SECOND SUNDAY FESTIVITIES!!!

Tis the season for Merry Making, and Second Sunday is no exception. 
Don your Christmas Cheer...and head to the Burnetts this Sunday, December 14, beginning at 5:30pm, to revel in yummy food, splendid company, sweet Christmas memories, and some good ole family fun. Glazed ham is on the menu, so please bring your favorite side dishes to share.

**For those who wish to participate, bring a plateful (dozen+) cookies for our first-ever homemade cookie exchange--nom nom nom :) 

Here's hoping all of you are basking in the beauty of this wondrous season, and know how loved you are - we are so blessed to have each other. Yea Fam!  

Want something to do on Black Friday?

November is here!

Hi Family! 

It's that time again, Second Sunday dinner is only a couple days away. The weather is lovely up here in the Northwest, and we will be enjoying it's beauty and landscape in a new location this weekend. Ryan and Ali will be hosting the dinner at their place. We will be enjoying some BBQ cookin' and other side dishes you choose to bring. Please provide your own meat/veggies for the grill and bring a side dish to share. The feast will begin at 5:30pm on Sunday, November 9th. The Gunters live at 8550 Dempsey rd (the first driveway on the right). 

We hope to see you all there. It's always a good time when family and food are involved ( : For those of you living far from The Ranch, we hope all is well and that you're autumn season has been a lovely experience. 

Xoxo 

Sorry this photo is so blurry, but as you can imagine it was quite an intense game of croquet during October's meal. Congrats to John John and Tanner for their win. 

A festive, fall meal.

Well it's that time again. We shall be gathering at the Ranch this Sunday to enjoy a meal with the family. We are going back to a later time. Dinner will be at 5:30pm and the theme is Fall Soup and Salad. Bring a soup or salad and side dish to share! We've had a lot of fun at our monthly meals, and hope you can make it this Sunday to continue the memory making! 

Here are photos from last months fun evening. There are evening a few videos of a board game that causes more laughter than any other I know of. And of course we celebrated The Robertson anniversary! Woo Hoo for those two!

Saturday Fun.

This weekend we will be honoring grandma in the best way that we can... A ranch work party! There are some areas around the house that need some TLC and fall cleanup.

We'll gather at 9am to start the fun. We realize Saturdays are full of soccer games and other activities, so come if you can. The more family we have helping, the merrier it will be! Bring a water bottle and some work gloves too. We'll work for a couple hours.

And here are some more fun photos from the first day of school.

Wilkens Kelly started 6th grade this year.

Kyra Fromm is a Junior this year

Mckenna is a 9th grader this year.

The Taylor Family: Lindsey, Zane, Ty & Josie

Food & Photos.

We'll be feasting up at the Ranch for our Second Sunday dinner! We'll have spaghetti and sauce provided, so a side dish or two to share with everyone! Dinner will start at 4pm. Spread the word to the fam!

First Day of School Photos (It's not too late to send me your kids' photos)

Jonah is in 10th grade at Leavenworth High School

Hadyn is in 8th grade in Leavenworth

Evie had her first day in Preschool

Taye had her first day at Valley Academy

Jesse also had his first day at Valley Academy

Tyler started Kindergarten, and Jason just wanted to be in the photo.

Marcia's Grandpa Moment.

When I left the Ranch in June after helping clean Dad’s house and pull weeds in the yard, I brought home a few things rather than throw them in the “yard sale” pile.  I brought a baseball type cap that Dad had worn.  Mine says “Rainier Heli-Lift” and I love putting it on and taking off for a walk every morning.  I also wear it in the yard and wish that Mom and Dad were here to help me clean up under the orange trees and thin Grampa Frank’s iris!  I also brought home a bag of almonds!  We all know how he loved his almonds.  Each morning when I go to get a few almonds to cut up for my oatmeal (not Dad’s favorite, but mine—steal-cut) I literally break into a smile as I think of Dad.  What a great way to start my day!!  I’ve been “putting up” lots of tomatoes and I have his little tomato head extractor—for lack of a better term.  I just makes me happy to use things that remind me of him and Mom.  What great parents.  What a wonderful legacy.  So blessed!

