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Yesterday was Tongie Days. We had a booth sat out in front of our studio along with many other vendors from all over. I arrived at 8:45 in the morning to help get our stuff out of the store and on to our tables. It was a little disconcerting to see that right next to us was a lady whose voice boomed with every overly annunciating word who you could hear all the way to the end of the block. She had previously been at the shrine rodeo but clear across the room at that time and we could hear her every word even then. It was a nice day w little breeze and not too humid. We heard over and over again, as women would drag their friends to our booth, "this is our favorite store!" That was encouraging. Several people stopped by and we got to see so many familiar faces. A old country band played up the street and kids and with balloons and slushy were runny havok all over the place.

Later that day, Cynthia, whom is my partner in crime, was throwing a Miss Tonganoxie Pageant. I, of course got the joy of running up there to take pictures of some of the girls that I knew. Little Emma DeMaranville, my cousin, on the left, and Annabell , one of my after school helpers on the right. They did a Fantastic Job!!

Dani Boatwright was there as well watching her little neice compete. It was good to see her again. She will be off to Denver for training with her hubby Casey Wegman very soon. I got to meet her littl Bo who looks just like his daddy.

After an exhausting day of booths and pageants we finished the evening walking up to our local park to watch fireworks with friends. Josey was terrified!!! "Mommy I wanna go home, I wanna go home," she would cry climbing over my shoulder in complete panick. Was it me who was able to calm her down.. um no, it took Daddy's touch. He managed to get her to watch the fireworks. Then it was my friend Rachel whom she snuggle with the rest of the night as they named who each firework color belonged to. I never thought as a teenager that I would end up raising my family in the town that I grew up in. However, it is days like this that I see what a joy it has been as the enticements of city life seem to fade.

Brian and I finished the night sharing some Chardonnay and talking till 3:30am. We hadn't done that for ever.