My Kentucky Reunion Part 1

I was fortunate enough to go back to my high school roots in Kentucky July 11th-15th. (Sheesh! Sad that it was THREE months ago and I'm just writing it down.) Thanks to my sweet husband for letting me go, and to my wonderful Mother-In-Law for watching the kids most of the time (along with Annie was well) I was so stressed and worried leaving Lincoln and Sequoia, but it was well worth it.

Just before I left my big babies:(

A rare happy smile caught on camera.

This girl is so creative.

Um hm... pictures.

Goon boy!

 Mike took me and Aurora to Las Vegas to fly out. Since I had an early flight, we went the night before and stayed at the Luxor. That is a cool building! I love getting to spend some time with my sweetie, at least for a night. We ate at Sushi 21, a dive we randomly found last time we were there and loved it, so we had to go back.

 We walked and walked and walked the hotel to get this little munchkin to fall asleep. She was loving looking around at everything. (Don't worry, not the disgusting smoky casino area:)

 As crazy luck would have it, we happened to be staying in the same hotel as the Bodies Exhibition. I'd been wanting to their bodies they have for so long, so I did. It was amazing! So happy we were staying there. The human body is a wonder. Looking at everything they had there only reassured me of my testimony I have of God and that he created our bodies in such a perfect way. I'm so grateful to be a daughter of God, and that I chose to come here to Earth to receive my very own body.

Kentucky!
It was the first time I'd been back to Madisonville, Kentucky since I graduated 10 years ago.

My friend Heather picked us up from the airport and let us stay with her for the first two nights we were there. I love Heather. She is a wonderful mother, a neonatal nurse and lactation specialist and is just so sweet. It was fun to stay with her and get to meet her kids. Her family life and her personality is most similar to mine of all my friends I know in Kentucky. We had fun talking into the late hours of the night about beliefs, kids, family, work and pretty much everything. Heather's dad let me borrow a car (they are awesome people!) for my trip. I wouldn't have been able to be there without her.

Her cute Gavin 

 Yes I'm lame, I take random pictures of trees. It's just so beautiful and green there.

 Auri and Azlyn (I love her name!)

Auri's 8 months here and Azlyn is 18 months and they were pretty much the same size. I've got a giant for a baby!

 At least she's a cute giant;)

 Heather and her kids

I had to get Applebee's! It was my second job in Madisonville. I worked as a hostess till I moved back to Utah. (my first job was a checker/bagger at Kroger) 

Green!



 Since I was able to use Heather's dad's car, me and Auri got to go out visiting! My first stop, Alli and Alysia! (Alecia's grandma and daughter) Oh it was so great to see them. Alysia was a baby when I saw her last. Auri was fascinated by Alli:)  I still call and talk to Alli about once or twice a year so we can keep in touch.

After Alli's house, we drove out to see Maryanne!! Oh my Maryanne. She was a year behind me in school and wasn't going to the reunion, so I had to drive out to see her and get a hug. I just love her. I hope we can keep in touch a little better than we have. She was a Laurel with me at church. There were only 6 LDS kids in my high school. I loved it. We were all VERY different and each had a different group of friends (and usually didn't get along in seminary), but we sure stuck up for each at school. I loved the bond we got to share, and how much I had to be a good example every where I went. Sometimes is was hard and I wish I would have made better choices, but I'm so grateful for the experience:)



That Friday afternoon me, Erin, Jake (mirror), Michelle and Kristin all met up and got everything set up for the reunion. I was the Senior Class Treasurer, so it was fun to be in charge with Jake and the girls and get everything organized. I'd seriously been excited for ten years to get to plan this reunion! (In the end, the planning and preparing was more fun than the actual reunion, of course.)

I went back to get Alysia so we could go see Alecia. On our way we drove past Laureen. I had to pull over and get a hug! She was my next door neighbor and Alecia's aunt. It was fun to see her!

