Neuhaus Liar's Club: Charlie, Bobby, Kelly, April, Sam, and myself (Sandi).

Unfortunately, Bobby, Kelly, April and Sam are also members of the Neuhaus Procrastinator's Club, so we don't know what their fib was. So results were based only on the two three entries we had answers for (I know my mom's fib, so I went ahead and counted that.)

Nobody guessed correctly for my four items, which makes me the best fibber. Charlie was runner-up with only 1 out of 3 correctly guessing. April was 3rd with half of the guessers getting it right.

For best guesser, the results were: Kelly and I each had one right guess, which actually was enough to make us the winners. Charlie, Bobby, and Gail gave it a good try, but were unable to figure out when a fib was being told so they get the Trusting Soul award.

Maybe we'll have another contest later on this summer. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

W.W.R.S.*

I picked up Aunt Robin at the airport this afternoon, and she is now up at mom's in Port St. Lucie. We had a wonderful evening, chatting and laughing and comparing arm pits (you really had to be there!).

I'm not sure what the day-to-day plans are, but Robin will be down here until the 30th. So if any of the Florida folk want to get together, just give us a hollar. We really should do something spectacular for Memorial Day weekend...

[*what would Robin say?]

It's time to 'fess up!

Please go back to your original posts, and add a comment admitting with of your four items is the fib. As soon as we hear from everyone, I'll let you know who the winners are for this game.

Last chance to guess the fibs!

If you haven't figured out everyone's facts and fibs yet, this weekend is your last chance. We'll start "fessing up" on Monday.

Even if you haven't posted your own 3 Truths and A Fib, go ahead and take a guess at the ones already up (Sandi, Charles, Bobby, Kelly, April, and Samantha). Then check back later on this week to see the winners!

Three Truths & a Fib - update

So far the Family Liar's Club consists of Charlie, Bobby, Kelly and myself -- I guess i't's no great surprise to anyone that the four of us would be the first members! LOL

We do have one honorary member so far -- Gail. Although she's apparently not willing to fib herself, she's trying to catch "us kids" in our fibs. Once a mom, always a mom!

I'm still hoping for more participants. Come on, Cathy, you'd be good at this. And surely Kay's branch of the family isn't going to let Marion's kids have all the fun. Pass the word around that the game is still on.

You'll find the rules here (or just click on "3 facts and a fib" under Quck Topics along the sidebar). We'll post facts and fibs until May 15th. Guesses (made in the comment section of each post) will continue to be made until May 20th. Between May 21st and May 26th we'll come back and post the answers. The "Family Fibber" and "Best Guesser" will be announced on May 27th.

Sandi: 3 Truths and a Fib

Okay. I guess since the game is my idea, I should go first.

[I have to admit, by the way, that coming up with four things to tell you about was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I came up with lots of really good fibs. Stuff that just about believable enough, but not quite true. I never realized what a great liar I was, although I prefer to think of it as having an active imagination. Coming up with three truths was the tough part for me. I either have to start living a more exciting life so that I have more to talk about, or else I need to stop writing stuff in my blog because everything I thought of was already talked about in Staying Focused.]

Here are my four items to catch you up in my life.
(Be sure to post your guess as a comment as to which item is the fib!)

(1) In April I "adopted" another teenager. I was asked if I could take him in for a couple of weeks because I've done emergency foster care in the past. And of course I said yes.

(2) In March my youngest daughter, Becky (13), was awarded a 4-year scholarship to college. I am, of course, extremely proud of her.

(3) In February we traveled back to Sarasota so that my son (15) could have his 5th-year class reunion.

(4) In January I returned to the classroom, as a student. I'm not sure what I was thinking, other than I would like my master's degree after all these years.

Hula Hoop Video

At the Easter Egg Hunt last weekend, Cathy and I got to talking about this video. She asked me to post it to share with everyone. It was taken in November when Gramma was down visiting us in Florida.

Let's Play a Game

We haven't really been hearing from anyone lately. I know that we all are very busy, but I don't want to lose track of each other again.

We have to start planning the next reunion soon (yes, it's almost that time again!). But in the meantime, I thought a little family challenge might be fun.

