A Summer Shower

This is my sweet little niece.

I haven't met her yet, but knowing her mommy and daddy like I do, 

I just know that she is going to be extra-special.

 Her initials are C.C.

We've been told the middle name, 

but the first C is a mystery!

Last weekend, Carrie and I headed north for 

Brandy's baby shower!

Carrie drove from Indianapolis to Kokomo this time!

I'm having a hard time believing that within the month, we will have a child who is a licensed driver.

And then we took a small break at one of 

our favorite places...

This is a barn that stands just down the road from where my Grandma and Grandpa lived.

As a young girl, I saw it every time I went to Grandma's house...which was several times a week...but I  never really thought about how beautiful it was.

Mom used to say, "There's nothing like a red barn!"

And I agree.

But I admit, there is a special place in my heart 

for white barns.

The white ones were the ones in which I played, imagined, fed pigs, and chased 

kittens as I was growing up.

And this was the drive to Grandma's house.

Grandma and Grandpa's house used to sit off to the left, behind the trees.

It has been gone for five or six years now.

The farm was auctioned off six years ago, the house taken down, and a new home built in its place.

Here is the farm coming from the opposite direction.

Same barn, same out buildings, same silo...

different house.

With a new house sitting there, the memories don't come running out to the road at me, but they are still there.

This field of corn doesn't look as bad as so many of the fields in the area.

Leaf rolling is a pretty common sight due to the lack of rain this spring and summer.

After a quiet drive by Grandma and Grandpa's, Carrie and I stopped at Dad and Gilda's and visited with them for awhile on their front porch.  

Sunshine and warm breezes.

If I close my eyes, I can imagine 

that I'm eight years old again.

Then it was into town we went!

Brandy was in town at her mom and dad's house.

Carrie and I went in to meet Brandy's nieces and 

frost cupcakes.

We parked down the street a bit and walked by the neighbor's house.

Can you believe these hydrangeas?!

And what about these cupcakes?!

It was fun seeing Deb baking cupcakes and making frosting in her kitchen.

Nineteen years ago, she made what I think was the most beautiful wedding cake ever made.

And the yummiest!

I remember sitting with Mom and Deb in this very kitchen and talking about my dream cake...

frosted to look like a basket.

Time to frost!

The master at work...

She made it look so easy!

Absolutely adorable!

Next...curling ribbon!

I will call you Carrie Tender Finger!

Brandy is going nuts!

(Chopping nuts for the ice cream sundaes!)

And then on to arranging the centerpieces for the tables.

I love Brandy's expression here!

Deb painted the pots and then decorated them with ribbon and rattles.

She and Brandy love to scrapbook, so Deb used her creative abilities to make the picks for the centerpieces.

(Speaking of scrapbooks...Carrie and I looked at some of Deb's treasures.  Beautiful!)

After a day of shower preparations, we all took off to South Bend to eat at Hacienda!

Oh, how I miss Hacienda!

Carrie was thrilled to get in some more 

practice hours in Brandy's car.

Rob and I got in the backseat of the car, 

looked at each other, and laughed.

I don't know when the last time was that we were in the backseat together, drawing a line down the middle that the other couldn't cross.

After a yummy meal, we headed back to see 

Rob and Brandy's new house!

Rob has lived in the same home for 41 years! 

(Sorry, Rob!  I gave way your age!)

He and Brandy decided that with the start of their family, it was time to build a home of their very own.

It's a sweet, quiet neighborhood, just across the street.

I would guess that Carrie is the first one to 

dance in their garage...

And the second to climb out their dining room window...

(I was first!)

Carrie did this so that she could send pictures back home to the boys.

She knew that they would be pretty jealous.

Back home to Rob and Brandy's!

Brandy made sure that I knew where 

the coffee mugs were kept.

Dessert!

Brandy made this really scrumptious 

Oreo filled chocolate cake!

Wow!!

Cherries in her fridge...

Swollen ankles...

Then we all got our jammies on, grabbed a piece of cake, and sat and watched a movie together!

And laughed.

That's what I love about getting together with 

Rob and Brandy...the laughter.

Before heading off to bed, I had to take 

a picture of Tigger.

I think he might be might have raccoon 

somewhere in his family.

Enjoying family, my home town, and that feeling of anticipation,