Kansas Vacation Part 3

While we were home we got to spend an evening with some good friends. I worked for this family while I was in high school when Levi was just 2 and the twins were 6 months old. We've stayed close to them ever since and Callie and Carson went to the preschool where Joseph taught.



Here's Callie being the adorable camera ham that she is.



The night we were there she was trying out riding without training wheels.



Levi supporting his favorite team. Thanks to 3 year old Levi, I know all the words to the Wildcat song, although the melody is a little fuzzy.



We sat on their porch as the sun went down and the kids climbed really high in a tree.



It was a beautiful evening and reinforced my beliefs that porches are awesome and everyone should have one. Somehow Carson managed to avoid the camera all night. We miss you guys.

While we were home we got to go to Thresher's Ice Cream. This is a tradition in my Dad's family that after the harvest and baling are over, we all get together with everyone who helps and the landlords that rent fields to us. Then we eat ice cream. Each of the farming families brings hand-cranked home made ice cream and each family has their specialty that they have perfected over the years. It's pretty awesome.



Papa and Joseph played bean bags, which has been their biggest source of bonding.





My Uncle Dwayne and brother in law Greg formed the opposing team.



Auntie Ruth in her natural habitat, not missing a shot.

I was pretty sad to leave Kansas but I had something at home to look forward to.



That's right. Harry Potter. Yes, I know I could have read it in Kansas too but this was my own pre-ordered copy I had been waiting for and I needed something to look forward to.



Obviously I was excited, and rightly so. Joseph and I read it out loud to each other in three days. We'd take turns reading while the other cooked or did dishes and stopped as little as possible. It was a good thing to come home to.