Reunion photos

I want to give a big thanks to everyone at the reunion - everyone did a lot of work, and sure made me feel welcome.

Brian and I didn't get too many photos, but the ones we got we decided to put up in a public place on the net, using a photo site called Flickr.

I created a group at Flickr, which, if you join the group, will allow you to also post your photos in the same place, thereby getting all the reunion photos together in one easy-to-find place.

I don't find Flickr particularly user friendly; there is a bit of a learning curve, but I did figure it out, and with a little time, you can too!

To see the photos that I posted in the group, go to

www.flickr.com/groups/smithkith

Click on the "See All 19 Photos" link to, well, see all 19 photos. To see the photos as a slideshow, click the "See as Slideshow" link in the upper right-hand corner.

To join the group and be able to post your photos here, you have to join Flickr (which is free), then go to the Smtih Kith group page (same link as above), click on Members, then click on "Join this group". After that, you can upload photos to your Flickr account, then go to the Organizer, Load all Photos, click on the Groups tab on the right, then drag the photos over to that tab. And voila - you have added to the Group Pool (Group Pool = all group photos).

This is a public group, which means that no invitation is necessary and anyone can join.

Once again, thank you all very much! It was great to meet you.

Wow! What a rush!

I had a wonderful time... in fact the whole family did. I can't thank you all enough for making the time to come and doing all you did. This is going down as one of those wonderful memories that we will talk about forever.

I can't wait to get my hands on everybodies pictures. It's beeen a really long time since I've returned from anywhere without a 1000 photographs with which to bore my friends at work. This time I've got nothing. I'll manage to get the video edited down and burned on to disks at some point but it wont be quick. May be I can send them out for Christmas presents.

I miss you all already, Karin

Darn, it's over!

Many thanks to all the Smith Kith who came to the big reunion in Townsend. (And also to those who tried to come but couldn't ...!) I certainly had a blast. It was such a treat to get to see what a wonderful extended family we have. I think I speak for all of us "Olders" when I say we are mighty proud of the way the next generation has turned into fine adults; and of the way those "middle kids" are raising their "kidlings". Everyone really pitched in to help with the cooking, cleaning, planning, and "kidling herding," and it all went as well as I could possibly have imagined. If any or all of you will continue to participate in this Blog we will keep it going. It will be quite a while before the "published" info and pix come out, so in the meantime keep on visiting this blog to see the occasional photo -- you never know, you might be in one of them! Thanks again, Marilyn

"To Bring" List ...

Some suggestions for each group to bring ... sleeping bags for kids, extra pillows, flashlights, any "dress-up stuff" you might have around, bug spray, small first aid kits, photos (old and new), receipts for any supplies you have already purchased, comfortable shoes for hiking and riding, and pots, pans or kitchen things you might need that may not be already in the furnished kitchens, and a BIG SMILE! I don't mean to sound like a camp counselor, sorry! Marilyn

FOOD

Altho we have the three dinners and three breakfast meals covered, we are leaving the lunches up to the indvidual families. You can bring groceries from home, or shop at the store nearby. If you are doing a meal just for your own family, then it's on you. If you are doing shopping for the group as a whole, keep your receipts. (Bring them from home, too, whether you doing one of the major meals or are bringing cookies or snacks or desserts or salads to share). At the end of the reunion, we will total up all the reciepts and divide the costs among the group. Sound OK? Feel free to bring any homemade or storebought goodies for snacking and desserts. That is where we have not scheduled anything specific. Marilyn

History Hour

One of the ideas that came out of a brainstorming session with Aunt Sandy and Aunt Lisa was this: Let's set aside a time each day, probably after dinner/dishes in the evenings, so each person can introduce themselves to the others. A five-minute limit per person, perhaps? One night can be Sandy's family, another night Steven's and one night Mariyn's. That way everyone can have a chance to speak (including the little'uns even if they just say their names) but we won't be overwhelmed by everyone having a turn all at one go. Whatcha think?

