Pioneer Day 2017

It's safe to say that 99.9999 percent of the people that live here have no idea it's Pioneer Day.

But we know.

And we're bored.

And Mari did all the work and invited us to come over and do pioneer crafts to celebrate!

We churned our own butter and hammered tin...we (ironically) used the internet to learn how to make rag dolls.

We did as the pioneers do and braid with the assistance of our toes.

And Mari slaved away in the kitchen trying to pull taffy. See? Just like pioneer times for real! Although, I bet back then, they would've eaten that failed batch anyway. Taffy, shmaffy....sugar bridges our past and our future!

Memorial

1. I slept until 9...that's 10 in Kansas.

That is nothing short of miraculous and I only had to nurse the baby in bed, undoing months of sleep training.

Totally worth it.

2. We spent the afternoon visiting graves. I sadly had almost forgotten that that is the whole point of Memorial Day. We haven't lived near out family in so long. It was a nice feeling to honor them.

Dad

Maren Christensen...my namesake. Her name had been Americanized for the headstone...which I think is kind of sad.

We also visited the Dittmores, my mom's parents and my dad's parents.

3. I think I will take my kids to the cemetery on Monday and we will find some graves that could use a little attention. Time to mend our Memorial Day ways.

4. I went to Lara's to look at her blackberries and learn how to plant and prune them so I. Am put in my own garden. I have every intention of flying some blackberry starts home with me.

I also did a bit of trespassing on personal property in order to get a photo of how to prune grapes.

It was for the greater good.

5. Kaira and I ran to Costco to buy Hi Chew candy and some amazing dried fruit strips...it's my tradition of bringing home the delicacies of the area....last year it was giant bags of Tootie Frooties.