What's Going On Around Here?

It is hot, and we are really enjoying the pool!

Up Up With People

It was 20 years ago that I traveled in a group called Up With People. After a year and a semester at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, I went to Tucson, AZ to learn the Up With People show and then travel! Now, for those of you that do not know, UWP is an international organization for people 18-29 with an opportunity to travel the world living with host families in communities, doing positive work in the communities they visit using music as a way to open doors and spread the message of peace and love. OK, it is much more updated version these days speaking of community involvement, and focusing on a specific charity in a community that the cast will work for and then the show profits will be donated(no peace and love mentioned), BUT it did all grow out of the peace movement in the 60's.



It was an amazing experience. The cast was 120 people. We traveled around the US with a LOT of time spent in TX doing a corporate tour for Sun Oil Company that was celebrating some anniversary. We went to Canada, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. My Italian host moms prodded me to eat and eat and then laughed and pinched my cheeks and fat. I did enjoy the food in Italy except the day I couldn't understand what kind of meat they were feeding me, until my host mom whinnied. OH...Horse! Awww. I stayed in incredible places with wonderful families. I had a host dad in Germany come to get me and my 2 HUGE pieces of luggage on a bicycle. I stayed with nuns in a convent, learned a little bit of German, saw beautiful places, sad places, and met many interesting and wonderful people.




When the year ended, I thought that I would never lose touch with my Up With People family. 20 years later...It had been 15 years since I'd been in touch. How does that happen? We reunited in Tucson, AZ and it was so much fun! So good to see everyone who seemed to change so little. It was really an overwhelming experience and very emotional. It is difficult to explain what the Up With People year and the cast members meant to me. I'm just going to post some pictures. Enjoy the styles of the 80's! You may ask, if you had limited space, Jill, why did you bring that Mickey Mouse sweatshirt? Well, the white chenille stretch pants I'm wearing with it went with anything. You just had to make sure your socks were the right color to complement your outfit.




Ahhh...Up With People. So, if a show is ever in your area...Host a cast member from around the world! Go see the show, it will make you smile and leave you thinking anything is possible. And...If you are between the ages of 18-29 and would like an amazing educational experience while reaching out to others, give Up With People a try!

Reunion Addition!

Please add Rich and Kayla to the reunion crew! They were able to come for a time.

Family Reunion

Nearly every year, since 1989, the Ruemke clan has trekked to the Gull Lake cabin of our Minnesota relatives to join them for the Family Reunion. I believe I have only missed 4 years since we began, due to pregnancy or other commitments.






My Aunt Beth and her family have a wonderful cabin where we go to enjoy each other, laugh, eat, play games, slap mosquitoes, sit by the fire, water ski, tube, read, shop in Nisswa, fish, listen to loons and just be for 1-2 weeks.














Every year, I look forward to this time with the Minnesota family and all who gather. It is a happy time where adults and children play and we all reconnect. It is hard to believe that we have been going for so many years. Every year holds something special. This was the first year that I was there at the same time as the Krcmas and 4 of their truly darling children (my cousin once removed, Jean's family). It was a treat to be there together. Lydia had such a wonderful time playing with all of her cousins, and Ryan liked the dogs. Ted, Cindy and Conner drove up and we hadn't seen them in so long that I didn't recognize Conner. Kathy, Angela , her boyfriend Chad, Haley, and Kayla, Wendy and Michael (David for a day), Nancy, Jon, Heidi, Nicholas, cousin Jeff, Austin, and of course my Mom and Dad, and Grandma Beth. I hope that I haven't forgotten anyone. That is 29 people. People sleep everywhere, but there are luckily a lot of beds and sometimes tents, camper trailers and this year the Krcmas were sleeping on their boat. I must add a huge thank you to the family for hosting us and even giving me a bed every year, although I could sleep on a couch. Imagine 20 of your relatives invading yearly!




















