Weekend Frivolity

I am surpringly close to my extended family.  Not so much because of the family, though they are obviously their own brand of crazy. But surprising because so few people are close to their extended families anymore.

It's funny how you don't realize something is odd or rare until you meet someone to whom the same thing, which is so normal and obvious to you, thinks you're nuts for it.  When i talk about spending time with my aunts and cousins in Iowa sometimes people stare. They haven't seen their aunts or uncles in years.  They know their cousins names but have no idea if they are married or have any kids.  No clue where they live or what they do.  And that seems bizarre to me. 

But then, my mom was a transplant.  Fell in love on St. Patty's day in a bar. Almost bailed on the 1st date.  Ended up falling crazy in love and got married October of that same year.  36 years ago in just a few weeks.  Now the truly crazy part was that she moved 2 1/2 hours away to live with her husband. Who worked second shift. Where she knew not a single living soul. Where they didn't have a phone much less long distance. And I'm not even sure they had a TV.  She used to cry in her dishwater after Husband left for work at night.

So, you can imagine, when they had kids a couple years later.  She wanted to be close to her family again. Especially when one sister was pregnant at the same time and had a daughter just a few months after mom's first. So, began our long treks. Every other weekend, for 10+ years, almost without fail, we loaded into the car at 4:00 on Friday and drove to Dubuque to spend the weekend with mom's family.

Every
Other
Weekend.
For 10+ years.

That's over 200 trips on the exact same highway
to the exact same destination.

No wonder Dad still knows where each and every single passing zone is on that entire stretch of road!

All of this to say that this last weekend, we had a Hayride.  My cousins' kids had never been on one, and someone mentioned it to my Uncle the Farmer.  So we planned it.  Out we went.  Friday at 5, as soon as Sister and I were off work, away we went. Hit the Road Jack!

Saturday we woke up, leisurely.  Got ready for the arrivals.  Greeted and chatted.  Hit the hay rack.  In the rain.  Thank you Amazing Builder Cousin for helping Uncle Farmer get a jury rigged tarp over the top of it for us!  And off we went around the country.  It was cold. And wet. But we were family and we had fun!

Then, when we got home we ate.  One of the most bestest parts of any family gathering.  The Food.  Pork Loin, two marinades. Cheesy Potatoes. German Potato Salad.  Pasta Salad. Bread. Baked Beans. Fruit. Desserts abounding, including pies.

and when we were done and reasonably digested.  the True Fun began.

The 1st Annual Boyer Family Minute to Win It competition!!!!!

In teams of 2 we competed in various Minute to Win It games.  Each team of 2 got 3 lives and when your lives were up, you were out.

Fun and hilarity ensued.  I can't even tell you all of it!  Partly because it kind of blurs together after a few and partly because it's late enough that my brain stopped functioning.

So, instead, I'll show you the 1st video I created (Yep, all by myself!!) of our First Challenge

This Blows.