Everyone Write Some Memories
August 6, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [4]
It’s time to write some memories of our VERY MEMORABLE 2008 PAGAN-POLHEMUS FAMILY REUNION.
I will start at the beginning of what I remember. It’s difficult for me, because I just had to get up and go and find the T-shirt (thank you again, Lainie) to see what we HAD. It was a REUNION. A REUNION!!! I couldn’t even remember THAT!!
Luis and Jordan and I arrived at Beth’s house at about 4:00 on Saturday afternoon and caught her playing on her computer. She didn’t expect us so soon so she had to get up and throw a roast in her crock pot, and proceed with the rest of the delicious dinner that only Beth can pull off! I would never have believed that my skinny little freckled-faced cutie would ever have developed into the multi-talented 45-year old woman that she is today. She’s amazing! She’s a marvelous cook. She can sew, and is a wonderful mother to her two over-active, creative, wild, and hilarious boys. Ryder (10), and Dillon ( 7) are anything but run-of-the-mill average. Their antics can entertain you and crack you up all day long. Beth is married to a fine man. He’s a lot of fun, and a good addition to the family. Thank you, Paul, for opening up your home to Luis and me when we go to Birmingham. We appreciate it so much. We hope we’re worthy in-laws, and don’t get on your nerves too much!
Buddy and his four showed up at some point. There were lots of hugs and kisses and “I love you”s” and then the two youngest (Adam-Michael..12, and Ethan, 10…) went down into the cave where Dillon and Ryder dwell with their computer and TV and lots of toys.
Ben came in with Julie and their two darling little munchkins. Lily is five and Ben Parker three. Things really livened up. It was so exciting to see everybody. What a great family!! And we were only on the tip of the iceberg.
Next day, Sunday, we went to church. It was so sweet and delightful to see our old friends of long ago. Deann Giles was with her mother, Sister Hickman, who is apparently living with them now, since the death of General Hickman four years ago. Kathy Giles Pierce was with them in Relief Society, too. I saw Nancy Hyde, but talked to her just briefly, because she kept the nursery. After Relief Society, I went down to the nursery to see if the little chest that Luis built for it in 1973, when I was the Relief Society President, was still there. Nancy said that they had just gotten brand new things for the nursery (as I could see….beautiful things), and one of the Primary sisters took it home with her. I was disappointed, as I would loved to have it. But it was only a “thing”. We chatted with Brother and Sister Scroggins, and Brian Scroggins came up to say “hello”. So did Kim Norris and Pam Norris, and others. It was nice. But the Ward is huge, and I don’t know anyone. In contrast to knowing “everyone” at one time. I counted up one time the number of brothers and sisters that had died since we arrived in Birmingham, and to Birmingham First Ward, and it was something like 35 people. That was a number of years ago. I’m sure that many, many more have died since then. Already….Off the top of my head….I can think of Martha Lane, Doris and Buddy Walser, and Frances and John Gibson.
Sunday afternoon, we arrived at our Chalet at about six o’clock. We had Jordan with us, as Jani had elected to stay behind with either Brenda or Crystal. I can’t remember. She and Jordan were with us on the trip up to Birmingham. Poor little Jani was so miserable. She couldn’t get comfortable in the front or back seat. Anyway, we settled in, and went up to the restaurant to eat, after Carmen and Jason arrived. I think that’s the way we did it. I had Spaghetti, and it was quite good. We went up two or three days later, and I had the Seafood Platter. Yuk! I should have known that you don’t order seafood in the mountains. Crystal said the waitress warned her not to get it! I had no such warning. But I took half of it home, and Carmen was starving, so she glupped it down without noticing that it was bad.
Luis and I were very comfortable in our bedroom. I’m sorry that some of you were not so comfortable. Beth was really bold and courageous. She stuck it out for the sake of her two boys, who were having the time of their lives. Beth, I wish the boys could have been with us at the picnic. If we had known it was going to be so much fun, I’m sure that Bill, Buddy, and Lainie could have found room in the cars to take them home. The kids had a fabulous fiesta, and a roaring rumble playing football and baseball. The adults made up two volleyball teams and Carmen, Maria, And Crystal showed that they still had the power to blast their male counterparts good and proper. I don’t know about the score. I just know that I saw the gals serving that ball so neatly. And BRENDA! Fiesty little thing! The runt in the litter. She showed that she has lots of steam in spite of that poor little neck that hurts all the time. I think Darrell got stuck with Lexie, and nobody thought it was fair for his 6′4″ to be on either team. And Jaymi (spelling) was sent home with Bubba. My daughters and daughters-in-law have excellent spouses, and vice-versa.