Talent Show

A reminder that Lisa is planning to organize a talent show for the kidlings. So if anyone needs to bring any instruments or props, put those things on your "to bring" lists. Marilyn

Photos

Hey, everyone, Lisa and Aunt Sandy were saying that they thought it would be a great idea for everyone to bring some photos along. Both current events and old pictures (even of other family members ... I'm sure there are some pretty funny old pix out there somewhere!) You can bring actual photos -- loose, in a box, in an album, however; or videos or CDs or DVDs -- we will have our laptop computer and there are televisions with VCRs . The more the merrier! Marilyn

Bunk House

OK, I know that this will sort of fall into place once we are all on the Farm, but I just want to remind the parents that there will be an invitation for any and all kids to sleep out in the Bunk House. No plumbing or heat or electricity ... it will be like camping out only with walls and a roof so no worries about animals. We plan to have two adults out there each night, with as many kids as want to come. We figure one adult to walk the kids to the real house to the bathroom, and another to stay with those who might still be sleeping, or whatever. That way there is always an adult (or a Big Kid) with the little ones. We are also hoping that it will work out so that each little kid who is game for this will have at least one night out without their own parents as chaperones. To that end, John and I have volunteered for Thursday night and Cathy and Nancy have volunteered for Saturday night. So, bring sleeping bags for the kids ... they may surprise you and decide to go even if they are saying "no, thanks" right now. Peer pressure, ya know!

Hiking

This is the photo I mean to add to the previous post about hiking in the Smokies. Lyn and John

Another picture worth 1000 words

OK, I'm trying out putting pictures on the Blog. This is Sandy, Marjorie and Marilyn in front of Aunt Sandy's RV. We were in SC in the spring of 2004 when I took the shot. (Yes, it was on a self-timer!)

Horseback Rides

Here's another "picture that's worth 1000 words..."

Marilyn

Arrival times?

When is everyone expecting to arrive? How many vehicles? There is plenty of parking on site, just wondering. John and I and Sheela and Sunil and Karin and Sid and Brian and Tracy will try to be there before noon on Thursday.. check in is probably one PM or so, and we will try to have dinner on the table around six PM. Marilyn

Tubing

Just a reminder about the tubing availability. I wanted the tubing, horseback riding and hiking info to be near each other on the Blog list. Karin has all the details on the tubing on her previous post titled "River Rats." We are thinking hiking on Friday, horses Saturday AM and tubing Saturday PM. Lyn, Marilyn, Mom

Fishin'

I've been assured that the pond on-site is stocked with bluegill and they are easy to catch.(Mostly good for catch-and-release rather than eatin' ... they are pretty small.) Kids need to bring their own poles and lines and hooks -- maybe we can dig for worms ... if anyone gets up early in the AM. If "big kids" want to fish in the river, they will need a TN fishin' license, but the pond is private and no license needed.

Lyn

Hiking

OK, here is the scoop on the third "off-campus" activity: a relatively short hike in the mountains on a trail suitable for both kids and grownups.

We've been on it before, and have taken little kids on it, so it's been tested. The trail is called the "Middle Prong Trail" (I wish it were more poetic, but ce la vie) and is broad and easy on the feet. There is a rushing stream close beside it most of the way, with a few accessible spots for foot-dangling-in-the-water-type activities.

The trail head is less than seven miles from the Goode View Farm, going towards Cades Cove but not all the way into its traffic tie-ups.

We chose this trail because it has a pretty waterfall as a destination for the sturdier hikers, but even the less-than-sturdy ones will enjoy the walk however far they want to go. It is not usually too crowded, altho I can never promise that in the middle of the summer.

We hope to have an adult for every one or perhaps two kids, and more than one vehicle if possible, too. That way when someone gets tired we can take them back but the others can continue on.

Who's up for hiking????

So far I have John, Karin, Sid, Sheela and Sunil ...

I hope to do this on Friday. The horseback riding will be Saturday AM and the river tubing will be Saturday afternoon.

Horseback riding (again)

I thought I'd take another head count on the horseback riding. The price is $25/hour per horse, $10/hr for a child riding double with an adult. Children over four are invited to ride double, children six and over are allowed their own horse. I didn't ask how old is too old, or how heavy is too heavy, to ride double. Reservations are not required in advance, so we can make it up as we go, but for planning purposes whose in and is Saturday morning okay?

I know that Kevin, Heather and Annabelle are each looking for their own horse. Sid, Sheela and I are each in, Sunil will double with me. Mom I expect that you'll ride but I don't know about John. David I thought we'd talked about this but I can't find what you said. I haven't heard from Brian, Aunt Sandy, Cousin Cathy, Cousin Maureen, Cousin Gavin or Uncle Steven. Are you in?