Father's Day fun.

Of the eight or nine days we were in West Virginia, Sunday - Father's Day - was the only day the guys had off work.  My brother Jim's family had been visiting too, but they had to leave Sunday morning, so instead of all of us doing our own thing for the day we stuck together with our friends and all went out to have some fun.


First we headed to the Parkersburg Multi-Cultural Festival, despite quiet protests from the guys about "tree huggers" and "crunchy hippies." We ladies figured once we got them there they would have a good time, and I think they did. At least it was fun watching the kids have a good time.

And while Sam and Rachel took one more round in the bouncy play area (best. kids' activity. ever.) Steve and I shared an apple dumpling from one of the food booths.

Yes, there is a pastry-covered apple in there. YUM!

There was music from all over the globe, children's activities, choo-choo rides around the park ...

... lots of informational booths, food vendors - Amish friendship bread, hot sauces, honey, Mexican food, corn dogs, you name it - henna tattoo artists, vintage jewelry makers, belly-dancing lessons, and lots and lots of people-watching. After spending much of the afternoon at the park, we went to dinner at a local seafood restaurant called Fishbone Gill & Grill.

Dinner was awesome. We sat outside on the deck, the kids had a place to play, and we had a good ol' time.

Family pic overlooking the Ohio River.

Da boys. The dads might have imbibed a wee bit that day. 

My dinner (half eaten). I couldn't get over how beautiful these grilled shrimp kabobs were. Tasty, too.

You can hardly make it out, but this is a pic of a huge coal barge passing the dock at the restaurant. (If you enlarge the photo you can kinda' see the barge stretch from one side to the other.)

The gang. That's my brutha Jim on the left (nice white legs, bro), our friends Travis and Nada and their son Colton (protesting having his picture taken), and the rest of us. All of us pipe lifers.

Quite the crew, eh?

I know it was Father's Day, but we had so much fun it was a day this mom will remember for a long time.