Rich/Erika reunion suggestion

Hey everyone! Sorry for our tardiness!! I sent this out via email on the blog (or thought I did) a week ago!!!

We searched VRBO.com (Vacation Rental By Owner) to find some options for renting a house that we can all stay in. There have been some really great suggestions, and I can't wait to get together soon to try and make some decisions!

So, we found two different options, and just figured we would list them both for information purposes - though we are in favor of the Mountain House for the cost. We looked mainly at the last 2 weeks of June, and going into the July 4th holiday. Both houses would require us buying and preparing our own food, which could be done on a rotating assignment. We still think this would be a great option, having each family in charge of preparing a big meal each day of which we all help clean up, and then having open breakfast/lunch with each family kind of preparing their own sandwiches, toast/cereal, etc. In my mind, this would be organized by a food committee.

Information below. I'll get in touch with all the families later this week and then send out a summary of all the ideas that have been put forth.

Love,

Rich

Beach House (Topsail Beach, NC): $10,500/ week includes booking fee and linens, taxes at 13% ($1,365) makes it $11,865 (estimated 2010 price from owner)
*This was the best beach deal I could find, a lot of the houses of this size are over $12,000/week not including taxes. Same house in Dec. is $3,000/week.
Link: http://www.vrbo.com/222275 - pictures, etc.

Features:

• Brand new house built in 2009
• heated rooftop pool/hot tub with rooftop terrace-lanai (tv, frig, bath)
• boat launch ramp, private fishing / boat dock
• eight bedrooms (seven full and two half bathrooms), beds for 34 with overflow capacity on rollaway beds, trundle beds, or sleeper sofas
• Kitchen features two cook tops, two side-by-side refrigerators, two dishwashers, and a separate ice-making machine
• Large family style dining area
• Great Room w/fireplace, large screen TV with surround sound, full-size pool table, poker table
• A second living room / game room with a full kitchen is located on the first floor.
• Two sets of washers and dryers
• Pets allowed for additional charge ($200/pet)
• A second heated pool (in-ground)
• Swingset and amenities for toddlers and children
• Safety features include a metal escape ladders, hard wired smoke detector-smoke alarm system

Local Stuff to do:
Beach short walk
Nearby: Dirt bike run, parasailing, scuba diving, jet skiing, tubing, cycling, surfing, Golf, Tennis, Basketball, Miniature Golf, Fishing, Cinemas, Museums, Historic Wilmington, NC Aquarium, Battleship USS North Carolina, Ft. Fisher Historic Site

Mountain House (Gatlinburg, TN): $1100/ night @ 7nights, + 12.5% tax = $7,425 (one night free) *waiting for confirmation on price from owner
The Smoky Mountain Lodge - formerly an award-winning bed and breakfast, rental includes the entire estate - Main Lodge, Cottage, and Harvest House.
11 Bedrooms, 10+ Baths (Sleeps 34)
Link: http://www.vrbo.com/210206 - pictures, etc.(Lots of other lodges in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area as well)

• Three separate but connecting chalet style homes on 3.5 private acres with breathtaking, 180 degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
• Rocking chairs, Deck furniture, ammock, inflatable mattresses and horseshoes.
• Linens, Washer/Dryer, Cable/Satellite TV, Private Hot Tub, Pool Table, Foosball, Ping Pong/Table Tennis
• 7 fireplaces (3 gas, 4 woodburning), 3 outdoor hot tubs, 5 indoor jetted tubs, game room, 4 kitchens, 14 decks, reading and video libraries, 14 TVs (13" to 50"), VCRs, DVDs, multiple stereo systems with CD, Sony Playstation and Nintendo.

Local Stuff to do:
Golf, Tennis, Shopping, White Water Rafting, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Fishing, Rock Climbing, Horseshoes, Miniature golf, Horseback Riding

hendersonyan's suggestion for family reunion

Hi guys, Carine here. Randall has been super-busy with work. I did some searches online and came accross this place in Maine for the family reunion.

Check it out:

http://www.medomakcamp.com/index.php

It is an all-inclusive family resort with fun activities, lake, yoga, etc. What I like about this place is that we do not have to cook, activities are planned, everything is included and it's close to major cities.

