Ohio Day 4- Town, BBQ and family

Saturday I realized I hadnt taken too many pictures of 'around.' Mom and I had places we wanted to go see and everyone else was kind of worn out.  So we went together

Just down the hill from where we were staying

This was the house my mom grew up in. She knocked on the door and talked to the lady who lives there now. She wanted to see the backyard so she showed us around the outside and they talked about what the inside looked like and what changes had been made.

We crossed under this bridge and she told me back in the day this was the bad side of the neighborhood. Its where all the black and poor people lived.

and then we stopped at a gas station in the 'bad part' of the neighborhood under the bridge.

So we kind of have this problem in our family...no matter how hard we ignore or avoid it... it follows us. No matter what vacation we are on we seem to have to medically help people or be a part of it.. We've had massive car wrecks happen right in front of us.. dads had to do cpr on someone who dropped over right in the bowling alley next to us..it just doesn't end. Its kind of a running joke actually. Well this trip we needed a diet coke and some fuel. Mom was filling up the car and I went inside to get some drinks. A guy was talking to some lady in the parking lot who was totally out of it. He was trying to get a hold of someone to take her home or to tell him where she lived so he could take her home. I mind my own business and walk inside the gas station. I fill up my drink. The guy comes in and tells the cashier maybe you should call an ambulance or someone she just isnt ok. No biggie I keep filling my drinks. I get in line and the guy comes running in screaming. Call 911 shes gone into a seizure and is blue. The cashier screams out "cant someone go start cpr!!!" Sigh. I set down my drinks on the counter and tell the cashier dont worry about it Ive got it and start to walk out hoping they really arent starting cpr on her if shes in a seizure. Shes on the ground. We lay her down on her back. Shes breathing. Shes conscious and not alert. I tell them all to back up and shes fine. Her pulse is good. Shes breathing fine. We are not starting cpr. If she had a seizure its normal for them to turn blue for a second. Just let her lay there and wait for the ambulance. Everyone backs up and leaves some space. There is a gas station worker there whose probably mid 20's like 6'3 275 and FLAMING. Hes in a panic flinging his arms around screaming. We finally get him calmed down too and the ambulance shows up thankfully and I just walk off and go back inside and pay for my drinks. My mom comes running in all excited. Did you see there is an ambulance here!? I wonder what happened?? I tried to call you on your phone but realized I had your phone and my phone in my hand! I took a picture though. I laugh and tell her what happened.  She couldnt believe they just let me walk up and take care of the lady. I told her its cause  I had the most teeth so I got to be in charge.

After that adventure we kept driving in circles around Mansfield. I was amazed at how big the churches were. They were all huge and rock or brick.

This used to be my moms church before she converted to LDS. 

She had to show me where she used to ice skate and swim as a kid. We pulled into the parking lot and it was full of ducks and geese. They started running at us hoping we had food for them.

We came to this rail road line with tunnels under it. She told me that the railroad runs along the top of the bridge there.

Back in the day.. WAY back in the day.. Some family member not sure who used to live in this house here. Convicts escaped from a prison and ran along the rail lines until the reached this house. They held them hostage there for a while and eventually made one of them drive into town for money. When he saw a police                                 officer he bailed out of the car and ran for him and was saved.

It was maple season I guess because so many of the trees we saw were tapped. They had rubber lines running from tree to tree to tree down into large drums. I had never seen tree tapping before and it was really interesting.

This was the one room school house my Grandma Witt and all her siblings went to.

