Aunty Gail and Kenji, Elgin, IL
On Saturday we went to Doug and Noako’s for their annual Labor Day barbecue. Everything was delicious, of course, and it was fun to see everyone. We also had a surprise retirement party for Aunty Gail, who after many years of running an accounting firm, finally sold out and retired as of about a month ago.
Tags:barbecue·doug·elgin·gail·kenji·labor day·naoko·retirement
After golfing we headed over to Aunty Peggy and Uncle Neil’s house. For the last two July Fourth holidays Dallas’s family has gotten Camp Fukuda tshirts made and then taken family photographs in them.
Trying to assemble 25+ people can be maddening. People walk off.
Other people pose together.
Kids run around.
Finally. Only Heather and I are missing. Heather was setting up her camera on a tripod so I took that time to make my own photo. There’s a photo floating around somewhere that has all of us.
Back: Caroline, Aunty Glenna, Uncle BB, Jeff, Cory, Chris, Caroline, Danny, Aunty Gail, Naoko, Kenji, Doug, Tommy, Derek, Krystyn, Hideto, Scotty, Peggy, Neil. Front: Adam, Chris, Dallas, Kathy, Laura, Mitch, Kyle, Kate, Winnie, Ben.
Aunty Laura’s Family -
Cory, Chris, Danny, Caroline, Aunty Laura, Krystyn, Hideto, Scotty
Kathy’s Family -
Kathy, Caroline, Dallas, Rachelle
Caroline, Dallas
Aunty Peggy & Uncle Neil’s Family –
Aunty Peggy, Derek, Uncle Neil, Kyle, Kate, Ben, Winnie
Dallas & his sister, still goofing-
Caroline, Dallas
Aunty Gail’s Family -
Jeff, Heather, Chris, Mitch, Auny Gail, Tommy, Doug, Kenji, Naoko
Aunty Glenna & Uncle BB’s (sort of) family-
Uncle BB & Aunty Glenna’s kids didn’t arrive til later in the night so they got Adam, a family friend, in their photo.
These are the people that won the 2009 Fukuda Cup earlier in the day. Notice that they changed into their winning shirts.
Kyle, Jeff, Adam, Chris, Aunty Gail, Danny
I poured my beer into the award cup and each winning team member had to drink from the cup. Notice that Chris’s shirt is all wet. Doug, a sore loser, sprayed the hose all over the winners while they were posing for photos.
Chris, Aunty Gail
Adam, Jeff
Kyle
These are the people who lost the 2009 Fukuda Cup. Dallas was giving “the finger” in some of the photos. He told his mom to do it and she gave thumbs up… wrong finger.. and everyone started laughing.
Dallas, Doug, Kathy, Uncle BB, Uncle Neil, Scotty
Dallas
Glenna
After photos we spent the afternoon and evening eating delicious gumbo that Danny made, drinking, and visiting in the yard. Or inside. The mosquitoes were kind of brutal in Michigan.
Tags:adam·bb·ben·brighton·camp fukuda·caroline·chris·cory·dallas·danny·derek·doug·fukuda cup·gail·glenna·heather·hideto·jeff·kate·kathy·kenji·krystyn·kyle·laura·michigan·mitch·naoko·neil·peggy·scotty·tommy·winnie
For the Fourth of July holiday Dallas and I went to Michigan with his family. In many years past only people who golfed went. Last year many more people who didn’t golf went on the trip, but I was vacationing in Cape Cod so I missed it. This year I decided to go to Michigan and see what it was all about. I’d never been to Michigan before, except a brief visit to the Upper Peninsula. It reminded me a lot of Wisconsin.
Dallas’s Uncle Neil and Aunty Peggy live in Brighton, MI, which is just north of Ann Arbor and just south of Flint. Most people who were visiting stayed in a dirt-cheap hotel nearby their house. Room rates were only $35-$65/night. The first day we were there Dallas went golfing in a family tournament. Cory, Caroline and I went to Uncle Neil and Aunty Peggy’s house to visit and for breakfast, but then we were off to the Tanger Outlet mall.
