Tuesday, May 27, 2008

It was a special weekend...and I am tired

There are those times away that stand out, and this was one of them. We drove up to northern California for a Memorial weekend chock full of cowboy rustling, a hoedown, good eats and a celebration on Sunday of my mom's 70th birthday. And the wild poppies...oh the poppies...
It was a large family gathering and at one time, on Sunday, we had 11 adults and 10 kids (8 of them under 6 years old.) It was a blast!

I could write about all of BOY's firsts: his first time riding a horse, the first time down a water slide by himself (x 5 million), or the first time winning a race (while riding a hobby horse.)

Then there were GIRL's exploits: counting to 100 with Uncle J, putting on a purple velvet evening gown and joining her cousins in a dance skit, more dancing at a hoedown, or going down the water slide with her daddy.

I will never forget hugging my sister for the first time since her near fatal accident- the feel of her wrapped in my arms...alive.

I had my Susie Homemaker hat on and I whipped up a homemade carrot cake with real cream cheese frosting from scratch for my mom's 70th birthday- with a little help from BOY, GIRL and one of their cousins. Baking a cake is a wonderful way to visit, and I enjoyed the time with my sister-n-law and my sister in the kitchen.

We presented my mom with a Shutterfly photo album containing pictures of her children, stepchildren, and all of her grandchildren (20 of them!) She cried. Worth every hour of putting the album together. A wonderful collaboration from everyone involved.

My favorite moments:

BOY getting up on a horse with no hesitation, a huge smile on his face.

Seeing BOY barreling down the water slide and shooting into the pool, and the expression of accomplishment on his face afterwards.

Watching BOY as he raced across a field -running while managing a hobby horse between his legs, then going around a barrel and racing back - winning his first race. I was stunned at his competitiveness. And proud. He got a lot of high fives.

Helping GIRL pick out a costume from my mom's costume box. Only the purple velvet would do. And then watching her in a little dance skit with her girl cousins performing for the family.

Seeing GIRL dance with joyful abandon at the hoedown in the barn on Friday night. Twirling and smiling. Twirling and falling. Twirling and smiling.

GIRL's wide eyes as she came around the curve of the water slide with her daddy.

Lest you think it was all poppies and cowboys, GIRL honored us with several volcanoesque tantrums, a cot was broken, a bit of china shattered, there was much piano pounding with small hands, and E's white shoes were so distracting to the family photographer that she had me place my skirt over them for the picture.

It was a special weekend... and I am tired.

**Photo credit to Google images


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25 comments:

  1. Those pics make me miss Northern CA!

    Hoedown, huh? You sound like my kind of people.

    Glad you had a great weekend - now go nap!

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  2. I'm hoping we'll hear the story behind the broken cot? :-)

    It all sounds like so much fun, and the photos are gorgeous. I haven't been to northern CA, but your pictures make me want to go.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful weekend! Welcome home.

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  4. Okay, first off, did you take that first photo, because man, you could find that in a calendar or on, say, my wall?

    Secondly, every single one of those things sounds like a Kodak moment to me! What a fun trip!

    Thirdly, are you serious about the shoes, because that is too funny!

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  5. Sounds like a wonderful weekend. And, I love you less for your ability to make a cake from scratch.

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  6. Yes, vacationing with children leaves you more tired than when you started!
    Glad you all had a great time!

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  7. Wow, what beautiful countryside, I love northern California.

    You're right, cooking together is one of the best things to share with others.

    It sounds like your children are really blossoming and growing into adventuresome kids!

    And finally, welcome back home!

    -suz

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  8. So there's cowboys in California too?? AWESOME!

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  9. I would have picked purple velvet too!

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  10. It sounds great and now you've got it captured forever!

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  11. Wow, how fun. Did you miss your computer? Come on, tell the truth.

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  12. Sounds like fun.

    And I want to jump into those photos of yours. Where in N. Calif is that?

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  13. So glad you had such a special time - I love family get togethers - and as for California - I had no idea how beautiful it was.

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  14. Great pics--it does sound like a great weekend :)

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  15. Fantastic pics, fantastic stories.The poppies are glorious!

    I had not read the story of your sister - thank goodness all is well!

    Wonderful about BOY and his daring exhilartation!

    Now you need a vacation just for yourself!

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  16. I was getting all misty over all the great times, and all the firsts for the little ones, and then you mentioned E's shoes, and I laughed like a loon. I actually have 2 winter dresses, and they're both purple velvet. Sounds like a wonderful time. I got one of those Shutterfly books for the Mountain Man for Father's Day last year, and it's the best thing I ever got. I'm working on ones for the grandparents. (Oh, and if I haven't properly mentioned it, thanks for putting your smiling face back on your blog. I missed you. ANd if I have, just go on about your business as if I hadn't been here.)

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  17. Sounds great...and so pretty! Where were you?

    I have 12 unread posts of yours in my reader...I'm not going to get to them all for comments...but I'll read them!
    Mwah!

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  18. I would dearly love to see a field of poppies. Only in picturesm so far (like yours).
    You weren't kidding about the bright whites, were you? Doesn't E know about walking on dirty paths to scuff them up a bit?

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  19. The photos made me homesick. It sounds wonderful. All of it - especially the joy of life in that hug with your sister.

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  20. Look at those GORGEOUS photos!!!

    xo ~K

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  21. What a wonderful weekend. Those poppies are so gorgeous!

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  22. Sounds like a magical weekend - I absolutely love that part of the world!

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  23. There are far too few poppies, smiling and twirling in this world...

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