Family Fun Weekend!

Friday night we headed to Osceola to my sister Becky's for the annual family hunting weekend.  I had originally planned to go down Saturday, but I am so glad the kids' excitement pursuaded me to go down Friday night because we woke up to ice-covered roads and I never would have risked that! 

Saturday the guys headed out to the farm where I grew up at about 6:30 (after waking up every single one of my kids!).  We all got up around 8, had breakfast and spent the day playing with my nephew Nathan's kids (Archer 6, Riley 4, Lawson 8 months).  The boys were warriors, running around the house, shirtless, with guns and making a lot of noise.  Mary & Riley had plenty of "babies" to take care of, including strollers, a rocking chair and a high chair!  Leah was busy exploring the three floor of Aunt Becky's house.  More than once I lost that girl!  She could get from the basement to the second story before I noticed she was missing!  Grandma & Grandpa came for lunch and to see all those grandkids, too.  While the guys were hunting and the kids were playing and I finally caught Leah and got her to fall asleep on me, Jen (nephew Nathan's wife) made candy with their daughter Riley, and Becky.   The guys shot four deer and came home drinched with sweat (even though the temperature was in the teens) and stories of their adventures.  Finally, my nephew Landry, his friend he brought, and Nathan's family headed up to Nathan's to butcher deer.  Brave souls, it was a white-out that night.  We stayed nice and toasty warm in Becky & Marty's basement, surrounded by our beautiful children by the warm glow of the corn-burner.  Ahhh!

Sunday, churches were cancelled.  After breakfast in the basement and coffee upstairs with Becky, we had our own little worship service.  The children prayed, Dallas read the first 4 chapters of Matthew and we sang Christmas carols.  It was nice!  We had a relaxing day.  So relaxing we didn't want to go out into the cold to visit Grandma & Grandpa and go home!  Finally at about 4:00, Landry came back, he and Dallas headed back for the woods, and the kids and I went over to G & G's before heading home.  It was 9* when we got to their house and 4* when we got home! 

No pictures, I forgot my camera in the van.  Besides, things seemed to move so quickly, I wouldn't have remembered to take pictures, anyway!

It was such a great weekend.  It is so relaxing to just get away every now and then.  Visiting family is such a rare thing these past few years, it seems.  I miss my farm.  Everyone would come to our house, and sleep in the extra beds in the basement and spare bedroom.  We would eat ice cream for supper on Saturday night and Mom would make roast beef for Sunday dinner.  You could look out any window in the house and see our land.  Dallas comes home and tells me about the changes that have been made and it makes me cry.  I really wanted to buy it from Dad, but Dallas didn't think I could farm it myself since he is gone so much.... hmmm I wonder why?

Well, that was my weekend.  The long, boring, drawn-out version!