2021 Annual Meeting
Meeting Minutes
Opening
The annual family meeting was called to order by Lish at 7:30 PM on December 12, 2021 in the living room.
Present
Committee members present: Caleb Bulow (CEO), Lish Bulow (COO), Larissa Bulow (head of staff), Riana Bulow (executive assistant), Ethan Bulow (growth leader), Danielle Bulow (business writer), and Titus Bulow (project manager).
Agenda
- Events for inclusion in the annual family letter.
- Gift exchange plan.
- House decorations.
New Events
Lish opened the floor for proposals of events to include in the letter.
Titus suggested his trip to South Carolina with mom to visit cousins. Larissa asked what activities took place. Titus mentioned touring an estate, eating good food, and riding hoverboards. Riana noted that because so few of the family participated, the event did not qualify for inclusion in the letter.
Vote to include : 3 in favor, 4 opposed.
Caleb mentioned including Ethan’s state chess tournament late April. Ethan eagerly seconded the motion as long as his final placement wasn’t included. He said he didn’t want to, ahem, brag.
Vote: 2 in favor, 5 opposed.
Danielle wanted to include the three day cattle drive in Montana. Riana said if that Montana trip was included, the trip she and Larissa made to help with calving should also be included. Titus noted that the girl’s trip didn’t include a majority of the family members and shouldn’t qualify if his trip didn’t. Ethan said he would be in favor if we included the part about Riana getting in trouble on the train and about her sticking her arm into the cow up to her elbow.
Vote: 3 in favor, 3 opposed, 1 abstain.
Larissa proposed including her highschool graduation party. Caleb said it had been traumatizing to grill forty pizzas yet only get to eat 2 of them. General laughter ensued. Lish said the day was memorable because many family and friends made an appearance.
Vote: 6 in favor, 1 opposed.
Lish asked if they were going to include all of their various summer camp experiences. The secretary voiced opposition out of concern for writer’s cramp, noting that there had been four different camps at Storybook Lodge, including a retreat; two different trips to Bunkhouse; one camp at Good News in Drake, ND; and a Discipleship camp. Riana pointed out that all of the family had been involved at different camps so they should include the details of each camp. The secretary moaned.
Vote: 2 in favor, 0 opposed, 5 abstained.
Larissa asked if they could include her summer trips to Duluth and South Dakota. Riana told her there was no reason to. Larissa argued that they had been fun.
Vote: 1 in favor, 1 opposed, 5 abstained.
Titus and Dani proposed including their 4-H shows citing many awards and prizes. Ethan harrumphed, Larissa audibly rolled her eyes, and Riana brought up her new job as a coffee barista as an alternative. Everybody else noted that nobody else from the family was included in any of these events.
Vote: 1 in favor, 6 opposed.
Ethan insisted on including his obtaining of a driver’s license. The rest of the family shuddered in unison.
Vote: 3 in favor, 4 opposed.
Lish declared her and Caleb’s 20th anniversary trip to northern Idaho should be included even if the kids didn’t come. Caleb reminisced about the scenery and good food. Titus suggested including the activities the kids had with the Reeves grandparents. The other kids told him to shush. Dad asked what activities they were trying to hide. No discussion followed.
Vote: 2 in favor, 0 opposed, 5 abstained.
Lish suggested the floor be closed. Titus offered his baptism event. Lish said that would be nice, and that Ethan’s baptism should also be included. Titus then proposed his fishing trips with grandpa, but only the trips where he caught trophy fish. Larissa wanted to add her hunting trip with dad when she got her trophy buck. Riana said Ethan’s buck with a bow should be included. Ethan looked uncertain. Larissa said she could photoshop his antlers to look bigger but probably not quite as big as her buck.
Vote: 6 in favor, 1 opposed.
Riana mentioned that she had lots of fun during the Reeves Thanksgiving family trip in TN. Larissa lamented that she didn’t get enough time with her boyfriend, Truston, on that trip. Ethan audibly rolled his eyes. Danielle said she would vote in favor because she had so much fun with her cousins, and eating the turkey, and exploring the Creation museum, and flying on the airplane, and playing laser tag, and hiking, and…
Vote: 4 in favor, 0 opposed, 3 abstained.
Danielle proposed the Labor Day weekend when dad got sick. Caleb said it was just Covid and everyone was tired of hearing about that. Larissa said food still smelled off to her. Lish retorted that at least she could smell something. Titus and Danielle said their smell was gone for only a couple days. Caleb said they all smelled fine to him.
Vote: 6 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 veto.
Lish thought something should be said about how the Christmas cookie baking marathon had been scaled back to only 3,400 cookies. Titus asked if he could check out some of the cookies. Lish said that was fine. All the committee members thought that was a great idea.
Vote: 1 in favor, 0 opposed, 6 absent.
Lish reminded the stampeding committee members that there were additional agenda items.
Adjournment
Caleb moved to adjourn the meeting. Numerous committee members seconded. Motion carried amid a flurry of cookie crumbs.
This report is assumed to be true and accurate unless notification to the contrary is received within 72 hours.
