We are all Eisenhauers here, except for you guys and those other people!!

One day during the reunion while sitting around Tommy Eisenhauer (Orey's youngest) made the statement, "We are all Eisenhauers here....except you guys and those other people!" I loved this comment for some reason and we would repeat it through out the reunion. So, here are some pictures of Eisenhauers and those other people! (Mostly those other people!)

Here we have starting from the left in the purple Teaghan Bradford (Lorna's oldest), Ethan Eisenhauer (Renny's second oldest), Julie Eisenhauer, Millie Henrikson, Maudie and Rick Vipperman and Stu Hardy.

Here we have David Henrikson (Millie's middle child), Stu Hardy, Pat and Sonnaylee Nutsch, Arlee and Ainzlee Hardy, Cindi Jorgensen and Raylynn Hardy, Paul Jorgensen and Luke Henrikson.

Here we have Edrea Eisenhauer, Peggy Eisenhauer, Erlene and Donny Jacobson and Bo.

And at this table we have Bob and Lucy Sherard, Jeannie and Randy Kissel, Bo and Edrea and Pat and Sonnaylee Nutsch.

And here we have Rob Henrikson, Orey Eisenhauer, Cindi Jorgensen, Millie and Hannah Henrikson, and Lorna Bradford. So, yes Tommy, we are all Eisenhauers here....except for you guys and those other people and we owe our gathering together to these two...

Frank and Julie Eisenhauer! And we all, whether a son or daughter, grandchild, great grandchild, niece or nephew, sister or brother in law or step brother and sister in law, want to thank you for bringing all us, Eisenhauers and other people together!! Millie

The campfire.

Each night of our family reunion we had a campfire. The boys spent several hours on Wednesday digging and building our fire pit and it was well used.

Some of the funnest times of the reunion were spent around the fire pit.

Of course we had s'mores. But we went beyond your average s'more. Have you tried a s'more with a peanut butter cup? Yes it is to die for!

We also got to try some new things. Our family has been roasting starbursts for quite some time now but it was new to a lot of the others. We personally like the tropical flavors best.

Cindi has recently been to girls camp and brought some really yummy ideas to the fire. One night we roasted caramels. You know the square kind wrapped in plastic. Of course you remove the plastic first and let the caramel melt a bit and then you press it between two Ritz crackers. Yes this is very good!

We also roasted cheese sticks. I know what you are thinking, I too doubted this but it is now my new favorite.

You toast the cheese stick until it is soft. I will warn you, you will probably lose your first one in the fire because just before you think it is ready it will be too ready and fall off. Do not give up. You want to try and rotate it so it cooks on all sides. They are soft and gooey like those cheese sticks you buy with out the greasy outer coating. Then you have the option of dipping them in marinara sauce. Yum!!

We also roasted every kind of marshmallow. Here is Stu with the always favorite caramel flavored. We also had chocolate, strawberry and another new favorite the coconut covered marshmallows.


We also had a movie going on in the background (I thought you could see the screen in this picture) on three of the nights.

We also roasted those giant marshmallows. Oh and have you tried the zebra marshmallows. They have dark chocolate stripes on them.

Some of our out of town visitors were Maudie and Rick the all time favorite Aunt and Uncle.

Cousin Patrick and his wife Sonnaylee (not pictured here!).

Every one got a chance to just sit and visit and remember old times.

And on one night there was a small meteor shower. Hanging out at the campfire each night was definately one of the high lights of the reunion. Thanks everyone for sharing! Millie

A Very Popular Baby

We only have one baby in our family, Miss Baylee Madge Hardy. Being the only baby at the reunion made her very popular!

This is a rare photo of her not being held by someone!

At the park.

At the 50th celebration.


At the reunion in the yard.

And not just the girls and women love to hold this baby.

I wish I had a picture of her with everyone that held her. She will probably go into shock when she goes back to being with just her family. We love you baby Baylee!! Millie

The donut game!

This last week we held our first annual Eisenhauer-Mecham family reunion. On Thursday we hung out at the farm and visited and played games. This is the donut game. You hang donuts from string at different lengths. Here we have the contestants patiently awaiting the signal to begin eating. Some of the players were bigger than others!

They listen as the rules are stated.

And as the rules are restated!

And go! You had to have your hands behind your back and could not kneel on the ground.

To add to the fun, Renny swung the branch back and forth.

Some get right into it and others watch and contemplate.

Of course Stu was right in the middle of it all.

And at last the prize!

These were our three real winners!! Laney was quietly standing by and then bam her donut was gone! Ethan and Sam of course were beasts! We had a lot of fun! Millie

Getting Ready

So, this week is our first ever Eisenhauer-Mecham family reunion and we are having it here at the old home stead. So, we have been getting ready. We have been doing some mowing and raking and hauling. We have also been moving wood and cutting wood and burning wood. We are about ready. (Good thing, it starts tomorrow!) As you can see the boys are totally excited!

This log needed to be broken down into more smaller logs. The boys got tired of sawing and decided to try breaking it!

Here Sam is standing on one end and David is getting ready to jump on the other end. (Luke was not quite enough weight!) They did succeed in breaking the log.

Did you know when you cut a log part way and then put something under it to help you break it this something has a name? No, I mean a real name. It is a fulcrum. I know weird! Millie

David before trek and after

This is David before trek at 5:30 in the morning! Not too excited about his trek clothes. Does not know yet that everyone is going to look like him when he gets to the church. You can tell by his look he questioned the whole idea of the trek and the reason behind it.

David after trek! Notice the angle of the hat and the look on his face that says, "I don't care what I look like. I survived the trek and I look good!" I love the whole trek experience and I love how it has affected my kids. I love hearing their stories afterwards and feeling the spirit they felt. I think the trek experience helps them to realize they can do hard things and afterward appreciate that they were hard but they did them. I am very proud of David. He was a leader in his family and an example to his fellow trekkers. (I know because he is David and because his ma and pa told me so!) Millie

Random pictures I did not get to blog!

This is the mother deer with her twin fawns that lives near us.

Here she is again and still not easy to see. She was a little skiddish with the babies around.

Our field trip group on Luke's trip to Lalooska lodge. All of my children have made this trip in the third grade but this was the first one I got to go on. Always before I was pregnant or had a little baby!

Isaac's last band concert of the year. He is always in the back and hard to see. He plays a mean trombone.

Coming to the snake river near you.....Li'l Millie!

Isaac riding the mechanical bull in Weiser.

Luke riding the mechanical bull in Weiser.

We always take this picture (okay, maybe not always, but for several years now) while watching the parade in Weiser. Just had the three of them again this year.

This Rob enjoying the parade. I think I have several pictures like this one also. You can see we were sitting with a pretty fun bunch!

Luke kind of with the keebler elf! They are in the same picture anyway.

This is my table display in the living room. I put it together for the 4th and love it so it stays! Just a lot of random things that are red, white and blue and family.

Hannah, me and mom!! Love this picture! Millie