Backyard BBQ

(Another delayed post)

Out of nowhere, my hubbie decided he wanted to have a cookout. We love to eat BBQ—don't I constantly talk about food?!—and we really love having friends up to our abode. Since we live so far from civilization, the latter is difficult.

Getting away from the BBQ for one moment...One of my pals was writing about how since moving to Minnesota a few weeks ago, she's having a hard time meeting potential friend candidates there. I can totally relate. David and I have lived in Mount Vernon for two years, and we have yet to meet the acquaintance of anyone. Of course, we haven't exactly tried, either. We both work in the Columbus area, and we have a bevy of friends there we just can't replace. As a result, we don't hang out with anyone locally, and it means we have very few gatherings at our house. Now back to the cookout...

Since we hadn't planned this event in advance, I sent out an e-mail to a bunch of folks to let them know they were welcome to round up the kids and take a roadtrip to our house if their dance cards weren't already filled on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We ended up with a highly random combination of guests, mostly those folks who we haven't seen in a while (a bonus!).

Joining us on Sunday were: Kristen & Tomasz, Tomasz' sister Iza and his niece Laura (who were visiting from Poland), Rob & Lindsay and their kids Madisyn & Mason, and David's cousin Phill and his girlfriend Michelle.

One given at a McCallen cookout is guns. (What?! Did she say guns?!) Yep, guns. My husband collects them... for the purpose of using them. And he likes to shoot them all the time. He particularly enjoys teaching other people how to shoot them—a natural inclination given his prior marksmanship instructor role in the Marines.

So not even five minutes after our first guests arrived, he starting unloading his various pistols, rifles and bows (as in arrows). I think the men truly enjoy the gun/bow shooting. I'm not sure they gave it a rest all night.

Poor Iza (KP, is it Isa?) was talked into shooting a gun, and it was BIG deal since guns are illegal to the general public in Poland (they definitely don't have a "Right to Bear Arms" amendment). I'm not thinking she enjoyed her gun experience and is probably wishing she never had to visit those crazy country folk. At least that's what I would think if I were her!

My husband even talked Kristen into shooting—something he's failed at on at least five different occasions in recent years. She even shot the big rifle, which I'm too chicken to try. Though I wasn't outside, I tried to capture that moment in her life, as I'm sure it'll be an occasion to remember. The view through the screen is not so great, but that's David on the far left, Kristen in the white, Phill next to her, and Tomasz on the right. Kristen is just getting ready to shoot our little .22 pistol at a target on the wood line (the only gun I'm comfortable firing).



When there was finally a lull in gunfire and the arrow zips, the kids wandered out to the deck for some action.

Here's Mason and Madisyn enjoying the sandbox.



Noah just liked all the attention, as usual.



I caught Phill in an inopportune moment—gotta love those Doritos!



At any rate, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and were so glad folks could make it up. And if you're ever in the area, you know we're ALWAYS up for a cookout... and we promise not to make you shoot anything. Really!