Monday, August 16, 2010

COUSINS!

If I didn't already know that I'm incredibly blessed with an amazing extended family, these passed couple of weeks have definitely clued me in!!

Last Wednesday, Elin and I finished up AMERICA WEEK by going to our favorite amusement park when we were little, Kennywood! This week of reassimilating Elin to American culture and cuisine. We ate cheeseburgers, pizza and went to our favorite breakfast dinner, had a spa day and a shopping day and went to and Indians game and to Chautauqua! It was quite a week (a half) of fun! Elin's been relearning a lot of American traditions and I've been learning a lot myself, too. Like, don't drive with welcome home balloons in your car with ANY of the car windows down, if you lose your balloons after you leave the party store, they still make you pay for new ones, AND I'm not scared of roller coasters anymore!

I learned this particular fact when Elin and I met our cousins Jenny at Kennywood, not only the BEST amusement park in the world, but also the first place I ever rode a roller coaster, followed closely by the first time I ever cried after a roller coaster! So I couldn't think of a better place to conquer my fear! Plus, Kennywood has awesome rides, too which Elin, Jenny and I rode, giggling the whole time!! We also rode the carousel, which completed our little kid dreams of each having our own horses! Although, in our dreams, our horses were always from the movie Black Beauty..haha!

Me, Elin and Jenny on the carousel!

About three weeks ago, I got to see almost all of my cousins on my dad's side AND all my second cousins (cousins once removed? I NEVER get the right! It's my Dad's cousin's kids. Anyone who knows what the right title for that is..let me know!) at Chautauqua for a big hoopla celebrating the cottage's 100th year in our family! It was quite the bash! Even mother nature wanted to party..she sent a tornado our way just for the occasion! Besides the INSANE storms which shut off our power, we had a great time and (most of us) stayed dry! My cousin Ben and I got soaked scurrying over the the neighbor's fridge to get appetizers! Did we have an umbrella? Yes. Did we save the food and not ourselves? Yes! How did that crazy man convince me to help him??? I have no idea!! After the rain subsided, a band played on the porch of the cottage next door and we all sang and danced! It was a blast! Especially getting to meet all my cousins kids who are all SUPER cute! I tried to become all of their favorite cousin, but it's hard to beat Aunt Val! I even fed a baby cake to get him to like me! It totally worked!
All the Castle/Hudson cousins

The Castle/Hudson Clan!


Me and Julia! That's my cousin Aaron's adorable oldest daughter.




The fab cake that I bribed a baby to like me with



The beautiful banner celebrating our amazing family!


2 comments:

  1. I'm so jealous of America Week! It sounds AWESOME! I hope your dollhouse made it to Chautauqua without any casualties! haha

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  2. it's second cousins i believe :)

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