Later in the afternoon we met up with the people who were golfing as they came into the 18th hole at Timber Trace Golf Club. This was a made up tournament they were holding called the Fukuda Cup. (Fukuda is a family name.) Danny made a trophy and shirts were ordered. Bragging rights were on the line.
Aunty Gail, Kyle, Uncle Neil, Scotty :: Timber Trace Golf Club, Pickney, MI
Danny, Dallas, Jeff :: Timber Trace Golf Club, Pickney, MI
Danny, Dallas, Jeff, & Uncle BB posing by the 18th hole.
Danny, Dallas, Uncle BB, Jeff :: Timber Trace Golf Club, Pickney, MI
Dallas, Aunty Gail, Kyle & Scotty resting after a long day of golfing.
I think Dallas, Aunty Gail & Kyle were wearing the brightest shirts they own.
Dallas’s Mom, Kathy :: Timber Trace Golf Club, Pickney, MI
Doug, Kathy, & Adam finished up.
Uncle Neil ready to go in the golf cart.
2009 Fukuda Cup Golf Shirts :: Timber Trace Golf Club, Pickney, MI
2009 Fukuda Cup Winning Team: Kyle, Adam, Jeff, Aunty Gail, Chris, Danny
Dallas was a sore loser, but drunk & smiling.
Tags:adam·bb·caroline·chris·cory·dallas·danny·doug·fourth of july·fukuda cup·gail·golf·jeff·kathy·kyle·michigan·neil·pickney·scotty·tanger outlet mall·timber trace golf club
Cory and Chris’s wedding reception was held at Maxim’s de Paris in the Gold Coast. It’s a unique venue, decorated in the stylin’ art deco style. Cory wrote a bit about Maxim’s here if you’re interested.
After busting open the sake and cutting the cake we all had dinner and drank and ate and drank and drank and danced and danced and drank and danced and danced. It was a super fun time. You can tell from everyone’s huge smiles in the photos below.
(Click on photos below to see them bigger.)
Tags:aly·bb·brad·caroline·Chicago·chris·cory·dallas·danny·doug·glenna·gold coast·heather·hideto·jeff·john·kwan·kyle·martin·maxims·miko·mitch·naoko·neil·peggy·scotty·sonny·tommy·toni·wedding
Mitch: “Take my photo so I can see if your flash hurts my eyes like my mom’s does.”
Jeff and Doug got this pinball machine when they were kids and now their own kids play it.
Hideto
Jeff & Mitch
Cory selecting a package in the gift exchange.
Mandy & Brad
Tommy
Auntie Cory & Hideto
Dallas
Danny & Kenji
Tommy loved the ice cream sandwiches made with Auntie Gail’s homemade cookies.
On Christmas day we always go to Dallas’ Auntie Gail’s house in Mt. Prospect. This year we didn’t have a ride, but we live so close to the Blue Line that we just took it out to the Cumberland stop and Auntie Laura picked us up. Very convenient, just so we don’t have a lot to carry.
Every year Auntie Gail makes beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn and her mom’s lettuce/mayo/crab/?? salad. Always delicious. Also, around Thanksgiving every year Auntie Gail starts reminding everyone to bring a $10 grab bag, “no junk.” The exchange always gets a little crazy with people going after the same gifts over and over even though they have no idea what they are. It’s all about the packaging. Dallas and I got a fancy wine opener (from Naoko) and a deviled egg plate (from Auntie Laura).
This year it was fun to see Kenji, Doug and Naoko’s baby who was just born less than a month ago. He’s so tiny. When Tommy and Hideto were born I don’t think I saw them til they were much older. I stole Kenji away for almost an hour and then finally gave him up to the next person to hold him. Also, I’d only spent time with Hideto one time before. He was visiting from the Bay Area with his parents, Dallas’ cousin Scott & Krystyn and it was nice to see him again. He’s gotten so big!
Previous Christmases at Auntie Gail’s:
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
Tags:blue line·brad·cory·cta·dallas·danny·doug·gail·hideto·jeff·kenji·krystyn·laura·mandy·mitch·mount prospect·naoko·pinball·scott·tommy
