Day 7 The Homestead

Monday, December 1st, was a VERY full day! There were lots of pictures and memories for all of us! I am going to have to break this up in a couple of entries so I can add more pics! Sorry in advance for so many pictures in this post.

We started with some lunch at Spangles (Colorado does not have these :s). This has become one of Jeff's favorites, it's a 50's style restaurant and Jeff enjoys their Philly steak sandwich, and I enjoy their original Gyro. (LtoR: Preston, Tanner, Landon, Anne Marie, Cecelia, Jeff)

A few months ago Michelle, who is a real estate agent, found out that the home they grew up in was on the market. So we all decided to go visit the "homestead" outside of Mayetta. It was great because of Michelle we were able to walk through the house and it was amazing to see the changes. There was a lot of remodeling done throughout the whole house. They moved there on March 1, 1977, Jeff was 3 years old and Cecelia sold it in 1998 after Jeff's dad, Leon, died.

The house. One thing I kept hearing was how big the trees were. I'm not sure how big the row of trees by the road were, but the evergreen by the vehicles...the kids use to jump over it!Jeff and the kids checking out his old room. Of course it was much smaller then he remembered it being! (John and Preston)Michelle's kids in her old room. John, Anne Marie, and Gabriel saying "I love Texas"!The kids rolling down the hill that is right out the back door.A great picture of Jeff's mom, Cecelia.What is left of the "barn" and "the woods".In "the woods". Jeff is talking about the tree house they had here. If you look to the right of Landon you can see one of the "steps" on the tree laying on the ground. There were three boards still nailed to the trunk! (Tanner, Jeff, Landon)I LOVE this picture! Seeing Jeff and Michelle walking through "the woods" remembering... with their kids following behind them, (plus the neighbors dog, who the kids loved!)Jeff and the kids out in the field.Grandma and Anne Marie in the van because it was COLD!

After plenty of reminiscing we all piled back in the van and then we had to drive through Mayetta, a town with a population of around 300, and look at Jeff's old church and grade school.

All that is left of the original church. The steps. They rebuilt a new church right off to the right and it's a parking lot where the old one sat.

Where Jeff's kindergarten class met and a set of monkey bars where he played at recess and as he says, where he "racked" himself bad! aaaahhh memories! ;oD

Landon wiped out. His brothers weren't appreciating the fact they had to lend a shoulder to lean on! We are now on our way to supper which is what the next post will be about...mmmmm!