We Are Family

I have been living at home for a little over two weeks now and I think we are all starting to adjust to my presence here. Sort of. :)

About a week after my arrival, my family hosted the 76th Annual Jambor Family Reunion. For those of you who aren't related, this is a reunion on my mother's side consisting of my grandfather's siblings, their kids (my mom), their kids' kids (me) and, their kids' grandkids (my cousins' children) and, in some family lines, their great grandkids! It's kind of a big deal. This year we made key chains with a picture of my grandpa's parents at their wedding. Also, my mom has a charcoal portraits of my grandpa's grandparents - both sets. She is big on genealogy and it is very cool.

After this reunion, we always take a family vacation with my aunts and uncles and cousins to some cabins at Platte River State Park. We stay out at the cabins for a week and generally do a lot of nothing, play cards, go to the water park, and now that we're all a bit older, drink. This year, some of my cousins played paintball! They have some really lovely red welts surrounded by gorgeous purple bruises. I opted to stay home for that outing.

To be honest though, vacation is getting kind of boring. Or rather, time off is getting boring. I miss working and having things to do. I've been doing a lot of reading for leisure and watching lots of soccer (so glad my parents have cable). And I'm very much looking forward to my next trip out of state - I'm headed to Colorado with one of my childhood friends, Mikayla, to visit another old friend, Whitney, who just had a beautiful baby girl in June!

As soon as I get back form that trip, I've got three days "off" and then it's time for Orientation. We go all day Thursday and Friday (August 19-20), but there's also an optional session on Wednesday, which I intend to attend. Also, in the next few weeks I need to buy a new (used) car and tomorrow I'll be ordering a new computer - a MacBook Pro! Super excited for that.

Oh and some updates since my last entry: (1) Michael passed his driving test and is now a licensed and legal driver. Please be safe and cautious when driving the streets of Lincoln!! (2) My foot is not healed. Super lame. Taking more time off from running.

For now, I'm kicking back to watch some MLS Soccer. NY Red Bulls are playing Chicago Fire at Toyota Park. Wish I could be there, but I'll settle for watching from the comfort of my air conditioned living room with Bo.

Samantha

P.S. I will try to update more frequently in the future to make these posts a bit shorter!