Three sisters

Once upon a time there were three sisters.....

They had a Granny who lived in this home (before it had been redone to be a very cool vacation rental)

The sisters grew up and became granny's themselves...to these kids.

They even let their grandkids go back inside one of the homes they lived in in Jerome, AZ.  This is the basement. 

Can you imagine those three cuties about 50 years ago playing out here on this second story deck with Granny inside...not paying a lick of attention to them?  Sheesh!Jan, Donna and Jackie...the above three sisters organized a fabulous family reunion for their  families on June 10, 2012.  We met first in Jerome, AZ where all of these pictures were taken.  We saw two of the homes they lived in and their Granny's home as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerome is a super cool little town that is built right into the side of Arizona mountain.  It was originally a mining town, the mine has since been closed and is now really just a tourist spot.  This shot shows how the houses are in the hillside. 

This is my brother Will (who just moved back west from Tennessee - YAY!) standing in a carport.  The legs are the rest of the family up on the street.  It's hard to explain but the house that my mom lived in is to the right of this photo and this cement cave was their carport.  Again, all carved into the hill.  It was a great tour.  We even got to see the old abandoned school house that Jan and Donna used to sneak into through a broken window and play in.  They promise they never did anything bad....ah hem.:)  It had since been made into town hall and a library. 

Afterward Philip was in heaven because we were right by Toozigoot National Monument - so he and the kids went to check it out while I slept in the car.  Remember those crazy months of non-stop go?  I was still getting through those...don't judge.

Seriously cute!

 After Toozigoot we headed to Camp Verde to check into the hotel and meet up with other family members who were still arriving. 

The next morning I wanted to go for a walk to I went to get my Mom who was staying at her Uncle Tap's house.  When cute 85 year old Tap heard we were going for a walk.  He quickly grabbed his  tennis shoes and headed out with us.  The 5 mile brisk walk I had planned on going on was a 1 mile very slow walk --- and worth every minute.  He toured us around the neighborhood and told us the history of him and his life there in Camp Verde.  I didn't know that he had been the town Deputy for a while.  He sure did take a lot of locals home after too long saddled up to the bar.  He said "back then, we didn't wait for them to get into trouble, we just took them home before they caused trouble.  It was more preventative" 

Gavin on one of Uncle Tap's tractors.  I learned to drive on a tractor similar to this one so I was excited for the kids to hop on.  Uncle Tap is my mom's Uncle.  His brother was "daddy Phil" who adopted my mom and her sisters.  He died very young of a heart attack.  Poor Tap has lost brothers early on in life.  He is younger than them but still keeps hanging in there.  His wife Barbara was sure welcoming of us barging in on them that morning.   

Here we are in Uncle Tap's "Rooster preserve." He was so proud of them all - I didn't get any good pictures of the roosters but he breeds them and mixes them so he knew who was related to who and how.  I bet he had about 20 of them.  He used to fight them back in the day - before it was illegal.  Now he just gets joy from raising them.  It was great to learn more about him. 

We were almost late to our next activity due to our long tours at Tap and Barbara Parsons house.  BUT -- I sure made up for it when I won at the family bowl-off.  This picture is awful and I normally wouldn't brag...really....I just can't remember a time I've ever won any type of sport.  So I just had to post it.:)  Uncle Jim -- I really do love you and I think you should have won -- but I was just...well, better.

We did a lot of swimming in the hotel pool and Uncle Will was the highlight as the shark who took Libbie and Elle for lots of rides.:)

 I, of course, didn't' get any pictures of anything else.  I was doing good to get these I guess.  But my sister Paige has a ton and I'm counting on her (hint, hint) to send em to me so I can post then.  It was a great few days and I'm so glad to Jackie, Donna and Mom for organizing it.  Like we said, two years is too long -- so until next June...love you all!