Every year since I can remember my family has celebrated Labor Day at my aunt and uncle's farm. It's in the middle of nowhere Nevada and it's the craziest, kookiest, funnest weekend of the year (we have some pretty creative traditions). Here are the pics (btw, our amazing neighbor Bruce Leonard is the photographer)
This picture needs an explanation. One thing we do every time is have a bocci ball tournament. It's kind of a big deal. Each team has to create a name and hat and we have this huge bracket poster of winners/losers. It gets pretty intense. We take our bocci ball seriously.
This picture is an example of how serious we take this game. My mom is the referee and is measuring to see whose ball is closer. Arguments are not uncommon.
The tournament winners, Bocci BAMP, with this awesome trophy my aunt Kiki made.
Another tradition: secret cousins--unless you're married and then you can't play :( Anyway, we make crazy t-shirts for each other.
Making jewelry. I'm starting a little accessory business, let me know if you want any!
Tamale Feed! Let's be honest, this is the real reason why we come to the farm. My aunt's friend from Mexico makes these AMAZING tamales (300 to be exact).
My beautiful, most favorite Nanni!
These cakes + Daisy = a horrible, awful mess. Before I tell the story, I just have to say that Johnny and I still feel horrible about what happened. Somehow with all the kids and chaos, someone left a door open and Daisy snuck inside. These cakes were set up beautifully and were waiting for the guests to arrive. Well, we heard someone yell, "Daisy's eating the cake!" We all ran in and Daisy was on the chair licking the frosting off one of the cakes. Expensive cakes, that is. We had to turn it around to hide the mess. It will be nice when she's not a puppy anymore.
Taking a dive in the pond.
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A few of the ladies
Al "Scarface" Capone himself
Can you believe Lady Gaga and her creepy stalker came to our party?!
I thought I would be clever and make lady finger bread sticks...
But it seems like everyone else had the same idea! Chicken fingers, pretzel sticks, mozzarella sticks, and bread sticks!
How-to:
A few beach bums we picked up :)
Bamboo Forest hike. Bamboo is so cool! If you cut it down it can grow back three feet in one day!
Hopping across these river rocks I slipped and fell in. The pools don't look deep. I'm soaking wet up to my neck.
I love Mary
A Japanese garden tucked into a mountain valley
This picture needs an explanation. One thing we do every time is have a bocci ball tournament. It's kind of a big deal. Each team has to create a name and hat and we have this huge bracket poster of winners/losers. It gets pretty intense. We take our bocci ball seriously.
This picture is an example of how serious we take this game. My mom is the referee and is measuring to see whose ball is closer. Arguments are not uncommon.
The tournament winners, Bocci BAMP, with this awesome trophy my aunt Kiki made.
Another tradition: secret cousins--unless you're married and then you can't play :( Anyway, we make crazy t-shirts for each other.
Making jewelry. I'm starting a little accessory business, let me know if you want any!
Tamale Feed! Let's be honest, this is the real reason why we come to the farm. My aunt's friend from Mexico makes these AMAZING tamales (300 to be exact).
My beautiful, most favorite Nanni!
These cakes + Daisy = a horrible, awful mess. Before I tell the story, I just have to say that Johnny and I still feel horrible about what happened. Somehow with all the kids and chaos, someone left a door open and Daisy snuck inside. These cakes were set up beautifully and were waiting for the guests to arrive. Well, we heard someone yell, "Daisy's eating the cake!" We all ran in and Daisy was on the chair licking the frosting off one of the cakes. Expensive cakes, that is. We had to turn it around to hide the mess. It will be nice when she's not a puppy anymore.
Taking a dive in the pond.
The gang
The (almost) top of Angel's Landing. Johnny's gone to the top before and said he'd never do it again. We're both paralyzed with fear when it comes to heights.
21 switchbacks (the Wiggles) are worse than the StairMaster on steroids.
