It is hard to believe that we arrived home a week ago, this morning! This last week has been incredible. Farm life, spring time, and big work projects have had us doing a complete 180 in terms of lifestyle + schedule (compared to road life) but we’ve just been loving it!
We’re getting ready to head out tomorrow morning for a weekend family reunion with the Bontrager side, but I wanted to recap this last week here, before we leave.
The first day we were home was work meetings, errands, unpacking, bus cleaning, and preparing for a big birthday bash for Josh, that evening.
Carson, above (who quit touring with us a year ago and lives on his own while we are gone) made a delicious morning brunch to welcome us back.
So much good food!
During unpacking moments like these, we remind ourselves, “At least it can’t get any worse! It must only be uphill from here!!” =)
We worked hard to clear a path through the rubble eleven peoples belongings and were able to have approximately two rooms presentable in time for a big Mexican Fiesta (ahem. inside joke) party for Josh that night! Lots of friends, food, and laughter!
Love being back to our big table!
Fun gifts. =)
Friday found us continuing the activities of the day before. One of the things to do when we got home was sort through several weeks’ worth of mail, and also finish putting up all of the Christmas pictures, on our wall.
Friday was a surprise 50th Birthday party out for Dad! Due to just having gotten home, it was very last minute and somewhat thrown together. But it was wonderful; it was a complete surprise and Dad was very blessed by the friends who gathered to celebrate with him.
More on the home front, as well as errands, coffee dates, and frozen yogurt + a little shopping for Liz and I!
My Grandma made this quilt for me while I was gone this winter! We had gone together, before I left, to pick out fabrics etc. It is so special to have this gift from her. I will treasure it always!
Dad’s birthday party, Saturday evening…filled with more good food, piles of “practical” gifts (what he loves) and more laughter. Only our dad would say his favorite gift from the whole evening was the fingernail trimmer he got. (ha!)
He loved this canvas from mom!
School time continues! Hudson looks a little more thrilled than Rebecca does. =)
We had a horrible hail storm one night. It was so loud that it woke all of us up. (and some of us Bontragers are very deep sleepers)
Thankfully our vehicles escaped damage. Our house, not so much.
Music practice amidst the laundry. When you have so many people in the family who practice instruments, you sometimes have to take just whatever corner, wherever, is available.
Rebecca
Dinner out one evening at our friends’ beautiful recently remodeled home. So loved the amazing food, conversations, and making music together.
Four wheeler rides again with Carson!
We have so many dear friends scattered all over the USA, Canada, Mexico, and beyond…but we still love coming back home and seeing all our dear IOWA people again! Above, Allison meeting up with a friend for coffee after work one day.
Ahh. All the yummy things we make when we are HOME!
Clearing out brush and tree limbs, back at our campsite.
And then we had the
hotel project this week! New carpet, repainting, and new bedspreads. Big project! Dad hired a trusty crew
(aka our brothers and friends) and the pieces began to fly!
Huge mess—you wouldn’t believe it! Also lots of surprises, when the paint arrived and turned out to be…lavender? Peach? Plum? Just definitely NOT tan. So back to the hardware store…back and forth several times…until finally things are looking a little more beige!
As for the carpet, we are so excited to bid farewell to these lovely green and burgundy shades of olden days.
Mother to the rescue, with coffee deliveries for all the hard workers.
We had the greatest crew.
Mitchell and Carson are hitting the fields again for a few spring jobs.
In between duties, Denver trains for a rodeo.
Just kidding! I’m not sure what the idea was for needing to ride this cow while getting her into the trailer but…somehow, it happened.
Pigs, headed to market! There were several late night/early morning load outs for several of the guys.
Mechanic brothers, hard at working, getting greasy and doing what they love to do!
And thats a little recap of our first week at home for the spring!
Oh I love all of these!
Sweet and cute an funny post thanks for posting this awesome blog hugs lov u an God bless u y'all 😍😘😁👏🏻👍🏻😃
Woah…the siding on your house is crazy! Great news to hear no other damage had occurred.
Wishing you all a Blessed and a HAPPY EASTER
Joan and Family
You all such an amazing and fun family, I love reading your blog, and as always hope you'll do a west coast (especially Seattle) tour one of these days.
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