Goodbyes

While open mike was going on, the car was being worked on.

A rubbermaid of syrup was put in the backseat with various and sundry presents. 

This was a good thing, not a trick. 

Someone had the diabolical idea of just handing out chalk makers to kids. Oooh boy! 

Guilty of love and married..... something.

The gas cap--Don't fill or adventure won't exist. 

This was from one of Tyler's boys. Which clearly shows that Tyler has been a bad influence on them.

Someone SOMEhow put a pallet inbetween the two front seat with "No Distracted Driving" on it. 

The kids really enjoyed the markers.

Doing something tricky. 

Cody spent several days beforehand getting this car shipshape for the drive west, so it was ironic. 

Everyone waiting on the couple

Heading over for the goodbye

Anthony made popcorn in his giant kettle and then we pelleted them with it. What we didn't eat as we waited for them that is. 

Checking out their get-a-way car

Craigen has great reactions! 

Checking out the pallet

Amanda and Cody

Tori and her daddy

The party favors were little bottles of syrup and the kids got the bright idea of guzzling them straight. Here is Andy, drunk of a sugar coma. 

Then we got bubbles to blow at them as they came out from getting changed.

Love this picture! 

Waiting around

I never really understood the meaning of the sled on the top of the car. The only answer I got was--"Oh it was just sitting around." Which when you think of it is really the only reason for everything else, so...

Bette Lu and Breanna blowing bubbles

That is some alliteration for you! 

Cheyenne who is so grown up looking now-a-days! 

Mum

Guys

Brendan trying for the biggest bubble.

Delicate bubble blowers

Jayden was going for double bubbles

And here they come! 

Now the thing about us Vaughans is that we are very, very bad at goodbyes. We weep, we wail, we generally carrying on like we will never see that person again. It is silly, but that is just how we are. And you can see the anticipated pain of goodbye in Tori's face. 

She is of course deliriously happy, but there is a goodbye momentarily ahead, which makes this tricky.

And even though she has lived out west for about four years now, leaving home as a married woman is still... it is a milestone, you know? 

The goodbye has begun.

Hugs from Dad and from a little nephew at the same time. 

Cody and Craigen and the sled and light. 

Heading out

And they are gone.

Watching their baby girl leave

Feeling happy and sad. 

We may have been a little weepy and in need of a good hug. 

The kids decided they might as well swing. 

And then people started taking down.

Food was brought in. 

Mostly everyone else did this. I just flopped. Somehow I felt exhausted! 

Sunday night aftermath. A lot of lazing around being tired.

Elliott being amused about jumping between his aunts. 

Setting off a few lanterns

Not all of them launched succesfully.

Anthony, who was leaving early the next morning, made sure to bring in the little woodland scene and put it in the entryway. 

And the bouquets resting in a mason jar on the kitchen table. Where they hung out for a week.