Luis and I stayed in the cabin most of the time. I slept a lot, and don’t really know what was going on. I know that all of you were playing games of cards, and watching TV , and playing other games.
Luis built fires, and he fell asleep by the fireplace. We were dozing comfortably while all of you were playng in the swimming pool, or hiking somewhere, or playing in the other pool by the waterfall. Or maybe some of you were fishing, and we heard that some of you went horseback riding. Teyla told me the name of her horse three times, but old Nanna can’t remember it yet!!
Then their was the night of the Musicfest. Thanks to Buddy and Bill and all of the guitars, and Jacob singing (I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t know my grandson could play the guitar and sing so well).
Teyla almost had to be spanked to make her get out of the spotlight, but she was cuter than Shirley Temple.
Altogether, it was just unbelieaveably successful. I hope that everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. We must stay close together as a family now. The grandchildren need to know each other. Austin, Jacob and Christopher are close in age. So are Bailey and Jordan. And Chelsea and Jani and Julia.
Bill
August 4, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | No Comments
I tried to click on family reunion but i have to come back here to post. I got 30 free prints from snapfish , so I ordered a collage as well. 
Just wondering…..
June 22, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [1]
When is everyone planning on getting to the reunion?, I know Nana and Pawpaw are planning on being there that Sunday the 27th and leaving the 3rd, what are everyone elses plans on arrival and departure, so maybe we can start planning some events when the most people are going to be there.. It will be here before we know it!!
plans
June 18, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [10]
Ben, was a decision ever made about renting a chalet/cabin/lodge whatever they are called. i haven’t heard anything about it.
Games to Play
April 13, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | No Comments
After the kids are tucked away, and not before. It could take until midnight, but bring something fun to play. I don’t know what? That’s in Carmen’s department. There are the usual old timers like Scrabble and Monopoly and Pictionary (which Jordan, Bailey, Lainie Beth, Jacob, Christopher) and that age group might like, or might not. Or maybe cards (Hearts, canasta,) I’ve forgotten. Bill and I, with our friends, played a lot of cards overseas. I don’t remember them. Bridge for one, but I was stupid, and couldn’t catch on. It was best when I really was the “dummy”.
Anyway, think about it, if you want to play games at night or anytime for that matter.
The Photo Gallery
April 13, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | No Comments
It just wouldn’t be a proper Family Reunion without a Photo Gallery. Where to set it up? Beth and Brenda can maybe look over the prospects when they go for their inspection. Maybe one of the walls of a cabin will do, as long as we don’t do any damage. Maybe each cabin or chalet, or even motel room could set up a gallery of your own, and we won’t have one big one. We could just enjoy looking at them from place to place.
What do you think?
I realize we have a place on this site to post photos, but not nearly as much space as we need.
By the way….Julie, if you read this…..thanks so much for the last two pictures you sent. They were so cute, of course. How could they not be.
Lainie…Is your Log Cabin still in Reserve?
April 13, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [12]
Are you still holding the Log Cabin? Where is it located? I’m assuming you’ll have Casey with you, if only she can go. And I would think that Ben and Julie would be the next best occupants. Ben needs to make up his mind, if that’s okay with you…or and unless you’ve already cancelled it, or made other plans.
Ben?
Dad has already cautioned me about trying to situate everybody. Now, here I go again.
Dad’s Ideas
April 10, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [6]
Luis and I talked about the business of renting a room, and having a dinner served one evening….and the liklihood of that being very expensive.
As usual, he isn’t in favor of anything being costly, mainly because most of us can’t afford it. So….
Why don’t we simply wait until we’re all there, and we’ll know then exactly how many we’ll be. Then…we decide which night we would like to go to the restaurant for a nice meal together (not have to reserve anything). We’ll order what we want, enjoy our dinner, and then…..
For our talent show, we can go to one of the cabins, probably a log cabin because they are bigger. Bill and Buddy have enough equipment between them to set up a good band. Then we can proceed to sing and dance and recite poetry and do whatever else in the way of talents that we want.
Lainie has already seen the inside of the log cabin. Lainie, is it big enough to have our talent show?
What does everybody think? We won’t have to shell out much extra money for anything.
Talent Show
April 8, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [8]
I just thought of a talent I can do. One of my poems received Honorable Mention in Writer’s Digest several years ago. “What Did Ronald Rabbit Find?” I can recite this little children’s poem, and have Teyla and Jordan do a little skit with it. Now, the next thing is…..if I can find the poem somewhere. I’m sure it’s in the computer, hidden under something that I’ve forgotten about.
Okay, What About The T-Shirt Design Choices?
