The perfect parade: floats, tractors and semi trucks!

We headed home {my home} over the weekend to attend Bald Knob's Strawberry Homefest. Raegen was thrilled to see another parade and we arrived early to get a good spot!

It's fun to go home and see what's changed and what's the same. Here's something that's been the same since I was a little girl...I wonder how often they repaint it?

Ready for the parade to start!
Are they coming from here...

or there?

The police cars and firetrucks led the parade. I think I counted six BK firetrucks. That's impressive considering it's a volunteer department. Maybe we can talk Uncle Justin into letting us {Raegen} ride on a truck next year! :)

As with any parade, you see all kinds {of floats}!

A lot of the area churches have floats for their upcoming VBS programs and I think that's what this float was for:

It didn't take us long to realize we'd rather sit in the shade so we switched to the other side of the road. Dad hung back to catch up with his old chums. ;)

We really enjoyed the parade this year. It seemed to stretch on for miles and I believe I counted three BIG trucks.

There were plenty of old trucks {and cars} too.

And GOBS of tractors!!!

Tractors, tractors, TRACTORS

everywhere!

always a crowd fave

"God Rocks"

took me a while too...kept saying to myself, "Go Dro?? what? Oh! God Rocks"

I'm glad they still throw candy at this parade. So many parades have stopped doing that. It's definitely a fond memory I have of my childhood and teen years... ;)

I'm very excited that Raegen will get to go to VBS at my parent's church this summer. The dates worked perfectly with our church's VBS. He'll love spending a week with his Mimi and Grandaddy.

When you see the horses, you know it's the end!

Then it was all over but the cryin' festival!!

But first we had to wrangle dad away from his buddies. He's a talker.

This year Homefest was moved to the downtown area. I LOVED it! The vendors set up on the streets and a stage was built where some buildings had been destroyed by fire.

I was going to let Raegen play the basketball game, but the man told me to save my money and let Raegen shoot about eight or so times. He never made it, but he didn't care.

I had so much fun running into old friends and classmates. I dare say the phrase "facebook me" was said on more than one occassion.

This is my friend Shannon, her little boy, and her 20 week belly! :)

I promised her I would put this pic on the blog as motivation...THIS is her FIRST belly pic!!

**Shannon...I expect to see some belly pics on FB!**

I was very excited that I ran into my very good friend, Kim. Our babies were due just FIVE days apart. She delivered five weeks EARLY and Lynden arrived two weeks AFTER his EDD, so the boys are SEVEN weeks apart.

photo courtesy my dad

I asked for a retake!

We need to see what these boys really look like side by side!

ummm, believe it or not, mommas of big babies really think their babies aren't big, until they see them in a picture {beside a baby that's seven weeks older}!

This is Kim's sister, Loree,...if you like my hubs you can thank her, if not, well, I guess you can blame her...hahaha

Loree and B were friends in college. She introduced us, we became friends, and many years later we decided to "date"...the rest is history. :)

No small town festival is complete without a car show. I know nothing about cars, but I love looking at old cars and trucks...especially nice ones like these!

Raegen was very fond of Mr. Larry's green car.

After we left the car show we headed up to the school so dad could meet up with even more of his alums. Most of the alums use Homefest weekend as their reunion time as well.

Stacy and the kids met us there.

We stayed til the kids and us adults had had our fill of watching dad talk, then we headed to mom and dad's for a cook out.

This was sitting under the carport when we pulled up...not sure where dad dug it out of or exactly what it was for, but I thought it was neat nonetheless.

It was naptime for Raegen and Henry.

Even Justin & Co. stopped by for a few minutes...he caught a few zzz's too.

The rest of us enjoyed sitting around and talking. The weather was PERFECT.

Mom and Dad have a super nice, shaded patio that suits family get togethers wonderfully.

Dad and Kent grillin' it up!

Dad reminds me of "Tim the Toolman Taylor"...is a 4' propane tank really necessary to fuel a grill?

Why not?! :)

this is certainly one of my faves from the day...

The kids hollered, "snake!" during our dinner, but thankfully it was just a super duper looooong worm. :)

What's Homefest weekend without celebrating Mother's Day?!

I love how kids can't keep secrets. As we finished dinner Madisyn asked Mammie,

"Can we have cake and ice cream now? Gasp! Uh, I mean can we have ice cream now?"

Grandmother to eight...

all three under one year didn't make it in the pic

The boys played and played! I came prepared with Raegen's play clothes because you just can't tell a boy he can't play in the dirt! :)

They play together and fight together too...haha...Raegen wasn't a fan of Grif on the back of the tow truck. :)

Mammie and Grandaddy know how to do it:

one LARGE pile of dirt

PLUS

lots of "construction" toys

EQUALS

happy children

Until someone doesn't follow the "rules".

Raegen dumped the dirt out of the bed of that dumptruck and was quickly asked,

"Raegen! Why did you doooo that?"

R: "Because. I wanted to."

Boys: "You can't do that Raegen. You have to ask!"

It was really funny.

Madisyn prefers the playhouse to the dirt pile.

or maybe it's she prefers to play with the dirt IN the playhouse!

She pulled Raegen into her little game too.

It's hard to believe my baby boy is playing in the same playhouse I played in when I was his age. That's quality construction folks!

When it was time to say our goodbyes Ben had to chase Raegen down for a hug...not sure he ever caught him. Usually it's Raegen trying to give Ben a hug. Kids.

What a fun-filled day!

Hopefully we can repeat it all again next year

{and maybe Uncle J will let us ride in a firetruck, or a tractor, or a forklift, or a UPS truck! he wears MANY hats}!