Tuesday, May 26, 2015

gone country

We had such a fantastic holiday weekend. I try not to do a lot of "weekend play-by-play"-type posts, but sometimes it just can't be avoided. I mean, this kind of weekend is what I dreamed of for a whole lotta years. I don't want to forget it.

Since my Nana and Poppie were coming all the way from Texas, my sister (+ husband + baby) came up for the weekend, too. My brother ( + wife + baby) already live in Augusta, so they were around a lot, too. So it was basically like one big long family party all weekend.

We started the party off right- with a Saturday morning hot tub date for the ladies.


You may recall a similar scene at Christmas time (only indoors and with a lot more bubbles)...I guess our interests haven't changed too much! Laney and Millie were thrilled with the hot tub (which we kept at 99 degrees- as in, not very hot) and the chance to swim and play with toys! 

So what if I like to skinny dip? What's it to you?
My brother and his family recently moved out to the country, about 25 minutes away from where they were living. We spent Saturday afternoon out there, introducing Millie to country living. Please imagine a banjo playing while you look at these pictures.


We took a 'buggy ride' down to visit the horse and the chickens. I spent the entire ride grappling with my own hypocrisy regarding car seats and safety and how I just carried my baby in my lap in an open-air vehicle (going about 8 miles an hour across a field, but still). 


Millie was pretty impressed by the chickens. Or maybe just intrigued. Or bored. It's kinda hard to say, really, but at least she didn't cry.


Look, I even got close to them!! Look at me, two feet away from a bird. Country Erika is much braver than regular Erika. Also, cages help.

Later that evening we went fishing. I haven't been fishing in probably 20 years. Matt has never caught a fish!! Not surprisingly, Millie hasn't done much fishing yet, either. In conclusion, we were all really jazzed to head to the pond (on yet another buggy).


While Matt baited up, Millie and I got eaten alive by mosquitoes and played on a blanket. And by "played on a blanket," I mean that she tried to eat all of my discarded (read: snotty) tissues (because buggies kick up dust and grass and allergies) and the bug spray container and completely ignored all of her actual toys. Babies.


No doubt due to my helpful tips, constant encouragement, and pleas to get a win for our family!!!!, Matt caught the first (and HIS first!) fish!


It was very exciting and emotional and Matt was surprisingly squeamish about touching the fish to get it off the line, so that was hilarious. Much to my brother and BIL's disappointment, Matt didn't fall for their claim that the universally-accepted traditional way to celebrate a first catch was to bite the fish's head off and eat it raw. He tossed it back in the pond instead. Oh well. It was still a win for our family.


Millie and Nana were a little wrapped up in each other and missed the whole thing. Nana does a mean "ride little horsey," it seems. Millie was a big fan.

My sister decided to show the boys how it was done and quickly caught two (or three? can't remember) in a row. Thatta girl.


And see my mom back there fishing with my niece's Barbie fishing pole? Yeah. She definitely caught a few using that bad boy!!

After awhile I decided to see if I still had my fishing mojo of the early 90s.


Turns out, I don't. Wah. I might have been the only person who didn't catch a fish. In my own defense, I would like to point out that I think that by the time I started fishing, all the fish had been caught/released and scared away.

Back at the house, we enjoyed some amazing BBQ my brother spent the entire day smoking. Not surprisingly, Millie was his biggest fan.


Not pictured: the moment(s) when she ran out of BBQ on her own plate and (despite having plenty of other foods to choose from) reached down to steal more pork off her cousin's high chair. And when Laney protested, Millie gave her The Look. It was glorious and hilarious and I don't know where she learned to mean mug like that over food...

It really was a perfect weekend. I am so thankful that Millie got to spend time with my grandparents (and her grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins) (and parents!!). I don't take for granted that we even had the opportunity- with a thousand miles and over ninety years separating them, I wasn't sure they'd ever have a chance to meet. What a blessing that it all worked out.


Four generations of the S family, no two people looking in the same direction. Seems about right. Seems about perfect.

13 comments:

  1. This post might make up for all the years of heartache and sadness...or at least help soften it! I love Millie's big happy smiles. She really is a content sweet girl and it's so obvious in pictures.
    The picture of your sister fishing is the first time I can say you two look alike. Must be the awesome cheesy grin!!!

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  2. My kids love fishing. I do too, just a long as I don't have to bait the hook with anything alive (the fish at my parents' cottage seem to enjoy bits of hot dog). But taking the fish off the hook? Ewwwww. I finally braved it at the ripe old age of 37.

    Looks like a fun weekend!

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  3. I love that your grandparents got to be there for this family weekend- I'm sure it meant the world to them! And I'm glad Millie's taste in food is so varied that she enjoys both BBQ and used tissues... way to raise a child with an expanded palate!

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  4. Awesome weekend! So cool that Millie got to meet her great grandparents and spend so much quality time with so many different family members. And I love that Millie stole some pork off her cousins plate! Go girl!

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  5. I also try (and fail the very large majority of the time) to avoid weekend play-by-play posts, but you're right, sometimes they are so good that they warrant a post! Also, pictures of babies doing things make all weekend posts more exciting :) Glad y'all had a great time!

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  6. What a fun weekend! And dare I say, I think your Nana might have stolen the cute spotlight from Millie for just a moment. The picture of them together is priceless.

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  7. Not the point at all of the post, but I have the same shirt you're wearing (wear it all the time) and used to wear it a ton with bright pink capris (that got stained and I had to throw away), so really we could be wardrobe twins. :) So awesome that Millie got to meet her great-grandparents. My grandparents have all been gone for a long time, so it is definitely something to commemorate!

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  8. Love that y'all went fishing! I haven't done that in forever, but always enjoyed it!

    Smart to get in the HOT hot tub.... we froze in the 70 degree pool this past weekend! The kids lips turned blue and they were shivering, but it didn't seem to bother them ;)

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  9. Aw! Sounds like the perfect weekend!!

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  10. I love everything about this post!! Love all of Millie's smiles :) Yay on Matt's first fish!

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  11. Love this post! Millie's smiles are adorable! :)

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  12. Her sun hat is adorable!! :)

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  13. This just looks like the best weekend! Yay fishing! (Dave had never caught a fish until we went fishing with my dad. Poor him.) Yay Brave Erika and the chickens! And especially, Yay for meeting great-grandparents! I LOVE four generation pictures and am so thankful I have them with my kids.

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