Family Reunions

Though it was for a sad reason, our family enjoyed opportunities to spend time with family on both sides.  It was a week of reunions.

Jennifer, Ralph, Mom, Jatana, Oliver, Eiley, Me, Kaylee, Doc and Brenda at the viewing

All the cousins LOVED chasing and catching Craig and Ann's chickens.  The chickens have a coop, but mostly roam free on the property.  Kaylee and Tori got pretty good and catching and holding the chickens.  No pecking!  Tori had a hard time with it at first, but she followed her normal process of constantly trying quietly until she was successful.  It was fun to watch her chase chicken time after time, over and over, without success and without complaint.  Tori has the true spirit of determination when she wants to accomplish something or develop a skill.  Good job, Tori.

The BABIES - Alyssa, Abigail and Anna.  We were very excited to spend time with all the little cousins and we especially enjoyed playing with the babies.  Kaylee is feeding Abbey.  Tori is holding Alyssa and Kimber is holding either Abbey or Anna - I can't tell without seeing them in person.  Kaylee helped take care of Abbey for a LONG time while I was taking care of Anna and Erin was helping Grandma Draughon with the computer.  I am proud of the talented and capable young woman she is becoming.  Taking care of a baby wouldn't normally be her first choice in activities.  Tori is a baby person and LOVES to take care of them.  She needs to be a little bigger so that she is strong enough to take care of them for longer on her own.  She will love that.  Kimber just likes to play with them for SHORT periods of time.

Tori is holding one of the twins in this picture.  I think it's Abbey because Anna was asleep before the PJs could be put on her.  Look how Tori is to be holding this cute little cousin.

Sarah and Sheila finally got time to have a talk while we all sat around and took care of babies.

Kevin and I took our kids to see Grandpa Woodie (my dad) in the nursing home where he lives.  My oldest sister, Donna, was there with him when we arrived and we were very excited about that.  We appreciate how much she does to care for dad.  It was uncanny how much dad looks like Grandma Woodie (his mom).  He has lost a great deal of weight.  It is easy to see that I look more like him.

Darlene and little Emily at Wink's for breakfast

Jennifer and Kevin

Gina and little Alana - Aaron's family

Mom and Darlene - I have never noticed how much they look alike.

Tori and Brandi (Emily's mom)

Darlene LOVES frogs and has lots of them in her office.  Tori thought that was cool and way better than a boring old office.

This is Darlene's business.  We were excited to see it and Kevin remarked that it was one of his favorite parts of the trip.  Mom works for Darlene and my girls, especially Tori, got VERY excited to see that Mom decorates her office space with Disney fairies.

Jennifer and Tavin are investigating some Disney fairies on top of the filing cabinet.

Papa Ralph held GARDEN SCHOOL for our kids.  He gave them each a pad of paper and a pencil.  Then he showed them different gardening tools and asked them to draw pictures of each one.  He told them the names of the tools and asked them to label their pictures.  He spelled each one so that Kimber could write them down.  I wondered if this would work, but each child LOVED it and even Tavin drew the pictures and had me help him write the words.  Great job, Papa Ralph!

After training, the kids were allowed to help Papa Ralph plant two rows of two different kinds of beans.  All of the kids thought is was the best thing and I appreciated an active and fun way for them to spend time with their grandpa.  They had not had much time to run around and play during the trip.

Tori looks normal - like she's just finished helping with the beans.  Kimber???  I'm afraid to ask what she was doing.  At any given moment she was trying to use the tiller (ALONE) or any of the many other sharp and dangerous tools she could find.  I just knew Tavin was going to lose a foot at his sister's hand...

Papa Ralph showed each child how to correctly use the tools to cover the seeds with soil after they had placed them in the rows.

Tavin liked the seeds and took lots of care in putting them in the ground until he had been doing it as long as he thought was important.  Then he DUMPED the rest and we had to help him spread them out.

I think Kimber was helping him spread out his dumped seeds.

Papa Ralph took all the kids (and Jennifer) on a long tractor ride around the block.  Then he let each child "drive" the tractor with him individually.  I think Kaylee was actually driving most of the time.

Tavin wouldn't go with Papa, so I took him on the drive and he thought it was great!

After we left Mom and Ralph's, we headed to Doc and Brenda's new home and had a really fun family gathering with them, Caleb, Jatana, Daniel and Shaynee and all the liitle kids.  We grilled hambugers and hotdogs and enjoyed chatting while we got it all together.  It was like old times and was a great way for the trip to end for my side of the family.  I was terrible and spent all the time enjoying their company and forgot to take any pictures.