.jpg)
Happy July 5th! And, belated 4th
Yesterday may have been the official holiday, but today was really the day for making memories. 2008 marked the 15th anniversary since my husband Jeff graduated from ISU Vet School. Wow! Those 15 years went fast. Jeff was in vet school when we met and married. (I'll tell that story another day.) So, earlier this spring we were joking with another one of the families about having a get-together to celebrate those years. I decided it was time to be serious about this subject and plan a party. Time gets away too quickly and we shouldn't have waited 15 years to think about having one. So, I created some invites on my Creative Memories StoryBook software (love it!) and sent them out to just 5 other families that we were good friends with in school. We knew an event on July 5 might be hard to attend between holiday plans, family plans, and on-call schedules, but again...you know, sometimes you just have to plan it and whatever happens, happens. Three families couldn't come, three, including us, could. Not bad for the first time. And, after today, we're not waiting another 15 years to have a party. In so many respects it felt like just yesterday we left school.
In the photo below are the three classmates for which the party was in honor...Dr. Kurt (black shirt), Dr. Jim (hat), and Dr. Jeff (orange shirt). Far left is Anne, my cousin and Jim's wife; Joel (belongs to Kurt and wife, Darci). Henry and Matthew (Anne and Jim's son) have their backs to the camera.
Food was a focal point throughout the day. Jeff is getting quite a following for his smoked pork ribs and loins (attend the annual Union Tar Heel Days when he feeds the city!). There was a cold meat sandwich early lunch, a rib snack bar at 2 p.m., and a pork loin feast at 4:30 p.m. Although the above photo might not have much style, or composition, it has one memory we won't soon forget. Look closely at what Henry is doing and what is in front of him. Darci had made a great taco dip. Henry had been out swimming before this so he was hungry. Well, not only did he help himself to the dip, he started eating and licking the serving spoon! Guess I better work on some of those manners. We tried to explain it to him...but I think his stomach was interferring with his listening skills.
The weather today was PERFECT in every since of the word. So, the boat got a work out. Here are from left, Becca (Kurt and Darci's youngest), Stephanie (Anne and Jim's oldest), Matthew, and Henry. It is so fun that there are several kids in the same age group. Ours are the youngest. If the other three families had come we would have had 14 kids, with the majority of them between 11 and 15.
Darci was sweet and brought flowers in the ISU colors to help us celebrate the day. Love the watermelon bowl.
For the most part I'm completely satisfied with my camera. But, on days like today I wish I had a telephoto lens. Our pond isn't that big, but it' big enough that my camera can't get close enough from the deck. Let me set the stage for the photo below. The little white thing on the left side of the image is Henry in a small snow tube that I remembered my friend Karen had given me. To the right of Henry are two things in the water...Stephanie on the left and Becca on the right. Then to the far right, you see the boat. What's wrong with this picture you might ask? Well, as the mother of Henry, who is 4, and although he loves the water, can't swim. Yes, he does have his life jacket on, but that doesn't stop a mother from fearing the worst. Well, Henry has floated "out to sea." And, the three grow men on the boat are fishing and letting the kids play. So, Stephanie and Becca apparently have decided to rescue Henry and take him a paddle. If those girls don't sleep good tonight I'll be surpised. Eventually the men did move the boat over to get Henry re-attached to the boat, but not before this mother sweated a little. Henry never was concerned by all of this. He, infact, was trying hard to "rock" the inner tube. Although there were lots of wonderful laughs and smiles today, the other memory that I'll be grinning about as I go to bed is Henry getting off the boat. We don't have a dock, so Jeff runs the boat ashore and you jump through some weeds. Well, one-by-one people were jumping off. Henry is just a little small for this. So Kurt picked him up, noting that Henry was really quite light (he weighs 39 pounds). He looked at Jim, who was ashore, and said it might be just as easy to lift him. So, Kurt grabs the back of Henry's life jacket and proceeds to hand him to Jim. All four limbs are dangling from the life jacket and I'm trying not to split a gut laughing. Of course, I wasn't quite in the right spot and ready for this photo op, so the photos I got aren't great, but the memory is. Jim sets Henry down on the ground. Henry goes on as if nothing funny had just occurred.
There were softball and baseball games for the families to attend, so the day came to a halt for the ISU Vets. But, the Kaisand boys (one big, one small) forged on into the evening. They were going to camp out tonight. Jeff found his old tent, a couple of sleeping bags, pillows, and flash light. By 8 p.m. Henry was "ready for bed." Jeff searched for a drop cord in the house to no avail. (Thought he might watch a little TV in the tent!!) I was instructed to come check on them later. The girls were in bed and sound asleep, so I headed out front to water my new plants, while the boys settled into their quarters. After the watering was done I went to the backyard to check on them. As I rounded the corner of the house, Henry's chatter filled the night air. He invited me in and informed me that the sun was setting. Could he have a snack? Back to the house I went to get a snack, some duck tape (the old tent has a few problems), and some water. I've spent the last two hours uploading photos and now writing my blog.
