Memorial Sunday

Getting together with extended family has always been my favorite part of holidays. Unfortunately my mom's side hasn't gotten together much since my grandma passed away 2 yrs ago. She would be so ashamed!! So my aunt Vicki decided to take it upon herself to remedy the problem and planned a get together for Memorial Sunday. It was so, so nice to see everyone. Brandt wasn't so sure about it at first because it had been raining so we were all inside the house, but then he found a new friend who took pity on him and took him outside...
Uncle Eddie took him out to see all the animals and he loved it! Somehow he even got Brandt to hold his hand without running away.Brandt is telling bampa all about the dogs he saw outside. Love the hands on the hips pose.

Lauren (Mandy's little one) kept wanting her picture taken, but I could never get one with her eyes open. Check out that beautiful red hair!

Mandy and Megan...

Aaron, Jana, Amanda, and Katie... Aaron must be in deep thought or something. :)

Love this one of Sharon- cracks me up!

It's a small, small world. In this picture are cousins from each side of my family; Tony Bodily and his girlfriend Melissa Pugmire. Isn't she a cutie???

Amber is so photogenic- I was trying to get everyone else in the room to smile for me, too, but none of the others got it down quite as well as she did.

Like my brother for example who kept either ducking his head or closing his eyes.

Some things never change, like BSing around the dinner table long after the food is gone. In theis picture we have 1/2 of Uncle Eddie, my dad, Uncle Ted, and Bart. In the background my mom and Uncle Steve are looking up grave sites on his computer.

Brandt was obsessed with going upstairs and playing and especially loved playing with the big ball on the stairs.

Steve, Vicki, Amanda Jean, and Eddie

I love the variety of poses in this one-cracks me up!

Bart's wife Katie and their baby Heidi- such a cutie!

Brandt loved the hippety-hop thing (anyone have a better name?). I remember playing with the same one when I stayed there as a kid.

Amanda Jean with a mouth full of my cookie.

Brandt showing off, I'm sure. Actually I think he was probably showing them how bulls or horses buck or something.

More BSing, this time in the kitchen. :)

Brandt also made new friends in Uncle Steve and Bart and Katie's Brindley. They went all over outside checking out the animals and playing.
Haven't seen this forever! This was my great-grandma's (Gram) car. Cracks me up cause she was so insistant on driving it when she really shouldn't have been driving it that they finally took the tires off and put it up on blocks.

Brindley and Brandt had a lot of fun playing together. From the pictures you'd never guess she's almost a yr older, would ya?

Brandt's other new friend "Snoopers". They shared many hugs and kisses. Thank heavens for patient animals when Brandt is around. Brindley asked to have their picture taken with the puppy. She's so dang cute!

All in all, it was such a fun day to get together and get reaquainted, especially with the little ones who are growing up so fast! Hopefully we won't wait another two years to do it again. Thanks so much to Aunt Vicki for arranging everything; you're the best!!