Our little corner of the internet to stay connected between get-togethers, share photos and stories, and start planning the next time we're all together.
We built this place for the reunion, but we're not ready to let it go dark. Going forward, this will be our year-round home base: a spot to stay in touch between visits, share photos and news, swap recipes, and start cooking up the next time we all get together.
For now, nothing you love is going anywhere. The thank-you note, the memory board, and the photo album are all staying put while everyone finishes reminiscing and uploading from the 4th. We've simply given the site a calmer, fresher look to grow into.
Over the coming weeks we'll gradually refresh each section for everyday family life, and add a spot for planning our next gathering. If there's something you'd love to see here, tell us on the board below.
More soon,
Dave & Johnny · Kevin & Melanie
Well, we did it. Two days, one lake, seven racks of ribs, a fleet of personal pizzas, and every last one of you. The reunion went off without a hitch, and the 4th gave us the kind of weather you'd order out of a catalog if you could. We keep replaying it and grinning.
To everyone who packed a car, burned a vacation day, or white-knuckled it across half the country to be here: thank you. We know what it takes to get a family across the miles, and the fact that you spent it on us means more than we can put into words. You didn't just show up, you showed up all-in.
And the food. My goodness, the food. The potluck table was a thing of beauty from end to end: Shay's cakes, Lesa's deviled eggs and that pepper jelly dip, the mac salad, the wagyu baked beans, the cinnamon rolls, the fruit, the salads, the mountains of chips, every cooler and every cookie. Nobody left hungry, and a few of us left much heavier. Thank you for cooking, hauling, and sharing like you always do.
More than anything, thank you for being the kind of family that makes a weekend like this feel easy. The porch conversations, the kids cannonballing until dark, the ping-pong trash talk, the fireworks with boats tied together. That's the good stuff. We are so lucky to be Reifschneiders together, and we don't take a minute of it for granted.
And to those who couldn't make it this year: we sure missed you. You were in the stories, in the toasts, and in more "remember when" moments than we can count. The weekend just isn't quite whole without every branch of this tree, and we're already looking forward to seeing every one of you again soon. Heal up, take care, and know you were here in spirit the entire time. And to our departed family who watched us from Heaven, a toast 🥂! ❤️
To those still making the drive or flight home: travel safe and know our doors are always open.
And yes, planning for the next one is already underway. No dates yet, but the wheels are turning. In related news, after Friday night's performance, Kevin and Dave are contemplating opening Wichita's newest pizzeria. 🍕 Investors, form an orderly line at the memory board below. (The health department has not been notified.) 🤣
With love and very full hearts,
Dave & Johnny · Kevin & Melanie
Favorite moment? Shoutout to a cook? A safe-and-sound "we made it home"? Pin it here for everyone to see. The thread lives on this page, so check back and keep the conversation going.
Planning for the next get-together is already underway. Drop your email below and we'll keep you posted on dates and plans. Your address goes straight to the hosts, it is never shown on the site or shared with anyone else.
To protect everyone's inbox, the family email list is not shown on the site. Signups go straight to Dave and Kevin, who'll use them only to share news about the next gathering.
Once the site is family-password protected, we can bring back a shared list if we want one.
If your camera roll is still holding reunion gold, drop it in the shared album so everyone can relive the weekend. Every angle of those fireworks counts.
Find your unit, tell us which day you roll in and roughly when, and you'll pop straight onto the board below. Headcount or potluck plans changed? Drop that in too so the cooks and the bed-makers can adjust.
Dave just got the heads-up too. See your pin on the right — or hit the button to change it.
Every pin also lands in Dave's inbox, so even if a phone forgets, we won't.
It started small — a few summers, a few backyards, a lot of memories. This year, we're going full clan — every aunt, uncle, cousin, kid, and plus-one — for the biggest Reifschneider reunion yet.
We're spreading across two houses in Wichita — Dave & Johnny's at 5139 N Harborside Ct and Kevin & Melanie's right next door at 5143 N Harborside Ct, with sleeping space, food, fireworks, and a brand-new pool that Kevin and Melanie are putting in just in time.
Bring your appetite. Bring your kids. Bring that recipe everyone always asks about. And whatever you do — send your RSVP so we know how many to plan for.
Our branches, our roots, and the newest little leaves. Coming soon, and growing.
→Three days mapped out — from the Friday meet-and-greet to the Sunday farewell brunch.
→Sharilyn's chicken spaghetti. Dave's breakfast casserole. Competition ribs. The hits.
→One shared family album. Browse past reunions, drop in your own — anyone can contribute.
→What everyone's bringing — coordinate the potluck before someone shows up with the seventh fruit tray.
→Both houses, sleeping arrangements, parking, and how to find us in Wichita.
→20% off Jack Archer apparel for the whole family. Show up in Wichita looking sharp.
→Tell us you're coming. Tell us how many. Tell us what you're bringing.
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