Missouri

We're home. And may I say I am glad that we have postponed the Disney trip. 8 1/2 hours in a minivan with 3 active children--not fun!
Missouri was wonderful--not so wonderful was coming home to sleet and snow. What the heck? I left green to come back to dreary.
We arrived on Thursday afternoon and spent the time gabbing. Friday, Chari's boys were moving slow so we went to Kleinschmidts. Kleinschmits is a big deal to the kids and Chewie knew it. Boots, honey--and I ain't talking no old boot here. Fancy dancy boots. Imagine a huge (and I mean HUGE) store filled with stuffed wild animals, anything cowboy you can think of and rows and rows of any and all cowboy boots. Then imagine 3 little kids running up and down those rows looking for their current dream boot. Julia got pink boots--and not just any pink boot. Light up pink boots. Rauan got some John Deere cowboy boots. And Chewie laid eyes on some black and red cowboy boots and that was the end of that. He is mighty proud of those boots.
Saturday brought some beautiful weather. Went spent part of the day at Scott's parents place that is farmland. With a pond full of fish and lots of land for 4 wheeling. Yes yes--I know about the dangers--after all I've seen what can happen. Which is why the children wore helmets and they went slow. I do not want to have my children scared of everything--but to learn to take proper precautions. Life is meant to be enjoyed.
Rauan and Zach out on the 4 wheeler--and this will be the child that will give me gray hair. We couldn't get him off and he thought Zach went way too slow for him.

Julia proves yet again she has no fear. She loved it!

And this was the boy with the biggest smile of all! I have never seen such pure joy as that which I saw on Chewie. This is the life he was meant to have--one full of joy, laughter, family and friends--and the wide open spaces.

And of course, me and Chari. Two extremely old friends. The first person I called after I met Ted, my matron of honor and someone who had cried and laughed with me throughout the past 25+ years! By the way I blame the chin on Ted. He was taking the picture and made a wise ass remark about the lens not being big enough for the two of us. Yeah, he got his butt kicked by us two old ladies right after that!

The children also fished for the first time. Donnie (Scott's dad) taught them the fine art of casting a line. Of course, Rauan loved it and kept casting and casting--and asking his numerous questions. Saturday night we went to Elden and Vicky's, Chari's dad and mom. A night filled with wild stories of years past (I was NOT drunk and just sitting in a dark room--I was just wanting quiet--Thanksgiving 2002), and enjoying our current lives.

Sunday was cloudy and cooler, but there were Easter baskets a plenty for the children. He made quite a few trips that day. We spent the afternoon at Elden and Vicky's practicing the fine art of roasting wieners over a fire (a fine Easter dinner if I do say so myself) and shooting the shit--literally--alot of it was going around. I swear men when they get together......

Also, during the time down there we went to two different wineries. One that I am familiar with--Baltimore Bend. YUMMY!! The other one, 3 Trails, is new but there was actually a white wine that I bought. I'm not a big fan of whites--but this is a perfect summer wine.

Now back to reality. Clothes in the washer and dryer. Trip to the grocery store. Bathroom is totally cool--now I wish I had $ for a new counter and floor. Maybe next year--when the kids stop climbing on things.

Look for a future post with lots of boots!