Price-wise, it's on a higher end but if everybody is serious about this location I can find out more information or ask for group discounts.

Anyways, check it out. Thanks.

Thank you!!!

Thank you guys to all of you for taking such a good care of Ava while she was in Raleigh. There hasn't been a single day where she didn't recollect some sort of a memory of being with you. It's so special!

Also, thank you for fun clothes, costume, toys you all gave her. She will pick them out of a pile of toy's and say who gave her what.

Thank you-thank you-thank you!

We can't wait to see everyone for the family reunion!

reunion idea

Karla and Ryan here:

We found a place. It's pretty awesome. We're out of town right now, so we'll be posting all the information on our return home, Tuesday evening.

reminder

it was decided that each couple will present their suggestions by this Sunday, 6/28/09.

looking forward to seeing what we will all come up with.

-carine

Frustrated

Karla Here:

I found this amazing place. It would be great. Not all inclusive, but still great. On 2 acres on a lake. It's cabins (more like homes) each 2 bedrooms (a master and a loft one) 4 of these and a main house w/3 bedrooms (the gathering place). All in all there would be 11 bedrooms. For a family reunion you can rent the whole place out for yourselves. Very nice, but nothing fancy or too formal. We'd create our own activities. There are rivers and waterfalls, tubing, we can rent jet skis. The price is unbelievable, about 400 a family (just took total price and divided by 8 families, regardless of #'s.) Lots to do nearby. Lots of nature. Fire pits. Picnic tables. Just awesome. A great place for us to just enjoy being a family....ALL TO OURSELVES.

BUT


max capacity for the entire place is 28...we are 35. I am very very very sad. Ryan and I both loved the place. So sad.

The owners said the only way families w/more than 28 have done it, is that they rent another small cabin in the area and just sleep there. They can spend the entire time there at the place, but cannot sleep more than 28. I don't like this idea, but Ryan's words are "it would just be the sleeping part".

again...I am sad.

Conference call follow-up

2 weeks deadline:

Thanks Rich for organizing the conference call. Each family will now need to send an email containing their ideal family reunion location, with budget ideas, meal ideas, etc.

If you just reply to this email or send the email to jchendersonfamily@gmail.com, it will go out to everyone.

I can't wait to hear everyone's ideas!!!!

-Randall

Mom's email about Grandpa's travel plans

Randall here. Just wanted to post mom's email here to make sure it went out to everyone.

Grandpa’s sister, Aunt Norma in Wilmington passed away today. The funeral will be on Friday in Wilmington. Grandpa is flying out for the funeral. We do not have any other information at this time. Depending on when the arrangements are for Sister Chloe Hodge who passed away last night, Grandpa may come to Raleigh to also attend that funeral. We will let you all know as we know more about Grandpa’s schedule in case you can have a chance to see him while he is in North Carolina. Dad and I will go to Wilmington on Thursday to attend the viewing on Thursday night and the funeral on Friday. If anyone would like to take Ava during this time, that would be fine. We are okay with taking her with us also and we will take her to the beach while we are there. Love, Mom

Woodloch Details

Hi family, this is Aimee Henderson. So I have been doing alot of research with this particular family reunion destination. I have been talking with a personal planner who only does big groups at this destination. This is a beautiful all inclusive lodge in Woodloch pennsylvania. The beauty of this destination is that each room has two queen beds and one queen pullout in a seperate area. All activities, shows, and lodging are included in the price also. Children under 6 are free!!! It is about a 12 hour drive from Raleigh and I have a list of all the closest airports for those who would be flying in. The rooms are beautiful and comfortable!! They give privacy to each family. I know that Rob and Teressa would need one extra sleeping space so perhaps Jordan could come into a smaller families room, I know she would be welcome in ours! Some of the family is in year round school so basically no matter when we meet someone will have to miss 2-3 days of school, but that is easy as long as we have alot of planning ahead of time!! So here is a complete price breakdown per family that I have calculated for the week of September 14th which is still really warm at the destination. Also plane prices go back down in September as well as gas prices.

Cost includes 4 nights and 12 meals (where we could be seated all together) and all activities and shows!!