What a glorious day it has been! And, I'm kind of guessing I'm going to get a better nights rest than Jeff. But, what a memory Henry will have. Good night, and don't let the bed bugs bite.
In the photo below are the three classmates for which the party was in honor...Dr. Kurt (black shirt), Dr. Jim (hat), and Dr. Jeff (orange shirt). Far left is Anne, my cousin and Jim's wife; Joel (belongs to Kurt and wife, Darci). Henry and Matthew (Anne and Jim's son) have their backs to the camera.
Food was a focal point throughout the day. Jeff is getting quite a following for his smoked pork ribs and loins (attend the annual Union Tar Heel Days when he feeds the city!). There was a cold meat sandwich early lunch, a rib snack bar at 2 p.m., and a pork loin feast at 4:30 p.m. Although the above photo might not have much style, or composition, it has one memory we won't soon forget. Look closely at what Henry is doing and what is in front of him. Darci had made a great taco dip. Henry had been out swimming before this so he was hungry. Well, not only did he help himself to the dip, he started eating and licking the serving spoon! Guess I better work on some of those manners. We tried to explain it to him...but I think his stomach was interferring with his listening skills.
The weather today was PERFECT in every since of the word. So, the boat got a work out. Here are from left, Becca (Kurt and Darci's youngest), Stephanie (Anne and Jim's oldest), Matthew, and Henry. It is so fun that there are several kids in the same age group. Ours are the youngest. If the other three families had come we would have had 14 kids, with the majority of them between 11 and 15.
Darci was sweet and brought flowers in the ISU colors to help us celebrate the day. Love the watermelon bowl.
For the most part I'm completely satisfied with my camera. But, on days like today I wish I had a telephoto lens. Our pond isn't that big, but it' big enough that my camera can't get close enough from the deck. Let me set the stage for the photo below. The little white thing on the left side of the image is Henry in a small snow tube that I remembered my friend Karen had given me. To the right of Henry are two things in the water...Stephanie on the left and Becca on the right. Then to the far right, you see the boat. What's wrong with this picture you might ask? Well, as the mother of Henry, who is 4, and although he loves the water, can't swim. Yes, he does have his life jacket on, but that doesn't stop a mother from fearing the worst. Well, Henry has floated "out to sea." And, the three grow men on the boat are fishing and letting the kids play. So, Stephanie and Becca apparently have decided to rescue Henry and take him a paddle. If those girls don't sleep good tonight I'll be surpised. Eventually the men did move the boat over to get Henry re-attached to the boat, but not before this mother sweated a little. Henry never was concerned by all of this. He, infact, was trying hard to "rock" the inner tube. Although there were lots of wonderful laughs and smiles today, the other memory that I'll be grinning about as I go to bed is Henry getting off the boat. We don't have a dock, so Jeff runs the boat ashore and you jump through some weeds. Well, one-by-one people were jumping off. Henry is just a little small for this. So Kurt picked him up, noting that Henry was really quite light (he weighs 39 pounds). He looked at Jim, who was ashore, and said it might be just as easy to lift him. So, Kurt grabs the back of Henry's life jacket and proceeds to hand him to Jim. All four limbs are dangling from the life jacket and I'm trying not to split a gut laughing. Of course, I wasn't quite in the right spot and ready for this photo op, so the photos I got aren't great, but the memory is. Jim sets Henry down on the ground. Henry goes on as if nothing funny had just occurred.
There were softball and baseball games for the families to attend, so the day came to a halt for the ISU Vets. But, the Kaisand boys (one big, one small) forged on into the evening. They were going to camp out tonight. Jeff found his old tent, a couple of sleeping bags, pillows, and flash light. By 8 p.m. Henry was "ready for bed." Jeff searched for a drop cord in the house to no avail. (Thought he might watch a little TV in the tent!!) I was instructed to come check on them later. The girls were in bed and sound asleep, so I headed out front to water my new plants, while the boys settled into their quarters. After the watering was done I went to the backyard to check on them. As I rounded the corner of the house, Henry's chatter filled the night air. He invited me in and informed me that the sun was setting. Could he have a snack? Back to the house I went to get a snack, some duck tape (the old tent has a few problems), and some water. I've spent the last two hours uploading photos and now writing my blog.
What a glorious day it has been! And, I'm kind of guessing I'm going to get a better nights rest than Jeff. But, what a memory Henry will have. Good night, and don't let the bed bugs bite.
Heidi,
I just loved reading about your wonderful day. You are right, what a memory Henry will have. And what a memory you gave to me when I read your last line. There are tears on my cheeks because when I read "don't let the bed bugs bite" it was like hearing my dad's voice. We always said that before we went to bed. Even as adults when we'd stay at my folks, we would say it "just for old times sake." May sound strange but thanks for the tears and the memory.
Reply to this
I'm so glad to have brought back happy memories to you. Thanks for sharing.
Reply to this