A Family Filled Weekend

This past weekend was pretty great.  It was Family Weekend.  Yes, that's the name that my daughter's University gave it, but for us, it really was a "family weekend".  Let me explain why....

My daughter is attending the same college that my Grandmother and Grandfather both graduated from.  In addition to them, I have several Aunts and Uncles that graduated from there as well.  It's a beautiful little campus, located in a small town in Kansas.  The same town that my Grandparents grew up in.  Sadly, we don't have any relatives living there anymore, but we did for almost 100 years.  My Great Grandmother lived in the same house from the time she got married at 19, until the day she died at 92.  She gave birth to all three of her children in that house.  (I can't even imagine.  In my married life, I've never even lived in the same house for 5 years.)  They owned various businesses in the town and she ran her own drapery business out of her house, for decades.  I spent tons of time in this town as a little girl and have very fond memories of it.  Even though I've never lived there myself, I have always felt a very strong connection to it.  So I LOVE that my daughter chose this school for herself.  (Although, as I've said before, she shares my love for all things "family", so it only makes sense that she would go there.)

This was the first time that my boys have ever been to the campus, or even the town that it's in.  I showed them a few places that are part of their "history", as well as visited the cemetery where a couple of generations of our family are buried.  As we put flowers at several of the grave sites, I was touched by how interested the boys were.  They have never met any of these people. All they have are my stories from either my childhood or the ones that I've been told and are now passing on to them.  As I watched them help me with the flowers and while my 14yr old was busy cleaning off grass clippings from all of the surrounding graves, I realized, they feel the connection too.

One of the things that we do every visit, is eat at one of the local chicken places.  My family has been eating at this same restaurant since my Mom was 6 yrs old.  I have memories of my ENTIRE family going there for Sunday Dinner.  Serious comfort food.  Some of the best fried chicken you've ever eaten.  (They were even featured on Food Wars a few years back)  Walking into that building is like walking back in time.  I'm pretty sure not one thing has changed as far back as I can remember.  What a wonderfully nostalgic feeling.  To be able to take my children to a restaurant that I used to go to with my Great Grandma, and have them see it exactly as I saw it at their same ages, is incredibly heartwarming to me. 

When my daughter and I did our first college visit to PSU, we stayed at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast and immediately fell in love with it.  The house was built at the turn of the last century and is just beautiful.  The owner is so sweet and welcoming, it feels more like you're visiting a long time friend.  Needless to say, it has become my home away from home, anytime we do an overnight trip.  This was the first time that my boys have ever stayed in a B&B and they both absolutely loved it.  The owner, Miss Sherri, has candy bowls scattered all over the house. (Just like my Grandma always has, my entire life.)  There's a sunroom over the port a cochere, that has a table filled with various flavors of coffees and teas for the guests to enjoy while they read or visit.  My 11 yr old is a coffee drinker and both are HUGE tea drinkers, so of course they loved that they could make a cup whenever they wanted.  (Not that they don't do that at home but for some reason, and I have to agree with them, it's just more fun when you're on a trip)  There's a Grandfather clock that goes off every 15 minutes that my youngest was completely intrigued by.  He thought they were church bells at first.  The house has a gorgeous front porch that runs the entire width of the house complete with rocking chairs and a porch swing.  Heaven.  We all enjoyed our morning coffee out there before our breakfast was served.  And ohhhh, the breakfast.  As if it was even possible, my boys fell even deeper in love with the whole experience once we sat down to the table.  Little yogurt parfaits, any flavor pancake they wanted, fruit, sausage, and the best maple syrup baked bacon you've ever eaten.  Even the coffee is better there.

The Himmel House

During the day Saturday, my Mom and her boyfriend joined us for the family weekend festivities.  She got to see Punk's dorm room for the first time and meet her roommate, who is awesome by the way.  We all ate lunch in the university's Dining Hall. (which is usually VERY good, with lots of choices but not that day for some reason)  We walked all over the campus. Mind you, the very same campus where almost 75 years before,my Grandma and Grandpa would meet up between classes for a quick kiss and then race to the next one before they were late.  It gave me chills to watch my daughter and her fiancee' walking on those same paths together.  We ended up at the football stadium with all of the tailgaters.   Since I brought down a trunk load of food and supplies for Punk, we didn't have room to bring any tailgate necessities.  There's a gorgeous little lake next to the stadium where all of the pre-game festivities take place so we found a place to sit and visit while we watched all the activity.  The PSU Gorillas were the Division II Football champions last year and this year is looking just as promising.  The game was completely sold out before we could get tickets so we didn't get to see it, but we listened to it on the radio as we drove home.  They kicked ass.  Before the first quarter was even over the score was 49-3.  Obviously, we won.

Me and My Punk

One would think that since school has already been in session for over a month, and we already left her once before, that saying good bye this time would be easier.  Not so.  It was twice as hard.  Probably because I know what to expect now.  I know what it's like to not have her home all the time whereas before, I could only guess.  I also know that, unless I can come up with a different plan, I'm not going to see her for over a month this time.  Ugh.  I've decided I'm not a fan of  this new chapter of my life where my kids leave the nest.  The only thing that makes it better is that every day that passes, is one day closer to having them all living near me again with families of their own.  Now that's a chapter I'm going to LOVE. 

