New Traditions

Ah yes..Memorial Day. The unofficial start to summer. For Cryderman kids, it ranks right up there with "THE LODGE." I can't even remember the first time we all started meeting at my mom and dads for Memorial Day. It's been for years and years.

We started that glorious day, not so gloriously with Mark, Mariah and I running an obscene 12 miles. For what? To brag about it? I guess. So I ran 12 miles. The next morning I woke up with kidney failure, (seriously, I woke up the next morning with a serious case of the stomach flu) but hey, I ran 12 miles. Thankfully there are no pictures of that.

Here is how our day really started;








Uncle Mark officially terrifying his nieces;







Oh, and it rained. It rained and it rained and it poured. But what about "the parade?" What about the candy? What about DARBY who sobbed when she found out that there would be no parade. Sad day for her. But it was short-lived, as she knew there would still be food, and fun, and fellowship....and maybe even some new traditions.

So there were scrumptious burgers; (thanks dad!)





And there was "fun with pop-Its."











And there were Jarts. "What are Jarts" you ask? Jarts are illegal. Jarts are dangerous. Jarts are trouble waiting to happen;






I loved the fact that the older generation had to explain to the younger generation the concept of both Jarts and Trackball....hilarious. I love Mariah in this picturing wondering what the heck this thing is she is holding;






This can't be good;












And when Heather was done spying, she started something new for us: water balloons! She rounded all the kids up to help fill them and the entire family lined up in a huge row to have a balloon toss. I had flashbacks of end of the year parties at school when I was a kid. It was great!






(loving that Heather and Mylie are both doing the same thing with their lips, and WHAT is Darby wearing?)











Trouble brewing;


















What? No parade? No problem;












(loving the leg kick by Mary)











Aww..I love this family. MY family. Some older cousins knew how sad Darby was, and made her day with a Cryderman style parade. Another new tradition. Next year? Real costumes, and more neighbors!