to western Kansas and back

Last weekend we took a little road trip to western Kansas. It was reunion time for my mom's side of the family. In years past, and since my grandparents passed away, we had been going to either Estes Park or Winter Park for our reunions. This year the family decided to take the reunion old school by going back to where they were held when my grandparents were still with us. I have to say I love western Kansas. My grandparents lived about a mile east of the Colorado line and could see for miles around there house. Everyone knows everyone and helps out with everything. You have to drive about 30 miles to get to the nearest WalMart (which had been in Goodland only a few years). I just love everything about it what can I say. Anyway, back to the reunion. It was held at the fair grounds in Sharon Springs. I am a little disappointed that we couldn't stay for fair weekend, but that's how life goes. I didn't hear a final number of how many actually came, but I think we were expecting a little over 100. Most of the family still lives in the western part of the state so there was little drive time for them. We had about a 5 hour drive with two children that like to pick on each other. It definately wasn't as bad as it could've been, but it also could've been better.

It was Kacie's (my youngest niece) birthday on Saturday. I felt bad that we were driving on her birthday so I made arrangements in Hays to have a cake made at Dairy Queen. She was completely surprised! I kind of forgot an essential peice to making the surprise party go off without a hitch, but we were traveling so I should get a little break. Who says a knife to cut a frozen ice cream cake is essential anyway?! Thank goodness Shane had his knife on him, and that he cleaned it since the last time we went fishing a few days prior.

So Sunday was the potluck at the reunion and I wanted to do something special since we were back were we had been when my grandparents were around for the reunions. To do that I decided to make a cake with their picture on it. It was my first cake using the eatible pictures so I think it turned out pretty well considering we traveled across the state of Kansas with it and I was in a hotel room when decorating it. I had forgotten, but was reminded by my Aunt Carolyn, that Saturday was my grandpa's birthday so it made my cake even more special.

Now we are back in town and gearing up for vbs at church. Our theme is the Boomerang Express so I have been working on Australian Outback stuff to put in our room. So far we have made Ayers rock, aboriginal art, and boomerangs to put in our classroom. I sure hope the 2nd graders like what we've done!