Yesterday was a really fun day. I had been looking forward to it for months. I wanted to make my Dad's 70th memorable of course. Without a party and with him not having a favorite restaurant, at least one that doesn't serve on paper plates or doesn't offer a toy with the meal; I remembered how we used to go as a family to the horse races YEARS ago. It was another one of my brilliant ideas. ;) In fact, my Dad brought up those good times a few weeks ago while the Kentucky Derby was on and how we hadn't been in so long, even though they've been since I had. I snickered to my Mom then as plans had already been made.


Thank the Lord and Brett's parents, they watched the kids so we could have the entire day, as beautiful as it was to sit in traffic on the parkway and make us miss 3 races, gamble, enjoy. Too bad mainly for me because I, the big winner I might add, got the hang of betting (jockeys and long shots) close to about the 7th race with only 10 in total. Definitely a good day. And if I could get my in laws to commit, maybe it'll become an annual thing. Ed, I'll make sure Brett doesn't bet your money next time I swear.

Like a little girl though I listened to my Dad when he told me I couldn't bring my camera in, so no pictures.



Then to early this morning.

Aiden's maiden voyage with my parents & I to our annual blueberry picking festivus.

I'm not going to get into my blueberry picking madness just yet. Soon enough.

Because we were there too early unfortunately. Fortunately though we weren't too late, so we will go back. That's when I'll get further into it.

Briefly though, I heart picking blueberries more than I do strawberries which is why no offspring have come until now. Once again, I didn't want it to be too soon. I'm serious out there, as my Mom's been referred to, a migrant worker. So as I told Aiden, "you're not only old enough you're well enough behaved. Just because you're almost 6 doesn't get you there alone."

And once again, we timed it right because he Loved it. As I was telling him about proper picking procedure and bountiful crops of years past, how they should be and how they were not today, he was telling me "how much funner this was than he even thought it would be."

He loved picking with my Dad I noticed and had remembered how I had told him once, as he told Pop how his big hands can pick the most in the least amount of time. He never complained once about all the walking, and where the heck were the blueberries anyway, the drive there (an hour), that we weren't getting the annual after-blueberry picking hot dog because it wasn't even 10am when we were done. Instead, he loved the facts that I woke him up early, we were all in Mema's car, how we crossed state lines, the bucket he got to carry around his neck, all the walking and roaming, being free to pick, drop, eat, or save, going over a footbridge, having us dump all of our berries into his bucket, sampling their flavored honey, buying it all by himself, and being treated like a big boy.

We can't wait to get back there and come home with some berries next time.