Back to my Roots.

I was excited to be close to home this summer so I may have over committed to host/attend and support 

a few too many events, get togethers.   And we( the kids and I) may have driven home crying from tiredness.    I expect next summer to be a bit calmer. But at least I made some good memories and reminisced in my old stomping grounds with friends and family thats been "long time gone."

First Cydney's wedding  A childhood friend and our parents are still neighbors.

It was fun and sentimental to watch her get married on her front porch.  I can remember her standing there on that same porch her first day of kindergarten as the bus pulled up. Then a 1.5 hour  bus ride everyday.  Fun group of farm kids with a few crazies we picked up in Adams, there was never a dull morning.  Lots of fun memories at Cyd's house of bottle feeding bummer lambs, Nerf guns, running from ghosts in bunk houses, and barns, sleepovers, playing with briar horses,gold panning for Cheetos, camping,watching CMT music videos. ha. Yes fun to reminisce.

Bridesmaid's ride. Below.

I kicked myself for not bringing my camera. 

I just wanted to enjoy the evening. These are from my mom's.

I swear I knew every single face there. (of the 1200 that were there, I thought I heard?)

But I had no idea what their names they were. Just knew I knew them when I was a young gun.

Doug(dad) and Cyd's dog walked her down the isle. 

Very sweet.

Darla and Jennifer and I wanted a picture with the rainbow.

It STORMED crazy hard right before the wedding and then as soon as everyone was seated a rainbow came out.

Seriously? It was almost strangely perfect. 

I was so happy for Cydney and Kipp.

Anywho. 

Beautiful evening.

Onto... Jennifer's baby showa.

It was hosted by the 2003 Pendleton round up court aaand Amie. 

Those rodeo princesses were nice enough to let me help.

I  have loved watching Jennifer get married and have a baby.

She is so gracious and grateful and sincere and fun aaand... 

Love this gal.

Truly impressed at the grown up she grew up to be.

Onto Harvest.

Cache loved to go out. Grandma would pack him his own lunch in a tin lunchbox.

 Which was his favorite part. And then pick him up after a few hours or so.

He rode with grandpa in the combine. But his favorite is riding in "Joe's truck."

Making the daily delivery of afternoon home made milkshakes.

icecream

zac brown band

the smell of Fresh cut wheat.

A few moments of heaven.

"Joe let me dump the truck."

Cache still likes to remind me how cool that was.

And yet still more memories came back driving out to Aunt Julie's and Uncle Jay's for

Ole's 2nd Birthday!

 Ole is SUCH a cute boy and so fun to see my cousin Melanie(his mom).

It's been....years and years.

 All the guys were harvesting.  Later we found out they were actually fighting the neighbors field fire. (Cyd's family farm actually) Anyway so it was mostly all the women gathered for a summer evening birthday party.

Grandma Carla and baby Bowen.

So fun to see kids running and playing hard in the exact place we would play with our cousins as kids.  Cache got his first bee sting playin in the wood pile by the barn that night. Compared to the pony&cow chasing, loft jumping, weasel digging, and old well's filled with deer skeletons  stuff we did as kids out there... 

I'm glad he only got a bee sting.

 Cute Ole got boots for his birthday and by far his favorite present.

 Ole's dog house.

 Just playin "Harvest."

Cache and T would argue how to correctly harvest.

Well that's EXACTLY what happens on the big farm.

I thought that was so funny.

 Sunday before church in my parents yard.

My sweeties.

OH I love these guys.

 I was grateful to relive some of the best memories from growing up.  My mom even had me mow the lawn for old times sake.  2.5 hours later, I still wasn't done.  No thanks.  I feel so lucky to have grown up in the country, with family all around, and plenty of work to bind us together. My children won't quite get that same experience.That use to really weigh on my heart.

But we'll make sure they have some good memories too. In some ways they will never have as good. But in some ways they'll have it better.

And that's a wrap.