Hoodies and Apples and Pumpkin Lattes, Oh My!

I have been in the midst of a full blown love affair with Fall, as far back as I can remember.  It's my very favorite time of the year.  It probably stems from the fact that my birthday is in October.  As a child, my parents and I, along with the friend of my choice, would celebrate it by going to the local amusement park each year.  The air was usually crisp and the park was always decorated with thousands of mums in the beautiful autumn colors of deep purple, reds, golds and burnt orange. Pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks and hay bales were scattered among all of the rides and attractions.  Of course, that distinct "smell" of Fall was always present.  I love those memories.

Through the years, my love for Fall has never waned.  In fact, it has grown tenfold.  I am a HUGE proponent of family traditions.    No other season, at least in our family, holds more of those precious traditions.  Apple picking, going to the pumpkin patch, all of the fall baking that I do, football games (high school, now college, and pro games on Sundays), our haunted house that we build every year for the neighborhood kids, the HUGE Thanksgiving dinner that we host every year.  The list goes on and on.  As I write this I am seeing material for quite a few blog posts in my head, so I guess you will get to experience a few of these right along with my Crew.  

This weekend, although a few weeks shy of the official first day of Fall, has been the picture perfect kickoff to the season.  Absolutely GORGEOUS weather and the opening weekend of College and NFL football have completely switched my gears from Bikini/Boating season to Hoodie/Boot/Pumpkin Latte season.  And there is NOTHING in this world like putting on your favorite pair of jeans, slipping your feet into perfectly broken in boots and pulling that "world's softest material with the name of the only football team worth rooting for" Hoodie over your head.  Ahhh...pure bliss.

Usually, we have friends over on the first official NFL game day but not this year.  Today, it's just me, my honey and our 2 youngest boys.  (All rooting for different teams, btw.  We get all of our money's worth from NFL Sunday ticket in this house.)  I think I'll spend the day in my kitchen baking up something scrumptious in the Pumpkin department while I watch the game and listen to Pandora.  I believe a country station fits the bill today.  I'm off to make a pumpkin latte.  Happy first weekend of Fall....At least in this house. 

Yummo... Might be on the baking list today.

I Knew I Shouldn't Have Blinked.....

I have no idea how this happened.  Just yesterday, my kids were little.  Yet, today...somehow, I have three full grown adult children (each in a different state, with an ocean separating us from one of them) and two more growing up, very rapidly, behind them.

Before my youngest was even born.

This weekend my only daughter, and best friend, got engaged.  It's a very surreal feeling when you see a "grown up" beautiful diamond ring on the finger of your precious baby girl.  On one hand, it seems so foreign.  How can she possibly know what she wants for the rest of her life, at such a young age?  On the other, I know her.  I have known almost since the moment she was born, that she is way beyond her years.  If you've ever heard the term "old soul", that's exactly what she is.  It was a struggle at times for her growing up, because she preferred adults to kids her own age.  Her eyes are filled with a wisdom and knowledge that most 40 year olds don't possess.  I always say she's been "older" than me for a very long time.  This is why we are best friends.  She has never really been a "child".  Ask anyone who has known her since she was little and they will absolutely agree.  So it only stands to reason that at not quite 19 years old, she would not only know who she wants to marry, but have a plan for the next few years leading up to that marriage.

1997

2011

Enter, the new Fiancee'.  (wow, that sounds weird)  We love him.  He is the perfect match to my daughter.  They compliment each other beautifully.  He is completely in love with and devoted to her in every way, and anyone who sees them together will agree.  He treats her with the respect that any parent prays for their child to receive.  He is also wise beyond his years and knows she is exactly who he wants to spend his life with.  Before getting down on one knee, he did what generations of men before him have done.  He was nervous as Hell, but like any true southern boy knows, there is only one way to put a ring on a girl's finger.  By asking her Daddy's permission.  Once that was granted, he presented her with his Great Grandma's ring.  Nothing could have been more perfect for my daughter, who values family above ALL else.

I am so impressed by the way that they are handling this.  They are young but not stupid.  They realize that this is not something to be taken lightly or rushed into.  They want to be taken seriously and not end up like most of the other couples out there that rush off and get married without a thought of what happens after they say "I do".  They recognize the importance of a college degree.  They understand that once they are joined together in the eyes of the law, they have to somehow support themselves and begin building the life that they want to live.  (Not to mention the fact that they would like to enjoy their first toast as Man and Wife with Champagne, rather than sparkling cider.)  Therefore, this will be a several year engagement.  This will give them the time to plan their lives as well as get to know each other that much better.  They don't have an easy road ahead of them for the next few years and the odds are, sadly, not with them.  My hope is that they beat the odds and go on to live a very full and happy life together.   And give me Grandbabies to spoil!!!!

The Happy Couple