April 7, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | No Comments
So, I’ve set it up where we can put up the T-Shirt Designs, and then vote for them. Sadly, until and unless I can figure out a way to keep folks from voting twice, it might turn into a free-for-all…
…Except for the vaunted HONOR SYSTEM! (Yeah, that’s the ticket!) When (or “if”) we finally get T-Shirt designs (or anything else for that matter) that we can vote on, everyone will be on their “best behavior” and not vote more than once. Even I, who have already demonstrated the one-man-many-votes phenomenon - good thing I’m NOT a registered Democrat.
So, Lainie, Brenda, Carmen, whomever…where are the designs we have to vote on? We can put ‘em in a single post, and designate ‘em, and then set up the poll for voting (HONEST voting).
LOGO/Shirts
April 6, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [3]
Ok, i haven’t been on much lately and I don’t really want to read through EVERYTHING, so forgive me if i repeat something or am off somewhere. BILL, can’t you make a poll area somewhere? I was thinking that all who wanted to could design a logo and/or something for shirts. We could send them to you and you could post them in a poll area. Maybe make a deadline for next Sunday or after that. It would be best if we DIDN’T rush and make them right now. We should spend time deciding exactly what we all want and finding the right price and place. Anyway…BEN, LAINIE, BUD, BILL, BETH, PAUL and ANYONE ELSE should design some stuff, send it to Bill and we could have an anonamous(?) poll. What do you think? I have a couple of ideas, but don’t want to be the only one. I think lainie has an idea somewhere, but I can’t find it.Brenda..
April 6, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [4]
Brenda, I just reread your original post about DeSoto, and I looked again at the things that DeSoto offers. I’m wondering if we can rent a dining room for a special dinner, and then the talent show following it. Is that how it goes.
And are you and Beth still willing to drive up there and look things over, and see about how much something like that will cost?
All This Bickering…
April 5, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [9]
…appears to be inevitable in such a large family. I’m not excusing it, just acknowledging that sometimes it’s going to happen. It’s a sad fact of life that the great amount of work, and the attendant stress, often makes for short tempers, even when planning “joyous occasions” like weddings and (it appears) family reunions.
Speaking for myself (but not seeking an excuse) this has been a stressful week for Nancy and me. Nancy’s been dealing all this school year with two parents out of forty-something students who have decided to make her life a living hell, mainly because of their own inadequacies. And she has had about enough.
I struggle with things surrounding this event because I suspect at least two of my kids won’t show, and won’t even acknowledge the fact that they were invited. I’m sure that Mom knows how that feels. It makes me a bit testy in discussing this thing.
So, I’m sorry to be such a jerk about some aspects of it.
I suspect that Lainie and Brenda, too, have a lot going on, and so a little squabbling is natural.
Mom, you might consider that although some of us DO remember and honor your father “Pop,” and mother “Mimi,” most of us do not remember them, nor have even met them. It is appropriate to honor them, but most of us are more focused on being with you and Dad. Speaking for our family, we want to cement the the two of you in the memories of our grandchildren who, though they are not related “by blood,” were certainly put into this large and growing family for some reason that Heavenly Father knows.
I want them to be happy in their lives, and part of that is “knowing where you came from” and having a sense of continuity.
Perhaps we can have a session - a lunchtime or an evening - where those of us who remember “Pop” and “Mimi” could relate some of our memories of them for the benefit of those who did not know them, to help strengthen that connection.
However, just remember that MOST of our throng are looking to you and Dad as the heads of the family. That’s what they know and remember.
ATTENTION BUDDY!!!
April 3, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | No Comments
Please check THIS THREAD RIGHT HERE and render your comments and opinions!
Music For Non-Musicians
April 2, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [4]
I think we ought to have a Karaoke Night in addition to any “Jam session” we might be planning. That way those who aren’t “into” playing music can sing along.
That sounds like something that Buddy and Lainie could coordinate.
Exclusively to Nancy
March 31, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [2]
Nancy, before it’s over with, I will probably make somebody very irate with me. Right now, the most important thing in the entire world to me is the last week of July. Our family has never had a reunion, or anything akin to it. I am nagging everyone in groups, pairs, and individually, because I firmly believe that we will have the best time of our lives if we exert an extreme effort toward this. I know that you and Bill are on overload right now with school, BASEBALL, homework, housework, work, work, work, etc.; but it won’t take but a few minutes to make a selection at DESOTO, and reserve a log cabin, chalet, motel, or cabin. In your case, I would say a log cabin, although they may be gone already. It’s urgent to do it right away, if we are all to be together at this wonderful place. I have nagged Bill. Now I nag you. Please, for my sake, do this thing. Your mother left this earth, and you really didn’t expect it. The thing is, we don’t know when any of us might leave it. I want a chance for my family to have this one great time together. With much love……..Elaine
PS No one is safe. You’re all going to get phone calls, letters, E-mails, exclusivelys on the websites, and many urgings from me until all of you have responded.
