DIRECTIONS TO HOUSE IN IDAHO!

Directions are going to be sent via email to the house we are staying at. 
Our cell numbers and other information  added.

 After thinking about the privacy issue - this seemed wise.

Check your mail!

NIEMI CHURCH STEPS PHOTO

Sanfrid Niemi

Sheree has a FACEBOOK page and is putting pictures on it from mom  and dad's

archive of photos. That is where I found this photo. 

My  thoughts have always gone to Sanfrid when I share 

mom had 8 brothers and sisters. What was that like for him I wondered.

In search of stories next week.......

Niemiblog2010

Greetings! 

Blogger says I am able to give 10 authors access to our Niemi blog. 

You can post pics and write more than comments. 

It's not my blog at all!

It's....OUR reunion blog.

I have added your addresses and will send the user name and password in email.

ENJOY.

Now for that "ninth chapter" -- the cousins Stenback

Hello Folks, On with the Stenback cousins! Love, Ann Marie

This is Gianna, the youngest great-grandchild of Ailie and Leni. Her brother built a nest of blankets, and isn't she just so excited?

I took pairs pictures of my kids and Alia's. This is her Isaia and my Dominic.

Her Kalea Grace and my Grace (and no, we had no idea we'd picked the same name).

My Brandon and her Kili, at the Marin County Fair.

Alia's Naia and my Gabe

Auntie Alicia, Alia, and Jonah holding my Gianna.

My favorite picture from our CA trip. Marin County fair with boys on one haybale, and girls on the other, with me, Alia and Alicia together. It's so nice they are all around the same age!

Another of my favorite pictures, from Thanksgiving 2008, including my husband, Francis, and four of the current five children this time!

A first taste of photos from the grandchildren of Ailie (Aileen) Niemi Stenback

Hello Family! Here are some Ailie and Leni Stenback pictures for you, along with a short explanation of our branch of the family tree. I wanted to get a good picture of Grandma Ailie on here before I put anything else up, but it's in the mail, and I can't seem to find mine. What a good idea to put all this on a blog! If you need any of the pictures, it should work pretty well to right click on each one and save it to your desktop.



Above is a picture from Grandma Ailie's funeral get together. I wasn't able to go, it was amazingly bad timing. Aunt Ruth Lund is on the left and her husband Dick is on the right. In between are my sister, Ramona, Alia and Jonah and their three kids, my mom, Carleen and my grandpa Leni, and Helvie and Jim Leinenkugel. I think their son is with them?

This is the first unidentified picture. All I can say is, wow, those kids look like Finns!

I believe Ailie and Leni are on the left, back, and I think my mom and uncle are the kids you can barely see at the bottom. Who is everyone else?

This was Thanksgiving 2008 in Astoria, OR, where my parents live. It's the last time all three sisters have been together, I think. From left to right, Bonnie, Carleen, Ann Marie, Ramona, and Chuck.

This was just taken at the other Lane house in Albion, CA. We unexpectedly got to stay with my folks for two weeks! And it was even fun! Left to right, Brandon, Gabe, Grandpa Chuck with Grace on his back, Grandma Carleen with Gianna, and Dominic.

My mom, Carleen Stenback Lane, is sending me some more pictures of herself, her brother Leonard, and his wife, Evelyn. For those who are interested but not sure who is connected how, Ailie was one of the daughters of Saana and Edward. She passed away in 2005, I believe. She and my Grandpa Leni had two children, Leonard and Carleen. My mom is Carleen. She married my dad, Chuck, in 1968. I (Ann Marie) was born in 1976, and then my sisters Ramona (1984) and Bonnie (1987). My uncle Lenny has a daughter named Alia, with his first wife, Alicia, and Alia is a few years older than I am. Alia and I have been reconnecting now that we have nine kids between the two of us, and they have so much fun together. The only problem is, I live near Seattle and she lives near San Francisco!

We are the two grandchildren of Aili and Leni who have had children. Mine are Gabe, 10, Brandon, 7, Grace, 5, Dominic, 3, and Gianna, 8 mos.

Alia and Jonah have four children and the kids have long Hawaiian middle names. She loves Hawaii, and that's where her first two were born and where her dad lives.

Her kids are Naia, 9, Kili, 8, Kalea Grace, 6, and Isaia, almost 4. I know she'd like to come to the reunion, but it's a very long drive and they've had a busy summer. I'm including pictures!

I also have two unidentified family pictures. Mom probably told me what they were, but I forget. The one of the wedding has two kids near the bottom, almost washed out, and I'm pretty sure those two are my mom and uncle.

My mom and I will be bringing more Finnish memories and pictures with us that might be really fun for people to see. We'll be staying at a campground at Springy Point, Friday-Sunday. See you all soon!

God bless,

Ann Marie (Lane, Stenback, Niemi) del Rosario

The Niemi Reunion Blog

Welcome to a blog created to honor the Niemi Family. Photos, stories, information from the reunion taking place in Sandpoint, Idaho summer of 2010 will be posted here. You may even take an unexpected walk through time - future and past.

A spunky Sanna Niemi traveled across the ocean many years ago, met a man named Edward. On American soil, their story began. One might say EIGHT beautiful chapters were written.

It is because of her, then him, and them - we gather. To share, honor, and
begin a ninth chapter called "The Cousins" for a book that truly, never ends.

From Irene's treasure box of photos....

Helvie Leinenkugal (Niemi)


One word comes to mind.


Julie.

It's about time.....

The Niemi Reunion 2010 begins August 6, 2010 - Sandpoint, Idaho.
Pictures will be posted each night after we arrive.
We invite you to look in - send a comment, or two. Please do!

ALL are welcome at this party....

To those coming, if you have photos to share, bring them along.
Steve will have his scanner. If you want to send to Steve now - his email is:
s_vangilder@hotmail.com

REMINDER:

11:00 a.m. Sunday morning (8/8) we gather at the
Kotchevar House
for a family brunch, sharing,
some "how well do you know your Niemi family" contests and
a heart warming slide show.

Guest List:

Jerry, Sue, Ray (Copt)
Carleen - her daughter Ann Marie del Rosario and children -
Gabriel, Grace, Brandon, Dominic (Stenback)
Jeanne and John (Vransic)
Edward and Patti, Elmer and Pamela, Ellen (Niemi)
Steve and Kaye - their sons Micah and Mark
Sheree Schmidt - her daughter and family -
Candace, Justin and Isaiah (10) Davis
Cindy Turnbough (Van Gilder)

Alot of SISU and love is coming to this fine town. (smile)

There's still time - do join us - even at last minute. Surprise us,
or quietly look in on the Niemi Blog while we are there. I can add your
name so you can put your own photos on here. If there are any privacy concerns,
please write.

We're keeping this S I M P L E - going to pass the hat for any shared meals together.
Maybe one or two of those....
The rest of that story is yours to write.
We can set up meeting times or places to gather by the water, in town.

No rules here except...

HAVE FUN.

In a few days I will post directions to Sandpoint/Kotchevar House.


Thanks to those who sent family member addresses and numbers.
It was appreciated.

See you soon!