There's No Place like Home

Earlier this month, we (Brian, myself and the pups) loaded up the car and headed to my hometown of Lander, Wyoming. With a population of just over 7500, Lander is the kind of small town where everyone knows almost everyone. Lander sits near the center of the state of Wyoming in the Wind River Mountains. It's a genuinely beautiful place.

March 3rd marked my grandpa's 80th birthday (born 3/3/33), and his family and friends came from all over the place to celebrate. My mom, my uncles and aunts planned a great event at the senior center in town, where over 50 people showed up! It was kind of a surprise, he thought it was just going to be immediate family. He was surprised to see extended family and friends, but happy that both of us from Utah (plus Brian), and my "greeney" cousins from Colorado all made it. I know that none of us would have missed it for the world. Even my cousin Kadie, 8 months pregnant (or "beer belly" depending on who you ask) made the trip from Colorado Springs.

Photos courtesy of Christy Meredith

The party was a blast. A few of grandpa's family and close friends got up in front of the room to take a shot at embarrassing him. He's usually the jokester, but this time the jokes were on him. Growing up, he used to distract me at the dinner table to look the other direction while he swiped my plate from in front of me and hide it in his lap. He was always so quick about it, sneaky bugger, that I never suspected him. (I mean, why would he do such a thing!?) Other times, he would replace my silverware with a spatula instead of a fork, a ladle in place of a spoon, shotglass for my water, etc. and insisted that I attempt to eat dinner with them. Later, he graduated into the remote control whoopee cushion sound machine, hidden under the chairs at the dinner table. That was a fun little phase. Good times.

It was a short visit. Too short, as always. But it was so nice to see everyone and to have everyone together; which has become such a rarity anymore.

On the way home, the pups were pretty good in the car. Below are a couple of snapshots I took: both of them peeking out the door window to watch us pack up the car, Pepper waking daddy up from his nap on the floor, and Bailey intently interested in the passing landscape from the car. She looked out the window for a good part of the trip home. Funny dogs.

On our way out of town, I snapped this gem (below) from the car as Brian sped past. This area is always the highlight of the 300 mile drive for me. Red Canyon sits just a few miles outside of Lander; like a welcome banner, then a wave goodbye. "Until next time..."