This year we returned to my hometown of Houston for the annual Tune Thanksgiving festivities. It was slightly smaller this year as it was just we Tune siblings, spouses, and family. All five us were there which always means a good time. We were excited to have Stacy, Jose, and Olivia there from Spain as it is quite a trip to make it. This year was special as it was the last year we celebrated in my parents house as they are currently building their "dream" home out in Plantersville, TX. If you aren't sure where that is, no worries not many people do. It is out in the middle of nowhere. I think there MAY be a gas station and that is about it. This truly is their dream to be out on the land where my mom can work her garden and be with the horses and my dad can do "man" things having to do with tractors and chasing wild hogs AND Rowdy and Winslow (the dogs) can be free to roam as God intended:).
I am excited for them to pursue their dreams but sad to lose the house I grew up in. I remember picking my room out very late at night when we arrived in Houston after driving from Pensacola, Florida in a tropical rain storm with us kids, a few horses in the trailer behind us, and a few cats and one very special dog named Goofy in the car. Actually, I know Goofy came because he moved with us, but I have NO recollection of him being in the car. I assume he had to have been but I DO remember the cats. Possibly we came close to losing one cat at a gas station, but then again, I was seven years old and I can't remember the details of it and I am not entirely positive it happened on that that trip so I won't tell that story:)
Back to what I was saying. We all got to pick our rooms. Since I am the youngest I just ended up with the room Sarah and Anna didn't want. I really lucked out as somehow, in my opinion, neither wanted the BEST room of the house and it became mine:) Thanks sisters! I remember running around the neighborhood like I was a lunatic all through my elementary and middle school years. I remember SWIMMING in the flood waters when our neighborhood would flood and taking a canoe down the rapids of the flooded creek. I remember our wonderful, amazing, incredible pool being built and all the parties and fun and...oh, some memories I just shouldn't mention like Jenny M. losing her top skinning dipping and my DAD coming outside:) I hope you appreciate that shout out Jenn! Or when Anna threw that ONE party when Mom and Dad were out of town and got caught for it. Poor sweet Anna you always got caught. I remember dreaming of how to decorate my room for months and months and then I decided on this(now looking back) horrible pepto bismo color. I went and bought all the bedding and Daddy you put up with looking at the horrible color as you painted my room.
I remember heart breaks and laughter. I remember when boy friends were stolen and good friends passed away. I remember talking on the phone very late at night under my covers. I remember exactly what I wore on my first day of public school and my first day of high school. I remember trying on that BRIGHT PINK, very large, puffy prom dress and my dad telling me we could just dye it white when I got married. I remember going off to college and coming home on vacation and sleeping endlessly. I remember when Adam was invited for dinner for the first time. We were just friends and my mom made a pot roast (BIG DEAL for a vegetarian). I remember lots of back rubs with sisters, lots of fights with sisters, and Lots of laughter with sisters. I remember trying my wedding dress on in the living room. I remember ALL the animals we had, loved, and lost. Seriously, looking back we had more animals than anyone I have ever known. I could go on about them but there are just too many for this already way too long of a post.
I loved that house. I loved growing up in that house, and I loved being with my family in that house. I suppose being that I have my own little family and my own house little house now, I will give my parents my blessing to move, but I still don't entirely like it:)
Moving on back to Thanksgiving, through ALL my memories of growing up in that wonderful home on Lakecrest Drive some of my ALL TIME favorites were Thanksgivings. Every year EVERYONE came to our house and we ate pie and delicious breads and rode the horses and made hay forts and played hide in go seek in the dark and gave lots of back rubs and played lots of games. Thanksgiving has changed a lot now that I am an adult and don't really want to run around outside anymore. Now there is a lot more kissing babies, taking care of babies, laughing with sisters, and enjoying those nieces and nephews that grow too fast. Of course, we still have back rubs because that just will never change:)
Here are some photos of our "last" year celebrating Thanksgiving in Houston.
Of course we spent time with the horses. This was Josiah's first time on a full sized horse. I was worried as he had an allergic reaction the last time he had been to the stable. Turns out we are pretty sure he is allergic to hay and not horses. He was slightly terrified and one hundred percent curious.
This year we spent a lot of time in the hot tub just so we could seal it into our memories. Josiah LOVES the "wata" as he would say. He was dying to go into the big pool with the big cousins and go down the slide for the last time. Being that it was freezing and I am no spring chicken anymore, we stayed in the hot tub.
We spent a lot of time giving love to this precious Baby Ben, the newest family member. Josiah liked to touch Ben's head and toes and say "babee". He also gave him lot of kisses.
Josiah loves his "prima" Olivia and strawberries. They had fun swimming and playing together.
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We all had fun enjoying us some nieces and nephews. They are all so adorable! Mathew and Francesca are so big now and Anna..well, she is just as beautiful as ever.
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This photo was technically taken before Thanksgiving. We were at a friends house for dinner and Josiah got bathed with their clan of kids and then got his jammies on. Then it was time to go home and it was freezing so on went his jacket. His mis-matched cuteness was just too much for me to leave out:)
