Hometown love

Emporia will always have a special place in my heart as my hometown. It's where my roots are. It's where our tree was planted. It's where my parents and our house and all those memories still are.

We go home as often as possible because we can. It's a trip I usually have to make without my sweet Dreamy D because of his schedule, but I load up the troops and go anyway. Because we can. And it's always awesome.

This particular visit was on account of my brother relocating to Emporia. That meant my brother, Sista and I would have the entire visit to party. We know we're obnoxious together. That just makes it funnier.

In the days of my youth, the three of us were like the three musketeers. When I moved into position as the oldest still living at home, the dynamics changed drastically. We had some amazing good times together, which is still the case.

In honor of spring break, we packed the visit with activites for the young'uns. Nana hosted the HOMEMADE PEEP PARTY, followed by a rockin' TEA PARTY FOR PIPER JAYNE and the cousins.

T.R. hosted the LEGO-THON as Grand Master Buider and Design Mastermind. Each event crowned a winner, and as you can see, the prizes were pipe cleaner glasses because I forgot to buy prizes, and these glasses are just so stinkin' funny!

Case in point.

Of course there had to be a talent show. This one was Shake It Off sung by all the girls 10 and under. Look at all the boys in the picture. They are totally mesmerized... By their devices!

Sista and Jonny burned off their field, so we joined to witness the wonder of burning, and then spent the remained of the visit playing with cousins in Piper's room.

I pray that the day never comes when I don't want to go home. I love drinking coffee with my dad early in the morning while my mom cooks breakfast before the kids get up. I love staying up late with the big kids and Nana, laughing and telling stories. I love talking about going places, and then staying in the house everyday of the visit. I love playing hide and seek with all the kids and my sister. I love my mom's plan to feast for each meal. I love all the little details that my mom and dad work together on to make our visits so incredibly special.  I love the process of good-bying, especially the texts to come back soon, before we've left the city limits. 

There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home!!

Lvb