Ohio Family Schnaegans – Year 3! (2025 Edition)

 

Once again, I made the annual trek to Ohio to reunite with my sister, MaryAnn, and her ever-growing crew of kids, grands, and great-grands. With MaryAnn living in Florida, we only get to see each other once a year—so we make it count!

This marked our third year of the Ohio Family Schnaegans meetup , and we hit a new record: 16 attendees—including a friend who fit right in! 🎉

Dinner at Kitchen Social

Feeding the Crew of 16!
How do you feed this crew of sixteen—all day long!  Some family rolled in Thursday for snacking and grilling, and by Friday afternoon, I was greeted by a glorious spread of snacks, cheeses, and goodies that kept the nibbling going strong. Tiffany had made dinner reservations for all 16 of us at Kitchen Social in Dublin—at 8 p.m. no less! Yes, if you know Bob and me, you’re probably wondering how I managed to wait for dinner that late. But I did! And the food? Absolutely spectacular. At least five of us boxed up half our meals and enjoyed them again on Saturday, joined by delivered pizza.

Yes, we all fit in the elevator from the parking garage to the restaurant!

Olivia (Luke's wife), Nancy (my sister's 
better half) and my grand nephew
Luke!

And now for some introductions!

My back!, Nancy and my sister, MaryAnn

Rileigh (my grand niece), Mitch (host & my
Grand nephew)  & Olivia my grand nephew's wife)

Olivia & my grand nephew Luke!

Mike, my nephew and his wife Beth

Emma is Rileigh's roommate in Tennesse.

Lynn, my niece and Zion (Mitch
& Tiffany's son)

My niece, Leigh and her hubby David

Leigh, Erin (my niece), Lynn & Zion

Tiffany & Mitch.  The best hosts around!

Thanks to Mitch and his wife, Tiffany, for once again opening their beautiful home to all of us!   There was something for everyone!

Their patio and backyard are a dream—perfect for games and gathering. We had it all—competitive corn hole tournaments, lively badminton matches, darts, pool and even nighttime card games in the basement.

Chill time!!!

Leigh, David, Luke and Olivia.  That's Piper, my sister's dog's tail bottom left!

Luke and David...snacking time!

A Rainy Day and a Wobbly Wrist
Saturday brought on-and-off rain, but it didn’t put a damper on the corn hole tournament! Mike & Luke were the winners.  But kudo’s to all the teams that did play:  Maryann/Nancy, Mitch/Liv, Luke/Mike, Emma/Rileigh, Tiff/Leigh, Erin/Lynn.

Badminton, on the other hand? Let’s just say it got a little too exciting. My niece Leigh took a spill and ended up with a broken wrist—though she didn’t even get an X-ray until she got back to Pennsylvania! This, my friends, is why I stayed a spectator all weekend.

Doggy Details ! 

Kalee and Gigi stayed home (which truly deserves its own post). My sister’s one-eyed dog, Piper, kept up with the whole crew like a spry puppy, and that adventurous spirit with just one eye? Definitely blog-worthy.

Erin brought her sweet Daisy along for the weekend too—she trembled most of the time but was a dear pup. Unfortunately, on the drive home to Pennsylvania, Daisy had a seizure. Poor Erin was beside herself, but her husband directed her to a dog ER for evaluation. Daisy’s now on anti-seizure medication, so we’re all hoping things stabilize.

This gathering isn't called Ohio Family Schnaegans for nothing!

My sister and her daughter, Lynn one night outside!  I don't think they were singing but...who knows!

Grandpa David was having a water fight with Zion (who was running away so fast I didn't get him in the picture!).

Poor Rileigh ended up getting the worst of the water fight!  She's in the red top sitting!  She couldn't get away fast enough.

I don't think Grandpa David was the winner...and yes, David, I'm keeping the other video's of  your celebration dance off my blog!  You can thank me later!

Sunday Sendoff:

It’s always a mad dash on Sunday morning due to everyone traveling back to Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Michigan!  But we were up bright and early and out the door by 8 a.m.  My niece and her son & wife were flying back to Florida so their flight wasn’t until 3 p.m.  and this year it was right on time!  Las year, Lynn, traveled from Ohio to out west!! Then back out east then to Florida.  Her trip home was almost 3 days back to Florida due to flights being canceled.  This year Luke and Olivia were her lucky charms!!

Sad to leave my sister and worse we didn't get a picture of us together dressed up.  So here is from our 2024 Ohio visit which will will have to do!  

…we aren’t getting any younger and the years go by so fast.  I always shed a tear and but hope we can still meet up either in Ohio, Tennessee or Florida!  Hard for me to leave the dogs for more than a weekend but who knows what the future will bring.

 I just want to say again to Tiff and Mitch a huge THANK YOU…you are both the best hosts around!  You open your beautiful home to all of us each year and I can’t believe you keep asking us to come back…but so glad you do!  Until our next meetup!!!

Daisy Update!!!!  Erin just sent me this photo of Daisy lying in the sun!  She looks like she is very content and doing well.  Hope she continues and no more seizures!