Reunion Details
March 30, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [8]
Please give an account if you have reserved a motel, lodge, or chalet and for how many days. Do it as soon as possible. Remember to ask for Carol when you call. See number to call under Brenda’s “Reunion Details”.
Now, other news. From the Thornton Family. Young Patrick has been called as Bishop of the new Ward that has been formed in the Tampa area. His Bishop kept trying to give him a calling as a Seminary teacher, and he kept telling his Bishop that he wasn’t supposed to accept that calling, that there was another calling for him, he just didn’t know what it was. And then when the calling for Bishop of the new ward came…the mystery was solved.
Leah Thornton….youngest daughter of the tribe. She was on the verge of marrying an older man (Leah is 25), and he wasn’t a member of the church. Joyce Thornon, her mother (her mother and my long time friend) was frantic. She was praying, fasting, keeping Leah’s name in the temple. And I won’t give all the details, but a young man got baptized into the Birmingham First Ward, and Leah met him, because her sister, Sarah met him first, and thought that Leah should definitely meet him. Or maybe it was Sarah’s husband, RJ, that met him….however it turned out. Anyway. Leah is going to marry this young man, probably in the Birmingham or Orlando temple. (I think???). He hasn’t been a member a year yet, so they will marry civilly first. Leah is insisting that they get married right away. She is going by the latest directions by the apostles that it is better now for young people to go ahead and marry civilly in such cases, rather than temping fate. It is much better. She is 25 and he is 29. Joyce and Pat finally agree to that, so Leah will probably get married very soon.
Lisa….Thornton’s oldest daughter. She has repented. Put on her garments again, and has returned to the temple. Lisa is married to the second husband, who is not a member of the church. Talmadge, her first husband, was a member of the church, but he left it, and he also left Lisa and the children, and married someone else. It has taken Lisa years to recover from the heartbreak of all of that, but she kept the children active, and now her oldest daughter is going to be married in the South Carolina Temple the last of April.
That again, is due to the faithfulness, and the prayers and fasting of one of the most spiritual and finest women I have ever known…my friend, Joyce Thornton.
Joyce Thornton, herself…..I have never known a more benevolent and charitable person in my life. Her ears and eyes are always open and ready to help. I have had the pleasure of being her companion visiting teacher, and she really kept us going.
We never missed a single month. We did more than our 100%. We ran the gamut and did 120%. We were always mindful of the needs of our sisters.
I will never forget how Joyce called for a visit with Roberta Thomason, and she didn’t get an answer. She called the next day, and didn’t get an answer. She called me, and she said, “This is not like Roberta, she’s always at home. I haven’t been able to get hold of Tad, either.” (You will remember that Tad was her only son) She called the third day and couldn’t get hold of Roberta. Then she got Tad, and told him of her concern. He told her not to worry. I wasn’t concerned either. I told her not to worry. Nope. Not Joyce’s style!! She went over to Roberta’s house, and knocked on the front door. No answer. She knocked on the back door. No answer. She tried to peek in windows. Finally, she somehow broke into the front door, and went it, called for Roberta. Everything was dark and smelled funny. She went into Roberta’s bedroom, and found her dead in the bed. It looked like she was having an attack, and there was an expression of fear on her face. She must have then made it to the bed and fell back on it.
If not for Joyce, and her concern for her fellowman…..how long would this lonely widow have remained alone in her home and deceased, as evidently not a whole lot of people kept up with her.
Well, there I go writing a lot again.
It’s Sunday afternoon….10 minutes until five o’clock. Jordan, the cat, Teyla, and Carmen are all in Carmen’s bed. Luis is reading the paper, and I think I’ll go rest.
T-Shirts for Reunion
March 27, 2008 | Reunion 2008 | Comments [9]
Lainie thinks T-Shirts would be a good idea. I do, too. I saw Ruth and Buck McLure’s Reunion photographs of their children and grand-children in their t-shirts, and they were just precious.
I also like Lainie’s idea about getting two colors, in case we want to divide up and play a soft-ball game (in which Lainie wants to beat Ben).
She wants someone to design them.
They will cost $5.00 each. That’s easy to do, for each of us to send her $5.00 now for each of our family members, so that she can get that done right away.
What think you???
I personally love the idea.
MOM