Southern Sunday

The Bowmans did get on the road again...for a bit! A hurried bit.

Our family traveled back east for a funeral of a childhood friend's mother.

It was, naturally, an unplanned trip, so we only spent a few days in Virginia, anxious to get back to Kansas before wheat harvest's mechanical demands. Sunday afternoon my hub's family gathered at Granddad's for a delicious dinner and relaxing day.

I almost didn't take any pictures of our time, so here's the few I have!

ready for church

scrumptious strawberry angel food cakes

the parmesan-baked fish chefs

cousins on pause

Just another Sunday in the south.

End of Summer Virginia Visit with Family

The cousins did a chalk pastel art lesson together. They also took bubble baths and had slumber parties, went to singing class, rode four-wheelers, went shopping with Grandma, watched Auntie's movies and stayed up too late, tore down the old fort, and went to work on the dairy farm.

Our family spent an evening with friends we hadn't seen in several years. We got a house tour of their recent IKEA installations for homeschool organization and had a good general catch-up chat that lasted late into the night.

We swam and some camped at a nearby pond. 

The first day moms,  friends, and seventeen children splashed and relaxed.

The second day the dads and granddad came too as we celebrated August birthdays. (Can't believe I missed a picture of the cakes!)

We cut up bushels of fresh peaches for the freezer. And brought home a boxful too.

The grand Ben and Betty Bowman Reunion that instigated this far summer travel in the middle of garden harvest was near the end of our stay. Over 600 relatives showed up for the event at a Franklin County park. B & B had nine children many a year ago, and the the multiplication of family genes continues on.

The children rode this tractor pulled train all afternoon while the older ones played ball, and the oldest ones chatted and smiled, sharing memories into the microphone as grilled chicken, sweet tea, watermelon, ice cream, and popcorn abounded.

The last day ended with a bang touring Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello. We took it all in and enjoyed learning together...architecture, inventions, science, botany, slavery...rich history.

Of course, my favorite part was the garden and grounds tour. And generally wandering through the 2 acre impeccably organized massive garden, gazing on the mountains beyond this "Little Mountain".

Holiday Time in the Virginia Hills

Christmas cousin dress-up time at Grandma's! We opened boxes and emptied stockings with matching jammies, outfits, and lots of other little delights.

We used up one gift right away...shooting skeet against the Blue Ridge back-drop. It was really mild weather for the end of December!

Family times always require special foods. This year's Christmas dinner ended with creamy cheesecake and homemade raspberry topping.

The hubby and I took a night away to celebrate 15 years of marriage. It was a couple months later than our anniversary but grandparents gladly kept the children. Unfortunately many of them and the cousins got a tummy bug while we were away meandering through art galleries and enjoying an elegant urban bed & breakfast.

The bigger family holiday gathering brought in more cheerful cousins. 
We toured the old homeplace Grandaddy-Great built as a field trip down memory lane (and learning experience for us younger ones.) 

We ripsticked and learned to ripstick. 
We skyped with missing family. 
We ate burritos, fruit, chicken, salad, cake, veggies, bread, snacks, and more. 
We climbed all over the playset. 
We balanced on the zip line. 
We looked at pictures. 
We dabbled on the piano. 
We played the name game. 
We opened money cards. 
We chatted, discussed, explained, and caught up.

Ah, family!

Virginia-Cousin Time

When Shannon's parents came for a week they brought his sister's daughter along too! Ginny is right in between Annie & Caroline, age-wise. They all shared a lot of laughs and fun goofy giggly girl time!

One day's play was doctor office. (With real patients instead of dolls!)

Several afternoons were badminton game days. 

A single strand of jute twine across the lane served as a makeshift net. 

This must be girls vs. boy(s).

Jumpropin' Ginny

 American Girl doll gifts from Grandma when granddaughters turn 10.

Lots of time was spent sewing.

Though not long stretches of pensive, focused, somber, calm, sewing.

Ginny taught Annie how to knit a scarf. 

She gifted Caroline & Cora with matching scarves she made during their long drive to Kansas.

The children (plus Aunt Britney) all enjoyed Ginny's walky talkies...playing Spies.

Each gal made pom pom bookmarks for Art class.

They tried out the long awaited microwave popcorn in a bag that was found at our place after we moved in. That is the handiest idea for growing popcorn (which we plan to do), no threshing the kernels off! Too bad the micro-waves kill the good stuff! (So we also plan to de-corn our cobs after harvest for the stovetop popper.)

It was popped for a picnic lunch in the freshly cleaned chicken house (playhouse?) They thought it was grand anyhow!

Caroline even got to ride all the way back to the relative's house with her Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie, and very fun cousin!

My First Mall Shopping Experience... By Annie

Friday morning, November 7th, around 9:30 a.m. Grandma and I headed toward Roanoke to go shopping. She was planning to get some gifts for Caroline, Cora, and me. We went to Joann Fabrics first and bought sewing supplies for the sewing basket Grandma had already gotten me and I got some stickers.We were in Joann's about 2 1/2 hours shopping. We ate at Chipotle's. Grandma ordered a  chicken salad and I got a chicken burrito.Then we went to Dollar Tree. I bought some cards and caramels for Mamaw, my other Grandma's birthday. Grandma also got some cards. Next we made a stop at Sweet Frog. I filled up my cup with strawberry and vanilla ice cream, gummy worms, mini chocolate cups, butter finger pieces, and nerds on top. 
Then we went to Target and hit the $1 items: cards, chocolate covered sunflower seeds, chapstick, notebooks, and pens. Goodwill was next. I ended up with 2 jumpers, 1 shirt, and 1 sweater. Grandma got clothes for Caroline, Cora, and Meg. We drove to JC Penny's and Grandma returned something. To top the day off we went to A.C. Moore. I purchased stickers and glittery letters; Grandma got cardstock paper. We made a stop to get feed for guineas. Then headed back to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Grandpa and Grandma, Grandpa Guy, and the Reeds had a birthday supper for Riley and me. We ate fish, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, salad, and pumpkin cake for dessert. From Grandpa and Grandma I got: a sewing basket, big scissors, little scissors, decorative pins, dressmaker pins, multi-colored pins, seam ripper, buttons, safety pins, thread, snaps, magnetic pin cushion, fabric to make snap purses, chipboard buttons, and chapstick. From Grandpa Guy I got $10 and from the Reeds I got ankle socks. It was a fun and an eventful day and a delicious yummy supper!