Back to School.

Since Labor Day has passed, most schools have officially started their first day back, and we want to see those first day of school photos.

Send your photos (or photos of your children) of their first day/week of school. If you haven't taken one yet, now is your chance to snap a photo for the first month of school photo. Send them to vkdonaghy@gmail.com before Friday so we can post them by Friday morning! (If you know of any cousins who aren't aware of this, spread the message to them too!)

Let the Potlucks begin...

Hello again.

We had our first potluck dinner, and it was truly a sweet night. We also learned that there's a little learning curve to the blog and its usability. The best way for each of you to keep yourself updated with the blog is to subscribe to it, so that you receive notifications when new content has been added.

How do you you subscribe?
To the right of this "post" it says "follow by email", type your email address in that area and press submit. A pop-up screen will then ask you to confirm your email by typing in a specific code. Type the code in the text box below and click on the button "complete subscription request." From that point you will receive updates in your email inbox when new content has been added to the blog.  

Still have questions? Email me at vkdonaghy@gmail.com and I can help you with any computer issues.

 

 

Showin' off his "big mouth" skills

room to spare...next time we'll try a bigger apple.

Ryan.

One of my special memories with grandpa happened when I flew out to Wenatchee for an interview. I flew out by myself for a quick trip and had a wonderful dinner at Pat and Gloria's and spent the rest of the evening with grandpa. It was really my first time I spent one on one with him. I remember he was such a great host making me feel at home and asking if I wanted anything, often. He reminisced and told interesting stories of his childhood and went on about Grandma Peggy and how much he missed her. When it was time to leave he walked me outside and wished me a safe trip back, we hugged and I walked towards my car. As I was about to get in I turned and saw grandpa still standing on the porch watching me leave. I had so much love in my heart for that gentle man and realized I needed to do one more thing. I turned around and walked back towards him and said, "Grandpa can we say a prayer together before I leave?" He said you bet and there under the glow of his porch light we prayed, giving gratitude for our time we spent together and asking for safe travels. We hugged again and I turned and left with tears in my eyes, feeling overwhelmed with love and admiration for this man. I was not his grandson by blood but I felt as close to him as my own grandfathers. This may not be anything that sounds extraordinary on paper but it was a memory I'll always cherish. Love, Ryan

John John.

It has been one of the greatest blessings of mine to have known Grandpa Jim. I knew that he approved when I made the comment in a room full of the Fromm Family that I absolutely love me a good ol’ Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich! The Spirit of the Lord was so vibrant with Grandpa Jim that any worries you may have had would instantly vanish when you were in his presence.  He will forever be a loyal son of God, husband, father, grandpa and friend.  Grandpa Jim, we know you are near but we still miss you even so! 

Family & Food.

Hi Fam,

I would love to add more "Grandpa Moments" to the blog. ( : Send them to vkdonaghy@gmail.com so I can post them on the blog...pictures, stories, memories - whatever your heart desires. It's always a beautiful thing to share in his legacy, especially during this time of year.

Here's a rundown for our "Fromm Family" Sunday dinner. We'll begin our monthly potluck at The Ranch this Sunday, August, 17, 2014. Let's stick with the summer theme and BBQ. We'll gather at 5 to start the grill. Please bring meat for you and your family, and then a side dish to share. If you're planning on coming, would you mind adding a comment below or emailing me, so we have an approximate head count? The weather man says the sun will be out, so don't worry about the rain.

See you Sunday!

Allison and Jesse.

Here is a letter I wrote my Mom back in November 2012, while she was in Taiwan. In it I tell her about a sweet night Jesse and I spent with Grandpa. I left feeling like he had given me a gift by sharing so many marvelous stories. I only wished I had a camera recording the whole thing.

<<Jesse and I spent the evening with Grandpa. We have worked it out with Pat that we'll all take turns spending the evenings there until he goes to bed, at which point Pat will come over and sleep. That makes it easier in the morning with getting kids off to school. I had anticipated helping him get ready for bed and Cindy had told me what to do so that I was prepared.  It was clear though that he was kind of waiting for Pat to do that. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable so we just visited the whole time and I didn't have to do too much "nursing" care.

