I was able to go to my parent’s house from Thursday until Sunday afternoon. On Friday I had a much needed visit with my aunt Colleen. We went out for lunch (I took the above picture outside the cafe we ate in – where the view is gorgeous and truly “country”) and to an antique shop.
“No, you can’t come with us,” Colleen told her daughters, “this is mommy-time!”
The regular fast pace of my life with five small children slowed way down and I even had time to read in bed:
“Just as soon as I knew you were coming, I started cleaning!”- Mom
On Saturday Dad, Mom, and I went shopping. We ate lunch at my favorite pizza place of all time:
Spending time down memory lane:
“Your Dad has always been so handsome to me” -Mom
On Sunday we had a family dinner after church. It was fun to be around my brothers.
The old familiar sight of Mom working in the kitchen and Dad by her side.
“I hope we can die together in our sleep, so we never have to be apart” -Dad
I love you. . . .
Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt
Good to be Home 
Aw Shanda, what a wonderfully loving post ~ love that first shot, by the way.
Love the post, Shan. I’m sure you had a wonderful time with everyone. I love those chubby cheeks on that baby. 🙂
I hope getting back into the swing of things isn’t too painful today. 🙂
Now I want to go home!
Luv the picture of you in bed, because I’d do that too
You must feel so refreshed and full of peace right now. Glad to see you had such a wonderful time with your family. Have a great day enjoying your children. Love, Michelle
Such a sweet post. Family is wonderful! I am glad you were able to spend time with your’s.
Aw…..I love those pictures and captions. I think my favorite is the “Muscle viewing” explanation. I can TOTALLY relate to that one since I have three brothers of my own. LOL! My parents have always worked side by side in the kitchen too. It’s a sweet picture that will forever be etched in my mind. Thanks for sharing pictures and precious family memories. I loved your post!
Blessings to you!
Jana
Great pictures! Your brothers are just like crazy brothers should be! Love the last picture of you with your parents. SO much love there!!! Your Mom looks so young, and I love the light coming through the blue glass behind you. I am glad you got this time to be a daughter and sister and to reconnect with your family. I’ll bet your kidlets were VERY glad to see you! :- )
WOW!! I LAUGHED JUST AS HARD TODAY AS I DID YESTERDAY!!!
Awww looks like you had a wonderful time at home with your family! Did you come back refreshed and relaxed?
Family time is precious time indeed! I love that first photo so much!!!
I love the family quotes in between the pictures!
Love, love, love. That’s what I see when I look at these pictures. You captured it wonderfully! It was nice to see that my brothers are not the only ones who flex and make faces in the kitchen. Maybe they’re not as strange and weird as I thought!
I thought you would like looking at those pictures! I know I love just admiring all of her feista ware every time I am at her house! Yes, they are medium green! They were actaully the salt and pepper shakers she used growing up at her mom’s house! She told me that relish dish was $250, the most she has ever spent on a single fiesta ware piece, but it was the one thing she had admired and longed for since she was a little girl! It is so special that I can share a hobby like that with my grandmother!
Have a wonderful day!
I love this post. It was so good to see so many pictures of your family. Its a great thing that they were all able to come and visit when you visited. I loved the quote in the end too! Love, Elisha
What a great post. Such great memories. That is a beautiful quote, also!
Shanda, what great family pictures. You all look so happy and so close. It looked like you were in Heaven, being cozy in your bed with a good book. It’s funny to see that it is still “Winter” where you live, since it’s in the 70’s here! I know that you enjoyed being with your family and getting to relax and enjoying the fellowship with your parents and siblings. Your niece is so cute. The last picture is priceless. So happy that you had a great time. Glad to have you back though. 🙂
I loved these pictures so much. It’s so neat to see more pictures of your family, and now I can see more resemblance between A and your brothers, and see that you resemble your father and she your mother. It’s so cool. 🙂 I’m glad you had a nice, restful time, and I hope you have a great day today. Love, Trish
So so good to have you back! Very very funny the pic with the boys being boys.
Reading in bed…jealous that’s all I can say!
You didn’t say much about the first picture the B&W shed where is that? down the road past your parents?…details Shan, I want the details! LOL!
I think my fav. was the one with you and your Mom down on the floor looking through photos, something resonates with that shot..it is so real life.
Great family pictures, looks like you had a great time…what a blessing to have family like this! ~Colleen~
Great pictures. It looks like a wonderful and restful time for you. Blessings
Great pictures as always and you look so relaxed reading in your old bedroom, nice that you had that time away!
Loverly pictures!!So cozy and warm with Sibs and Parents!!Its great to see your parents…SOOO in love!!!Blessings,Angie
Wonderful pictures! It’s always so nice to see a family that loves one another.
God bless~ Laurel
These pictures brought tears of happiness to my eyes, and sweet memories of time spent with my own family. That time really is sweet in a fresh new way, visiting home again after getting married and being responsible for my own place. Going home feels sooo good.