Returning to the Motherland

This was my first extended trip back to The Lord's Country since graduation, and boy, did it feel weird.  Though the creamery ice cream and bookstore fudge tasted dependably delicious, just as they did five years ago, I felt kind of like a sixth-grader sneaking back into elementary school for a sec, where everything was almost too familiar, but I knew I didn't really belong there anymore.  [However, unlike middle school, this trip did not include any sweater vests, side ponytails, or headgear.]

Although, who am I kidding? Once a cougar, always a cougar, right? (wink, wink)

First stop: dropping Little Boy Blue off for a healthy dose of EFY

And then over-filling on peach slushies, like any responsible adults would do. 

We hiked Ensign Peak, a jolly little sprint, mostly so I could use the panorama feature on my phone for an actual panoramic view.  

And enjoyed fireworks with the adorable cousins, who thought everything I said was funny. 

 (Who was I to correct them?)

Mom and I caught up with Poundy Roundy and B-Swizzle over Frenchy T's at Kneaders in our most patriotic of clothing to celebrate the 4th.  
 

So happy to have Mama Dawn in our family :) 

 And of course, we rounded out our Independence Day at the Stadium of Fire because that's what George Washington would have wanted. 

After brunching ensemble one day, we took a postprandial jaunt to campus "for old time's sake" and UNEXPECTEDLY ran into Christophoni Columbo, who wasn't too embarrassed to break away from his social/spiritual rejuvenation for hugs and pix. 

We even dragged those Mosley bosleys to Gardner Village with us to look at the geese, to fawn over little Christmas ornaments, and so Jason could buy a quilt.   
 

We reconnected with our BFFS 4 LYFE and then went sailing (briefly) (without a sail) (as a storm was coming in) and Cap'n Paul let me steer. 

Shennanigans (aka shennannies) on the port side 
 

We rounded out our trip with a concert in the Tab, a run-in with the gramps, 

and a fill-up on pizza and gelato.  
 

It was easily one of those weeks where you lose track of the day and time, because keeping up simply doesn't matter.  Amidst the swimming, games, sleepovers, movies, museums, shopping and eating out, I SO enjoyed being with family again, which doesn't happen often enough.  

We missed Daddio, the squishy Fordhams, and T-bone (what about Viethomas?), sure enough, but will all be reunited come Christmas. 

Until then, let's all just keep the pickle in the cup and the band-aids on our pants. 

Burton clan, over and out.