King Family Reunion 2014

These are going to be slightly out of order, but I'm so behind on getting them up, I just want them up, so here they are in unsorted, unedited glory....

Lea and DR Andy!  Just moved to Ohio and we are already sad they are so far away....so glad Andy could make it!

We found our new family tradition.  Super competitive volleyball.  

Doing what we do...visiting

Mal and the newbie.  Yeah, I guess he's alright, I guess he can stick around....needs to get his volleyball game IN CHECK though...

Being on the pond was awesome, kept all the kids occupied

Men staring at water

Old man Charlie

Charlie drank about 582 capri suns, I gave up after a while... Lauren, Ali and Kennedy (Greg's) Jack and Caroline (Lea's)

Charlie and his new idol Gavin (Eric's)

Somehow we talked Joyce into letting ALL the kids sleep on the floor of their room.  I have no idea how that worked.  They had a blast all being together

We stuck the boys in the walk in closet- BOYS CLUB

Dick, Lauren and Joyce

Charlie really loves Eric, and Eric is so nice and good with him (unlike with me growing up 'GIMME MY BLANKIE BACK ERIC!!')

Haley and her bf Gaelen with all the Divine grandkids

The cousins- I was dealing with a Charlie melt down and was unavailable due to pulling my hair out.  Back: Steve, Eric, Stacey, Cheryl, Greg, Mike Front: Melinda, Kathleen, Lea and Mal

Poor Mal making ALL the sandwiches by herself

Aunites on the water

haha, I love my Aunties

Pat, Bill and Joyce

The lot of us

Siblings - Bill, Pat, Joyce, Dick and Don

Trying to get the kids calmed down with a book- works every time

A Tourist in Our Own Town

We moved out to Independence, Missouri almost 5 years ago when we got married. I was not the happiest of campers to move out here. The city has not controlled its growth and it's over developed some places, under developed others. Independence is such a bizarre town. They didn't even have curb side recycling when we moved here. I had to go give a speech in front of the city council to make them realize how ridiculous that was. I told them do it now, or do it later, it has to happen. We now have curbside recycling...not sure how big of a role I played. 

It's the fourth largest city in Missouri, encompassing almost 80 square miles- EIGHTY. It holds significance as it was a point of departure of the California, Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. It is older than Kansas City and would have been the big hub on this side of the state, but it was destroyed in 2 major battles in the civil war which lead to booming Kansas City becoming the more prominent city in the area. 

Because it is so large, the population is extremely diverse. There are very wealthy pockets in Independence and some of the neediest people I've ever encountered, all living side by side. Take Vaille Mansion. It's this 31 bedroom, American Castle and it is surrounded by absolute poverty. Then 4 blocks up the street are the beautiful, historic homes on the square. Right off the square is a blighted, vacant building, and then newer beautiful homes overlooking a pond. I grew up in an area where the wealthy people lived OVER THERE and the less wealthy lived OVER THERE and the poor lived OVER THERE.  It was a blessed, but very sheltered upbringing.

Matt makes the point that is is very healthy for Charlie to see all this growing up. It's good to see people of different walks. It can make you empathetic, less judgmental, less likely to stereotype and less likely to consider race and people's backgrounds when deciding character. It can make you count your blessings at times but also maybe give you a tinge of jealousy when you see someone's beautifully restored, historic, turn of the century home off the square. So maybe this isn't such a terrible place to live...plus we have a new mayor. The 173 year old former mayor is finally out and the new mayor is plugged into social media which has made me feel much more attached to my city. (plus, it's a woman, and I just think women are better and getting shit DONE) 

So, Saturday rolled around, Matt was moving Bridgette to her new apartment. I looked around my house at dirty floors and decided I didn't feel like cleaning all day, let's get out and DO something, anything, so I grabbed Charlie and just got in the car. We went and got yummy coffee drinks down on the square and I thought we'd just wander around.  We had SO much fun and I can't believe all this is minutes from my house.

'Built by Colonel and Mrs. Harvey Vaile in 1881. The 31 room mansion includes 9 marble fireplaces, spectacular painted ceilings, flushing toilets, a built-in 6,000 gallon water tank, and a 48,000 gallon wine cellar. This mansion is one of the best examples of Second Empire style architecture in the United States.' This thing is 200% more impressive than in this instagram pic, it's a sight to behold

Jackson County Courthouse where Harry Truman served as a Judge

Trinity Episcopalian Church built in 1881 - Harry and Bess Truman married here in 1919

Adorable painted planters that are EVERYWHERE 

Some of the most adorable shops around, I behaved and only bought a few things...

We ended the day playing at McCoy Park right across from the Truman Presidential Library

They have a water park, we were headed home so I went ahead and let Charlie go in his clothes, made for a very wet carseat

The only thing missing from our fun day was Matt, so after Matt got back we headed BACK to the square to eat.  El Pico is AMAZING, like lick your plate clean, AMAZING.

We wandered around the square after dinner...again.  Here is the big bronze of Harry in front of the square.

We got yogurt to finish off the night.  No nap, 9 o'clock at night, had been going all day, and Charlie was such a good boy- such a trooper.