I went out to surprise Licia and bring some Chinese food (good ol' times). She had been sick the last couple days so I didn't stay too long, but I just had to see her! Ten years was way too long. (More about my bestie below:)

Alysia and Me Selfie!

(I LOVED spending time with Alecia's daughter.)

Saturday: 



My good friend Julie (Campbell) and her little man Romney.

After I said goodbye to Heather and her family (they were going on vacation that morning), I drove to see Julie. She happened to live just 15 minutes away from Heather in Evansville (and found out her husband goes to the same church as Heather and Chris. Small world.) We got to visit and reminisce for about an hour. I just love Julie. She was a couple years older than me in school. When I first moved to Kentucky, she was there for me and helped me adjust with the new ward and school. We had some good times. I remember ditching my first mutual activity when I'd just moved there to go to her house 30 minutes away and have a fun sleepover with her and her friend Jessie. Whoops! :)

Julie is a wonderful person. I was so happy to get to see her again and meet her son.

After visiting with Julie, we headed back to Madisonville. I first stopped by my old house! Luckily my parent's friends that were in our ward there had bought the house from them, so they let me in and take some pictures. It was cool to go back and see it, but also strange to remember my life so long ago.

Mr. Badgett's drive-way just down the street (a millionaire/billionaire who pretty much donated everything in town.) Alecia lived up there when we were in high school. Her aunt was his caretaker/housekeeper and they lived on the premises. 

Our old barn.

When we moved, my parents sold the barn and the land on this side separately.

This is the driveway leading up to the house. Bummer in the winters, but absolutely BEAUTIFUL any other time. (Except for the chiggers and ticks!!)

This other side went with the house. There is a little pond down further and a trail we'd ride 4-wheelers around. It was a fun place.



Jan and Jonny (current owners) added the pool later.

My old room, very different from my princess pink room! ;)

 (It was fun for me and my family to all sit and look at the pictures together and see our old house.)

After seeing the house, I got to go out on a date with my best friend and neighbor from high school. She was my #1 reason I came back to my reunion to visit. It had been way too long since I'd seen her. She was my next door neighbor, even though it was a 1/4 mile from my door to hers. We went roller blading down main street a bunch, played softball together, she went with Daniel to Prom, we ate a TON of Chinese food together, and so much more. I remember going on a double blind date with her and two guys. By the end of the night, the guy I was "with" become her date and they dated a little bit after. Awkward night, but she was prettier than me so what do ya do? ;)

We were complete opposites in almost every way. (I was a white Mormon girl who had a traditional family and a bit hyper;) But with all our many differences, we were great friends. I loved spending time with her. She had her sweet Alysia Raquel our Junior year, so pretty much our Senior year, we were lame, eating our Chinese food, hanging out the baby and had a great time. We did get to go to the University of Kentucky for the weekend to check out their school. We went to a UK basketball game (with Larielle) in Mr. Badgett's box and ate yummy food. And went to college parties and were crazy. Of course, she thought it was hilarious that my "drink" was Dr Pepper. Great times.

Licia's third little guy Noah.
He's already a little "gangsta" :)  I was sad I didn't get to meet her second kid, Donte. He was spending the summer with his daddy's family.

Feeding Auri a lemon

:/

So happy we could spend some time together:)

Heather's cousin Stephanie was so wonderful to watch Auri while I was at the reunion. She has two little girls, 5 year old and 4 months, so she was just fine taking another little girl. Her little Maddie is so stinkin cute! I wish I would have taken a video of her talking. Her accent is so cute!

Steph is so calm and easy going. I'm so happy I left the baby with her. She was good for me to be around. I was late to everything all day long and super stressed getting ready for the night. She just took Auri and was so laid back it really helped. My Junior year I spent a lot of time with Steph and Heather. They played softball as well. (I didn't play my senior year or maybe my junior year too, I don't remember!) I just loved those two girls. We would have hung out more later on, but they both got boyfriends Senior year (Steph her sophomore year) and pretty much ditched me;) But it's totally worth it because they are BOTH still with those boyfriends and now married to them. What are the odds?