We got there between 6-6:30 and when I discovered he hadn't eaten I went in to heat up his food. Jesse was so eager to help--finding a plate to scrape the mashed potatoes on. When everything was sufficiently heated Jesse garnished the plate with some chips that he was sure Grandpa would want (apparently he was right) and we took the food in. 

He asked for a glass of milk with his food. Jesse quietly rushed into the kitchen and got it for him. Then he asked for a half glass of prune juice and Jesse quickly went to fetch that as well. It was so endearing to see him measuring and pouring out the liquids, then carefully taking them to Grandpa.

We talked about his day and the grueling procedure of tapping his lungs. It was awful, but by the time we were there talking to him, he was doing very well. If he coughs or sneezes it's extremely painful though. He asked me when you were coming back (not like he was pining, but just to have that information). He told me he didn't have any plans to go any time soon and he thinks he has a lot of living left in him. But after some considering he said, "That's 6 weeks? You know, I might not have a choice when I'm taken." Then Aunt Marcia called and they talked for a good half hour or so. I thought the conversation was over, but when I went back in he told me, "I just can't help feeling like I'd be cheating Katy-Did if I didn't make it to January." He shook his head and said, "She was such a cracker jack. long pause. But she was SO sweet. She IS so sweet." We talked about what a good mom and daughter you are and then he spent the next hour or so just telling me about stories from his youth.>>

A little snap through the past.

Grandpa Moments.

Hello family.

A few weeks ago some of the aunties and cousins discussed the idea of a "Fromm Family Blog". We felt like it would be a great way for all of us to connect and communicate more frequently. Since today marks the one year anniversary of Grandpa's passing, I thought it fitting to try out the idea, to celebrate Grandpa's legacy with all of you.

For the next 10 days I will collect
"Grandpa Moments" - your favorite characteristics, memories and feelings about Grandpa. Share a story. Paint a picture. Sing a song. However you want to express your feelings about Grandpa Jim, capture it in a way for me to post it on the blog. Email your "Grandpa Moments" to vkdonaghy@gmail.com and I will post it for you!

We will finish our "Grandpa Moments" celebration with a potluck dinner on August 17th at The Ranch. This dinner will be the first of many, as we want to celebrate our incredible heritage and future posterity with a potluck dinner each second Sunday of the month. (This month will be different, because we're celebrating on the 17th, which is when we celebrated Grandpa last year). Along with dinner, an assigned family will share something inspirational each month. It can be a story from the past, a motivational quote, or whatever else your family wants to share.

Grandma and Grandpa continually expressed their love for The Ranch and for each of us, and this is just a small way we can continue to share and strengthen that love.

More details will be coming to your inbox soon. You'll be able to subscribe to the blog to receive email notifications about new posts too. If you need any help I'm more than happy to email or chat with you on the phone.

I love you all. I'm so grateful for the incredible grandparents (parents) we've had in our lives. Let's let their legacy of goodness and charity inspire us. 

xoxo,
Vanessa
 
P.S. This morning I found a journal entry written at 3am, August 7, 2013, before I fell asleep in grandpa's home.

'Packed into Grandpa's living room were all his children and a few grandchildren. Marcia had just flown in, and there was a sense of peace. It was a race against time, but Grandpa held on for her goodbye.

Stories and memories were shared late into the night. I watched his girls smooth his hair, rub his hands, and fluff his pillow. His boys cared for him too. No one left his side for too long. His breathing felt heavy. It matched the weight in our hearts. Tears would come and go, but it was always peaceful near him. Then, one of the most tender moments occurred. We all knelt down together, alongside his bed, and Lance offered a sweet prayer of gratitude. He expressed gratitude for Grandpa's example as a father, a grandfather and a friend. The love in the room felt tangible. It embraced all of us, as we knew that his time on earth was coming to a close. On both sides of the veil he will be celebrated. I know there are loved ones waiting for him, and I see his children fast asleep on the couches and chairs next to him. He is a beloved man wherever he goes."