Into the Great Wide Open

I know, I should have titled this post a line from a Frost poem, but Tom Petty lyrics just instantly came to mind. It might be surprising to some, but farms have not been in our family long, and we're slightly obsessed with them now. Every day, my father, Roland's Grandpa Bob, takes the mighty Nash (Brittney Spaniel) out for a run, sometimes twice a day. So when ever we visit, we go too. It's not that there's much to do, (both on the farm and in Dyersburg), you just enjoy walking around a giant wide open space, mooing at the cows, checking out the animal tracks, and talking about anything and nothing in particular - good times with family and friends.

We had a great weekend in Dyersburg, as always expected, and Roland was AMAZINGLY good. Friday night, Evan, my littlest brother who's 6ft and a senior, participated in a womenless beauty review to raise funds for his project graduation night this spring. Grandpa Bob sat out the event and Brian gladly joined him, eagerly seizing the opportunity to relax with Bob in the bar and spend more time with Roland, and less time looking at high school boys in drag. I know, you're shocked. Sadly Evan didn't win, which I'm pretty sure is a good thing, and of all the ladies, he was by far the classiest. At one point, I'm sure two of those guys high school dreams of dressing as ladies in front of their high school peers was a dream come true. Kris, Mom and I have never laughed so hard. We grabbed take out from the only Chinese place in town and told many, many stories. Of course, here are the photos.

Saturday Evan had a soccer tournament in Memphis we all sat out (thanks Evan, we love you and you're great!) and hung back in Dyersburg for some play time at Okeena Park and another great trip to the farm. We dug up plants from my mom's garden on Sunday morning for our front yard here in Nashville, and only mere minutes into the endeavour Grandpa Bob emerged in work clothes and started moving limbs...which means we all have to. Brian's smart enough to avoid these opportunities but before we could find excuses, Kris, Evan, even Roland and I were picking up sticks and hauling limbs. It's a Jones thing, we can't NOT do chores for Dad. Ok, Evan avoids it pretty well, and Calen's a pro at "I'll be right back." but when we're all together we gang up on the would-be excusers and force them to complete the chore with us. I'm pretty sure Dad knows this, too.

This weekend we enjoyed an awesome play date with Stella Jordan - which gave us a glimmer of hope into Roland's future with siblings - and saved us from another rainy Saturday of the Brian-and-Ellie-entertain-Roland show. Stella is so mellow and so well behaved, as a parent of a boy-tornado, she's a dream! In then end, Roland really enjoyed having someone to play with, especially because she liked his cars and trains. Sunday we enjoyed the fine, fine company of the Pinnegars who let us in on a super-secret super-good Chinese buffet near their home. Brian's off this week to an extremely small town in rural southern Kentucky, and we miss him already, which is why this title is also extremely fitting as I am sure it's appropriate for the stretches of highway he has enjoyed.