A beer dock. Coolest thing ever.  You just drive right in an order beer, snacks or drinks and they put it in your car for you 

Everyone needs to go to Walmart

We also stopped at this store they refer to as "The Fin" I cant blame them because I dont think we said the name right ONCE. Its pretty much like a smaller version of Sportsmans Warehouse but to them it is THE place to go.

after vising The Fin we went to a candy shop and Grandpas Cheesehouse. They had all kinds of cheeses and meats. It was so yummy! Next we went back to the house to pick up Kathy and Susan to head over to Mariannes for dinner/bbq/get together. They werent quite ready yet so we headed to the main house. I wanted to be able to say goodbye to Jim and Jo. I was flying out early that next morning and knew I might not see them before I left. The last time I had seen them before this was 5 years ago. They came out to visit and then headed somewhere south afterwards. Jim had a massive stroke and they had to leave their vacation. He has done so well since then! Hes in a wheelchair part of the time since he still has a hard time with strength and movement in the right side of his body. They were so kind to let us come stay and take such good care of us!

 Mindy (who is their great niece I believe) and her son live with them also. She took us out for a tour of the property in the golf cart. 

 I just couldn't get over how green everything was.. and the fact no one has sprinkler systems there?? They dont have to water their lawn!! Totally crazy to me. 

 The golf cart doesnt quite have enough huevos to make it many places so we had to push it up a hill or two

 I had two things on my bucket list in Ohio

#1 see Grandmas grave 

#2 see whitetail deer

I had never seen a white tail before in real life in the wild. I have always wanted to hunt them. We saw a ton but they dont have their antlers on right now. Here are a few deer at the top of the hill

 It was kinda squished riding in the front so I opted for the back

 She showed us one of the deer blinds.. its a house practically. Windows, carpet, heater, stove.. I was floored. Ive never hunted 'out' of anything before besides being out in the woods lol!

 We had to cross this puddle twice. She told us we could get out and walk across or we could splash through the puddle with her. I didnt have to think twice. Mom got out. Mindy kept telling me "Youre gonna get wet. You will get dirty" I laughed. She doesnt know me well.

 We had a little fun :)

 Such a beautiful chunk of land!

From there we went over to Marianne and Virgs house for the family get together.

Cecilia, Layla and Chloe were doing a fashion show. These are their model poses

 My mom and all her silblings

Virg, Susan, Kathy and Mom

 Marianne, Mom, Virg, Susan Kathy and I

 Katie (Cecilia and Chloe's mom)and Adrienne (Laylas Mom). The area also Marianne and Virgs kids..Adrienne and I used to be inseparable when we were younger. We are 6 months apart. I was so heartbroken when they moved back to Ohio from Ogden. We were about 10 then

This may sound funny.. but another item on my bucket list has always been to try REAL apple pie moonshine. You always see it on shows from the south. Ive tried the stuff they sell in the liquor stores and it is horrible. This stuff is AMAZING!!! It was so good and sweet. No harshness to it at all.

 More and more and more people kept showing up. I am horrible at remembering who they all are. I know they are my moms cousins. They are kids of my moms uncles.

 Steve (Katies husband) Katie, Adrienne and Mom

 We had so much food!!! like 12 pasta salads, sloppy joes, hot chicken salad, chuckwagon beans. I ate too much and needed more plates!

 Lil throwback there of Mom, Me, my uncle Hank and my Grandma at her trailer where I pretty much grew up. She lived in South Willard and always watched us while my parents worked. The family brought all kinds of photo albums of old pictures and worked on genealogy trees while we ate

 Virg and Mariannes backyard. It goes clear to the bottom tree line. No on there fences their yards either!

 Me, Chloe, Layla, Adrienne and Marianne

 Cousins

My Grandma was the youngest of her siblings and my mom is the baby of the family so shes on the bottom spectrum of the age group

 They cant behave. Ever. Normally in pictures Virg is picking his nose or pretending to be asleep..sticking out his tongue etc. Well it was the girls turn. Marianne has survived and beat breast cancer twice. She has had a double mastectomy so her girls are fake. They were feeling her up during the pictures

 Group shot!

After all that fun and excitement we headed home and I left to the airport bright and early that next morning to fly home! I had a good trip but I was pretty excited to get home and see Chris and Kennedy. I was the only one flying home everyone else is staying a lot longer.  It was nice to see all the family back east, meet new family and see the places my mom grew up at. Thanks everyone for being so hospitable!