Monday, October 6, 2008

A Turnip Reunion

The 2 years I spent at Kilgore College are 2 of the best years of my life. I learned so much about dance, discipline, life...and friendship. The dorm where we lived as Rangerettes was organized into suites. You had a room mate, and then shared a bathroom with another room...your suite mates. My freshman year I roomed with a very dear high school friend. We are still friends to this day, but we were NOT cut out to be roommates! :) My sophomore year I found myself living with 3 of the most precious girls on earth. We nick-named our suite "the turnips"(it makes sense to us). We only lived together as a "suite" for one year, but we formed a friendship that is one of my most treasured possessions. That was 13 years ago! Since then, we have gone through marriages, babies, jobs, moves, houses...life! I wouldn't trade them for anything.



About 5 years ago, we decided that we needed to start getting together once a year. We made a plan and have actually STUCK TO IT! We take turns going to each other's hometowns. The weekends we spend together go by way too fast, but are always such fun! Our husbands have grown to be friends, and our kids treat each other like cousins! This past weekend was our "Turnip Reunion 08". It took place in Longview, Texas home of Jana Cloonan Horne (and her precious family). Jana was my roommate. Our suite mates, Amy Mays Jeter and Colleen Mock Stapp joined us and fun was had by all. Our itinerary was:

Friday - arrive around 4ish; kids and dads hang out at the Hornes; girls go out for LONG dinner and LOTS of chatting (I don't think there were more than 5 seconds of silence).



Saturday - eat breakfast as a "gang" at the hotel; go to a nearby playground to let the kids play; eat lunch at Taco Bueno (thank you Rus and Kate); eat ice cream at Shake's (yum); split up for a little down time/rest - guys go golfing; meet up at the Horne's house for a FALL EXTRAVAGANZA!!! (cook-out, hayride, pumpkin carving, roasting marshmallows, costume parade, FUN!!!!!)


Sunday - eat breakfast as a "gang" at the hotel; hang out for a while; time to leave :(

Too quickly our time was over and it was time to go home. I must say that both of the girls did incredibly well in the car on the way there and back - thank you, Lord! We had an awesome time. Thank you, Horne family, for such a fun weekend!!! Here are a few pictures to recap!

These are the girl "turnip greens" (aka kids). They are quite a sassy bunch!!!


Here we are ready to go on the hayride (Jana, I'm sad you're not in this picture). From L to R - Colleen (holding Wilson), Amy (holding Kate), Me (holding Campbell), Jana's son Ryan, Colleen's daughter Madalyn, Karson's head/bow, Jana's son Will. That's Jana's precious husband, Justin driving the tractor! SO MUCH FUN!!!



Okay, so not much scenery, but isn't she cute?!!! This was half-way through our hay-ride when we stopped to "pick pumpkins". Campbell was a bit confused as to what we were doing!


ALL of the "turnip greens" in their Halloween costumes! L-R - Kate, Will, Wilson, Ryan, Madalyn, Karson, and Campbell. Do they look like a fun bunch, or what?!


Here we are, carving pumpkins. Jana was the QUEEN of cleaning them out!!! We tried to get Amy to get her hands dirty, but she was not having any part of it.


Here's how our pumpkins turned out! Karson was too funny - she stood behind "her" pumpkin for quite a while..."guarding it". I don't know what she thought was going to happen to it!

Jana was so sweet and gave Karson a "Build-a Bear" kit. Karson was insistant that we put it together AS SOON AS WE GOT HOME!!! Well...it didn't happen last night, but we (and by that, I mean 'I') put it together today. Colleen, I want you to send my a picture of Madalyn's...I know you don't have anything else to be doing! :)

2 comments:

Mommy Pose said...

Fun!!! I love Campbell's face in that picture with you! :)

Anonymous said...

I miss you guys so much. I wish I was a turnip!!!