We have had some special times up there. There was the year the Russians came and made Bullhead head soup, as well as soup from the mushrooms picked from the yard, weddings, water ski adventures and the year David worked on his kneeboard flip like a mad man, rock climbing Dad always working on some boat or the other, many baths in the lake, trips to the MN State Fair, seeing the Northern Lights, and Blizzards at Dairy Queen.

Babies arrive, loved ones die, children grow up, we grow old, and we go to the cabin in MN in the summer.

Reunions!

Oh, no one is going to check my blog again because it has been soooo long since I last posted. I have been having too much fun at reunions. First the annual MN family reunion at Gull Lake. It was a marvelous time. I look forward to that every year. Then I went to my 20 year Up With People reunion. That was really a remarkable time. I will update on both of these experiences with longer posts and pictures shortly! The kids and I went to MN, and then Joel kept the kids while I went to Tucson, AZ for UWP. Everyone is doing well!

Nothing But Pictures!

We had a wonderful Father's Day brunch at the Officer's Club with the Huebner Clan and then swimming and fun back at home with Karen. I hope Joel had a good day! He watched a lot of golf. Sounds miserable to me. Grandpa Ed is here, so we could celebrate Father's Day with him, which was nice. I also hope my Dad had a good day and wish I could have been with him.

No Pictures!

Please ignore comment on post below about pictures. I can't post them right now for some reason.

Talking with Boys

We went to a fun event at La Costa Resort tonight. It was a membership event that we were kindly invited to...big decision...get a membership for a year...or a new car. Probably neither! Anyway, Lydia played with a boy from her preschool class. I asked afterward if she had fun playing with him and she said, "Yes, I told him all about when I peed on the floor when I was three, and about the time when Gypsy pooped on the floor because we forgot to put the litter box in, and how Ryan still goes in his pants." I was a little surprised, and said, you told him that?! And she said, "Oh yes, boys love potty words."

*Pictures are from Father's Day.

More Recital Pictures

Lydia's Dance Recital

It was the big recital day! This was Lydia's second recital, so she was an old pro. Only one number this year, because we only took one class. It was Animal Crackers, and all the girls in her dance had a different animal costume. Lydia was a monkey, which was appropriate. They said to do HEAVY makeup which seems funny for the age, but Lydia loved it, of course.






Her friend Sydney had the funniest lion costume that we all thought was a bird at first. It was full of feathers.


Lydia sang and danced the recital beautifully. She did perform quite a bit of it to her friend next to her, but they had a great time. It was all at Escondido Center for Performing Arts. It is a huge venue. One poor little girl in Lydia's group went running off stage, but all else was great.

There was a lot of Hip Hop that I liked! The music was kind of loud, or I'm getting old. The Hip Hop choreography was the best. It is Lydia's teacher's strength. They did Chim Chiminey from Mary Poppins, and it was just about the worst choreography in the show. They needed Mark Minnick! I'm sure it is more difficult when you want to spotlight everyone, and I bet Colleen was feeling a little tired with 40 numbers to choreograph. Kudos to all the girls 3-18 for a sweet (3 hour) well done recital.

Job Interview

Well, I went on an interview for Carlsbad Schools. I want a part time position, so it may be difficult. Most Districts want full time teachers. Imagine. The real problem is that I can't think when I'm nervous. So, unless the question is something simple, I struggle to think of anything to say. Some people can babble. Nothing comes to my mind. Luckily most of the questions were basic teacher philosophy questions, but they did ask a question on reading instruction that I just had nothing to say about. One lady was falling asleep, and I kept watching her wondering if I should break into a little dance to wake her up. The questions were boring, and I couldn't think of any exciting responses (if any response at all). Anyway, I just decided that I detest interviews. It was just uncomfortable.


We went to a birthday party for the son of Karen's employer, Angela. It was fun and the kids were cute. They had a pinata and the kids wildly gathered candy. They also had little squirt guns. Ryan had his first squirt gun and was loving it, but anytime anyone squirted him, he'd say, "I sorry." Then if they continued, he got more emphatic..."I sorry!" He was squirting everyone else, of course.