Please take a few minutes and post four things that have gone on in your life in the past six months. These things can be anything: you got a new job, you have a new grandchild (which, by the way Samantha, we haven't seen any pictures yet...), you bought a new car, you lost/gained weight, you took a trip somewhere, you stayed home and cleaned the house. Whatever you would like to share.

The catch, however, is that only three of the things that you write are going to be true. One the four things should be an outright fib. Yes, a fib. This game will let us see who is the best at fibbing in the family.

The second part of the game, and what makes it fun, is that the rest of us will try to catch you in your fib. Once someone has posted their four things, everyone else needs to add a comment to that post saying what they think is the fib.

So we should have lots of new posts, telling four things (3 truths and a fib) that has happened lately. And each post should have comments, guessing what's true and what's not.

After a suitable time (a couple of weeks), I'll announce the end of the game. That's when everyone will confess the fib by adding a comment to their original post. Once we know the truth/fibs, I'll announce the winners (the best fibber and the person who knows the family the best).

So let the game begin!

Family Easter Egg Hunt (Florida version)

This year mom, Cathy & I got together Easter afternoon for the family egg hunt. We had hoped Cheyenne and Amy would join us, but because we were so late planning it, they already had plans.

I've put up pictures on pbase, but here are some highlights:

Family Gathering Web Album

Google has added another cool feature that we can use on our family website -- an automatically updated web album. (If you are signed in to post a comment here, you'll see our album when you click on the link!) Since the service is still new, only photos that were posted from December forward are currently included in the album. Eventually all of the photos we've ever posted on The Family Gathering will be there.

I'm also putting a link to the album on the sidebar, to make it easy to find the album. Let me know what you all think...

I need your help, please.

I'm working on the long-awaited CD of the Family Gathering Photos, and I just need the music for the background. The problem is, I've gotten stuck on the two obvious songs -- We Are Family, and Dueling Banjos (for the rafting photos).

I need suggestions, please.

A family cookbook

I've added a new link to the sidebar, Family Cookbook. This is an idea that mom (April), Cathy and I have been talking about for a while now. Cooking is one thing that this family does really well! It was be nice to have a way to share our favorite recipes with each other.

It would also help our younger family members (like Cari), who are going off on their own and need to start cooking for themselves. This way they can still have "home" cooking.

The Family Cookbook is set up similar to this blog: you'll need an invitation to be able to post anything. I'll be sending out invitations to everyone on this blog within the next few days. If you don't get an invitation, or if you know of any good cooks that aren't on the Family blog, please let me know.

And as always, I would love any suggestions on how to make the cookbook easier and/or more interesting.

Becky's New York Adventure

Becky, my youngest (who isn't so young anymore), just got back from a weekend trip to New York. We flew her up to visit with her sister, Cari. Apparently they had a wonderful time. And I'm still here at home, looking at photos and feeling very jealous.

If anyone would like to see some highlights of her trip, I've posted them online.

We've been updated!

Blogger has been working on updating their program, adding a lot of neat features. Most of these features have to do with the blog administration and how to change the way the blog looks. The new blog also publishes faster (no more re-indexing after you add a post!) and adds the ability to "label" each post. I've been waiting for our chance to get the newer program ever since Blogger announced their Beta program, and we have finally been included in the update.

The next time you sign in to post something new, or comment on a post, you'll be asked to create a new Google account. (If you already have a Google account, you can enter that.) It's very easy to do... just follow the steps they'll give you to create a new sign-in and password.

When you do post, you'll notice that publishing is instant. No more waiting for it to re-index! (I always hated that part; I could never decide if it was better to republish the entire blog or just the index.)

Also, you're going to be seeing labels on the posts. There will also be a section along the side that shows the labels. We'll be able to use a label to find posts with pictures. If anyone has other label ideas, just let me know. (Or better yet, add it to describe a post you write!)

As I figure out the other new features, I'll let you know.

(And my apologies to everyone with December birthdays -- I meant to update the Celebrations page earlier. Happy Belated birthday to both Cheyenne and Micki, and Happy Anniversary to Herb and Gail!)