Tuesday, July 20, 2010

NoDak 2010!

Did you ever think I would really post again?

I was in North Dakota last week for the Wing Centennial Celebration. It was so much fun. Some quick history on why the heck i was in Wing, North Dakota: This was the town that my mom and most of her extended relatives grew up in. At its prime (I think when my Grandpa was Mayor!) it had just over 300 residents. Now, there are less than 100.

I really wished I could have captured a little bit of the sounds, smells and joyful atmosphere of this celebration, but pictures will have to do. There is something pretty dang special about small town America that really is lost in our big cities (I don't consider Ft. Collins a big city, but it really just depends on what you are comparing to!).

So, my Wing Adventure in pictures:

This is my grandma, Marlys, and her best friend, Arlys, getting ready for their entry in the class parade. They were the only 2 there from their graduating class. Are they not the cutest things ever? I felt like I was helping little kindergaterners get ready for a class performance as I put their signs on them and lathered them with sunscreen.



























My sister, Auntie Barbara and I walked a 5k on Saturday morning - sporting Aprons that we created to commemorate my Grandpa's butcher shop (Lindy's Lockers) for a float in the parade.


That's right my grandpa was not only Mayor, but also the Butcher! This is the float for Lindy's Lockers - that's my grandpa in blue (who is amazingly un photogenic, he looks like he kind of looks like we took him out of the group home for this...). The other people are a few of the workers over the years, including my Mom and Uncle Dale.





The Patriot in me got goosebumps during this! A singer sang "God Bless the USA" while everyone waiting for the parade stood and watched the Flag Presentation at the Wing High School. I love it! (The singer for the National Anthem didn't show up, so we all got to sing it together, that was pretty sweet too!)

Have you heard of a Pitchfork Fondue? Delish!














Here is my sister looking like a country bumpkin with bunny ears (provided by my mom's cousin Connie), my Uncle Rich and I let Steph be in our picture.







Steph and our cousin's kids really enjoyed the stage entertainment:


Lastly, i figued I'd show my war wound from the week. My grandparent's car attacked my arm, this is my sister's artistic shot of it for me:


Basically, I had a blast, and wasn't ready to go back to Intel!