Catch-up Day! Kansas

Earlier this month my cousin Megan got married, and it was a great excuse to go see my Kansas rellies. I haven't been back there in many years, and haven't seen a lot of them since.

We (dad, Cait, niece TJ and myself) crashed at my sister Yara's house, and got to hang out with her two awesome kids. I was so impressed with them! I can't believe Niece and Nephew have gotten so big. They are smart, and funny, and fun to be around. And good-looking!

We mostly just hung out- which was wonderful. We went to shule with them, and I really enjoyed it. I learned that there is actually more common ground between Judaism and Mormonism than I ever realized!

We went to Z's softball game. It was freezing cold, but it was fun to watch and cheer for her.

 

TJ liked to pick the flowers in the grass.

 

Her hair is crazy 'cause she lost a ponytail.

TJ decided she loved the book, "The Ugly Truckling" and wanted it read about 1,000 times. I was happy to oblige her.

Megan's wedding was beautiful, as was she. It was outside by a pretty lake, and geese (who mate for life!) flew overhead as they said their vows. Can't get more perfect than that!

Then we all partied. Yara and I rocked out with Aunt Jennie (above), and it was great fun.

The next day we had brunch with all the rellies. Aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, etc. It was fun- especially teaching the old-fogies how to play Catchphrase. I think I laugh harder with these people than with anyone else!

Our last day in Kansas my dad and I went driving around Lawrence, where he grew up. I love hearing all the stories from when he was a young troublemaker- Something different about growing up back then, when kids actually did cool-but-harmless pranks, like carrying the principal's car up the stairs of the school to put it on the roof (though that one was my grandfather), or putting an outhouse over the school's lion statue (dad's friends).

Another story: one time my Papa and Nana got in a bad car accident, breaking Papa's neck and Nana's leg. She walked about a mile back to the farmhouse on it to get help. Pretty awesome, huh?

This is the one-room schoolhouse my dad went to for a year. The wheelchair ramp to the left is a modern addition, of course...

Lawrence is so pretty, and I want to live there. Perhaps someday...