we love "home"

so. last month we went to nebraska.

'we', as in me and romes.

mr leif had a fishing trip planned, and i wasn't about to sit at home all weekend with romy, inhaling the cool air from the ac vent and eating 56 popsicles a day, just to keep me from throwing up.

nope.

we snuck off and didn't tell anyone.

actually, we were sent off with smooches from mr leif, & our families were ready for us when we arrived :)  

so i guess, my family knew and mr leif's family knew.  but really, no one else.

it was kind of fun to be secretive. and it was really nice to not have to feel the pressure i put on myself to try see e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e. that makes up our huge extended family and friend circles.

it was nice just to go home.  and be home.  and not have to drive all over. just, be home.

i put my big girl boots on and drove the 4.5 hours back to the good life.

it was lovely drive.  

full of truck movies, mcdonalds (see the sack on the left?), sour candy, and random toys being thrown through the air.  such sweet times.  

romy gobbled up all the farm had to offer.  he loves his gma abbi, toltin (uncle colton), tamrin (uncle cameron), and PAPA!  i mean, really.  it was practically a toddler boys taste of heaven seeing papa's farm.  romes could hardly contain himself when he got to sit INSIDE each of papa's trucks and tractors.

yes, 2 semi trucks, tractors, combines, forklifts, bobcats, loaders, pickup trucks

oh and toltin has "2 biiiiiiiiig cows".  seeing the cows alone caused him to practically pee his pants.

i mean, diaper.

i think romy was born for the farm.  we'll just have to be better about getting back there more often.

maybe i should get a mini van.  i mean. i will be toting two kids here before long.

HA.

{and i had no pictures of anything that went on above.  i was just trying not to puke on the farm.  i didn't feel very good that day.  i could have cared less about yankin my phone out ever 2 minutes like i normally do.)

...

we spent the rest of the weekend at my parent's house.  

they took us to gourmet restaurants such as the american legion.  {no really, it's pretty tastey}

and thriving kid favorites like the sutton city park.

roman thought the park was basically disneyland.

this tank?

this "biiiiiiiiiiiiiig tink"

well.  let me just say, hot stuff mc hotterson must not have a fear of heights.

 this momma had a bit of nostalgia, as we walked up the hill (romes on gma's shoulders) to look at the big swimming pool.  i very seriously explained to romy that this pool meant a lot to mommy.  

it's where she held her first real job (other than baby sitting or detasseling)

it's where she created her first list of future baby names (of which none of them she'd use now)

and i'll share one of those beauties: kamma rae. HA!???? sounds like a rapper or something.  oh dear. 

ok, i think lexis was also on there. HA. oh my......  i wish i still had that list

and it's where she used to watch mr leif drive by on his way home from lifting weights, or playing bball, or whatever else he did in town.  because the pool was on the same street that he took to go home.  and every single time she would wish he would stop and come inside to say hi. 

and every single time he didn't.  but it's ok.  

he played hard to get.  [actually he was just shy and didn't really want to be all loveydovey like some high school romances were back then]  

he liked to make sure we were "keeping our space"

HA!  look where that got him?  hitched with 2 kids :)  [and we're still madly in love hehe]

and, also, it's where she earned all those lines around her eyes when she smiles.  she never really wore sunscreen and she liked the idea of getting a tan.  whoops.  

[speaking of, anyone have any miracle eye cream out there for me??]

oh it was so nice to be home, romy.

i laid on the couch a lot, eating food.  and you played with gma and papa.

it's pretty nice having someone else love on your kid for a bit :)

sometimes here in KC i feel like it's all up to me, to keep things going.

i know that's silly talk.

because, 

i have an amazing, loving, selfLESS husband who embarrassingly (to me) does more around the house at times, than i do.

i have a loving heavenly father who is ready to carry my burdens, as soon as i release them at His feet.

but still, 

i try to carry it all on my shoulders.

and when i'm back home.  and when there are grammies around to take care of romy?

i get to sit back a bit. and rest.

 and lick all of my momma's homemade caramel off my fingers.

and then.  before long, reality snaps into play.

we're back on the road home.  to our other home.

kansas city here we come.

but,

not before a quick mommy/roman date at pizza the hut.

it's a great halfway point.

a great place to stretch our legs.

and a great place to consume cheese pizza. 

and noodles for romes. (i was trying to decide if that was healthier for him than cheese pizza.  HA who am i kidding)

. . .

an awesome trip home.

family is such a blessing :)