We spent the past weekend in Hutchinson, KS. For those not familiar with KS, Hutch (near Wichita) is home to the Cosmosphere (space museum), the state fair, a newly opened Underground Salt Mine museum and a sprint triathlon, The SaltyDog. We traveled (seven hours!) for said Triathlon. Michael was pumped up and ready for it, but then the city, and the entire Midwest, was besieged with RAIN. Not western Nebraska rain either, the type that blows in & blows out and we are happy to get a little wet. This was real KS rain. The storm just SAT over Hutchinson the entire weekend! So after braving the rain (which we were totally not prepared for; read: no umbrellas, no ponchos, etc.) to get to the TRI site, getting soaked walking to the swimming location, standing huddled with 200 others, the SaltyDog was officially cancelled. No one really wanted to get electrocuted while swimming or bike a flooded path.
Hutch is also home to my Aunt Lovella & Uncle Ron. The rain did not stop us from attending Uncle Ron's 70th Birthday Party and a wedding reception for their daughter Carolyn and her new husband, Jorge. I had such a great time catching up with cousins & aunts & uncles. The family hasn't had such a big family wedding party for quite a while. It was great fun to watch my kids running around and dancing with my cousins' kids. At one point near the end of the evening, kids were literally running laps around the outside edge of the room! Every parent there was hoping the kids would wear themselves down so they would fall asleep quickly. Everyone got along very well, although 4 year old Trenton was a little jealous when 2 year old Will wanted to hold 5 year old Alayna's hand. AND 2 year old Whitney wanted to slow dance a little to closely with 1 year old Ethan. My Dad arrived a bit late to the wedding dance and received an ovation from all the seated guests. Alayna asked him, "Are you the President?"
Of course, that made his day!
We managed to corral the family into one end of the room for a photo. Carolyn announced that "everyone who was related to her or ever wanted to be" should report for the picture. That left about 5 people in the room not in the photo. Great fun!
Can't wait for the next wedding party for Paul & Patty in November.
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SCHAMBER CLAN
Aunt Lou demonstrating the Y-M-C-A song to her siblings.
2nd Cousins Will & Leo dancing together ... making their mothers so happy:)
