Thanksgiving Road Trip to Wichita

I always enjoy going up to Wichita to see family and friends, especially around the holidays...

...but this may have been the first time I was truly sad to leave.

Mike, Ellie, Geoff, Rhonda and I all piled into Rhonda's van early Wendesday morning. We drove up I-35 and dropped Ellie and Geoff off with Ellie's aunt in OKC and then got into Wichita at about 7:30. Of course, the first stop was Il Vicino for some DELICIOUS wood oven pizza!

Thursday morning, Mom, Rhonda, Mike and I put on our running/walking shoes and went out to the GraceMed 1st Annual Say Grace 5K.

Before the race, at the starting line.

Mike and I both did really well (for us) and Mom and Rhonda successfully completed their first 5K!

YAY Mom! Good job! When's your next race?!

After getting cleaned up, we went to Dad's house for Thanksgiving lunch. Grandma Farney was also in attendance.

We picked up a pre-cooked meal from Dillons. I think this is how Mom was meant to cook Thanksgiving dinner:

Two microwaves, one glass of wine and an evil grin.

Mike carved the turkey. This is turning into his traditional role at our Thanksgivings.

We had a very nice meal where we discussed current events as well as past Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in our family.

At Dad's house, even the kitties get Thanksgiving dinner...

Then, of course, there was the customary post-meal nap...

After lunch at Dad's we went to my Aunt Marlene's to see more family. That evening we went to see Tower Heist at the Old Town Warren. It was a good movie to see with the fam on Thanksgiving.

Friday was Mike's birthday. Also, LSU was playing Arkansas, so we all went to the River City Brewing Co. for lunch and Mom, Dad and Rhonda left Mike and I there to finish watching the game. LSU won!

That night we celebrated Mike and Rhonda's birthday...

This was actually the 2nd time they got candles. 

And we had a gift exchange and some more leftovers.

Uncle Terry even made it back from Colorado!

On Saturday we had a 2nd (3rd?) Thanksgiving celebration at Aunt Marlene's and got to see some more family. That night was my 10-year high school reunion. It was so great to see old friends again and catch up!

Although I was sad to leave, I realized that when we got home it was time to put up the Christmas tree and other decorations and I was excited again! I hope everyone had an equally fun Thanksgiving! It was so great to see everyone on our trip! Stay tuned to hear about our trip to Louisiana for Christmas!

100 Years Young!

Back in 1991 I was 8 we had a HUGE 80th Birthday party for my grandmother. She knew about everyone in Wichita and has family and friends all over the US. About 200 people showed up to help her celebrate. Of course when you send out birthday cards to everyone you've ever met (she may still send one to my old high school boyfriend for all I know) and have 95 people on your Christmas shopping list, you tend to accumulate a lot of friends. There was no one that doesn't love my Grandma.

When I was a senior in high school we had yet another big bash for her 90th. Everyone talked about how excited they were for her 100th. She still volunteered at the hospital, went to church, participated in water aerobics, and visited family and friends in the area -- driving herself everywhere she went, of course. And sharp as a tack to boot.

And finally, on April 17, 2011, Grandma turned 100 years young! She still lives on her own and sends/receives hundreds of e-mails every week. She keeps up with her church activities and water aerobics. She still sends out many, many birthday cards (probably some are electronic these days). And if you're ever in the hospital, you can bet she'll find a way to send you a "patient e-mail" to cheer you up! 

On her actual birthday, Unity Church in Wichita threw her a big bash. Most of my family in Wichita attended and many church members were there to celebrate, too. My grandma is an extremely social person (if you haven't already figured this out) and absolutely loved having everyone together to celebrate. 

From her party at the church. She e-mailed me this photo since I wasn't able to attend.

On May 1st, we had the official 100th Birthday Bash. We estimated about 150 people showed up including friends and family from Seattle, St. Louis, Arizona, Florida, etc. What I found fascinating was that friends of my Dad, uncle and aunts wanted to attend, as well as my mom's family, even my dad's nurse from years ago! Like I said, no one doesn't love Grandma!

So in honor of Grandma's birthday, I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know some of the things that make her particularly special.

• She loves cats - I'd say about 60% of the clothes she owns have at least one cat on them. All of them have cat hair on them. :) This is something I inherited from her!

Grandma with her two newest kitties, Lucky Buddy (left) and Happy Helen (right).
Her former cats, Tabby and Tiger, lived to be about 18 years old before they passed.

• Any day of the year is a good day to dye eggs - All you had to say was "Grandma, can we dye Easter eggs?" and she'd have a pot of eggs boiling on the stove and drag out some cups, vinegar, and food coloring.

This may have been legitimately at Easter, but know that this was not an uncommon scene at Grandma house.

• She's got a green thumb - My grandma has a huge garden plot in her backyard (one that I'd love to have now!) and she always had something growing. I grew up on fresh tomatoes, zucchini, okra, and cucumbers. No wonder I love veggies so much now!

My cherry tomatoes in my garden. Every time I catch a whiff of the sweet smell of the plant I'm immediately taken back to Grandma Farney's garden!

• She's always got a good joke - I remember sitting around grandma's bright teal kitchen table and she'd always have a couple jokes to tell. Some were not quite G-rated...
• She threw a good slumber party - Growing up my parents would often let me spend the night with Grandma (why I often refer to her as my "third parent"). She'd put me in an oversized Garfield t-shirt and let me stay up late watching "I Love Lucy" reruns on Nick at Nite. I'd kick her throughout the night while I slept. In the morning I'd help her do her makeup and put hairspray in her hair. 
• She taught me good manners - In the morning, she would let me pour a concoction of 3 different cereals and when we'd slurp the milk at the end she'd say "Now you don't do this when you have company." I was always a bit confused because I always thought I was company.

 I'm so proud of my Grandma and I can't wait to help her celebrate more birthdays!

Grandma and I on her birthday weekend before I had to go back home to Texas