Children are priced by age groups: 6 and under, 7-12, 13-18 and adults

John and Carolyn: $1168

Rob and Teresa: $1632

Ray and Sara: $1440

Rich and Erika: $1304

Ron and Javita:$1440

Randall and Carine: $1168

Ryan and Karla:$1168

Russ and Aimee:$1168

*** We can add a Sunday night with dinner to a Monday morning with breakfast and lucnch for only $105 per adult and $60 for 7-19, 6 and under free!! This is nice because everyone would have traveled so far!

The following activities are included with the cost of your stay:

Basketball, Batting Cages, Bicycling, Bingo Boat Rides, Bocce Ball, Bumper Cars, Canoeing, Arts and Crafts, Playground, Cooking Class, Exercise Class, Go Carts, Hayrides, Horseshoes, Jacuzzi, Kayaks, Lawn Bowling, Line Dance Class, Mini Golf, Movies, Nature Trails, Paddle Boats, Playgrounds, Pool and Fitness/ Sports Complex, Ping-Pong, Rifle Barn and Paint Ball(minimal cost, quarters) Rowboats, Saliboats, Shuffle Board, Snowshoeing, Snow Tube, Splash Pool, Tennis, Trapeshooting, Volleyball, Water-Sking, Waterslide

We can have private hayrides or boat rides for our group plue arrange a family photo shoot with their photographer.

***For a minimal price we can have the resort set up a family Olympics just for us or the Amazing Race which covers 135 acres of the resort!! AWESOME!!

We naturally would expect a 5% increase for September of 2010 prices but such a great deal compared to anything I have found!

Check out the website www.woodloch.com

Let me know what you think!!

Love, Aimee Henderson

Committee Conference Call

Conference call scheduled for this Sunday, June 14th at what time? 9pm EST?

Agenda:

• Calendar
• Budget
• Woodloch

Committee members so far (welcome aboard!) are:

• Mom and Dad
  
• Rob or Teresa?
• Rich
• Ray
• Ron or Javita?
• Randall
• Karla
• Aimee

I think we could have the conference call over Skype or FreeConference, and can help organize how to do that. Please let me know what time and date works for everyone. I suggest that we do it for sometime late Sunday, around 9pm EST?

Rich

What do you all think?

I was looking at some places. This place has been featured in many magazines and has also won awards for the top family reunion place in the US. It seems to cater to families. They have all inclusive packages for food or you can chose to not get that and cook and have food at your room/house. They have rooms, suites and even houses. Lots of activities during any season. I think it looks pretty fun and interesting. It's about a 2hr. drive to NYC if we wanted to do a day of that.

http://www.woodloch.com/home/

Let me know what ya'll think. Karla

Decisions

I think we need to start deciding on quite a few things.

I think first thing first is ......WHEN.

After we know this we will be able to find locations, ideas, pricing, etc.

For Beach Hendersons, as of right now, summer is always best for us. We don't have year round schooling. But we are open, especially if it is planned in advance.

Karla

Email updates

Hi Everybody!  

Randall here.  Just wanted to let you all know that I set the blog to email everyone each time there is a comment or a new post.  

We need input and responses to Mom's email that is posted here, so please respond!  Let's make an effort to stay in touch, and plan this reunion so we can ALL get together and plan ahead.  

Love you all like a brother (and/or sister), 

-Randall

family reunion talent show

by Carine

I vote for a talent show during the upcoming family reunion.

Just wanted to let everybody know that Aimee and I are rehearsing the following dance routine for the family reunion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVEGfH4s5g

Randall and Russ will be our backup dancers. Shhhh..... they don't know it yet.

http://www.jiggystudio.com/play.php?vid=1519

family reunion

by Carolyn

I am sending this with an idea for the reunion which Aimee had suggested. Please respond and let me know what you think.

We are suggesting that each family have a representative who will make up the Committee for this John and Carolyn Henderson Family Reunion which we hope can become an annual or semiannual event. When each family has selected the representative for the committee we will have conference calls or whatever form of communication we choose to begin making plans and throwing out ideas. We would need to address the budget, select a place for the reunion, activities, etc. etc etc.

So you will need to discuss this with your spouse, select your representative and brainstorm with ideas so that we could come together to discuss these. We look forward to these times together and want everyone to have an opportunity to have an input into the plans.