Our cousins were here

We had so much fun we didn't take ANY pictures of

*the wading pool antics: numerous wardrobe changes as wet swimsuits were exchanged for dry clothes and partially wet clothes were exchanged for swimsuits or dry clothes

*the sidewalk chalk outlines on the patio, April's brainchild of occupying the kids before dinner one evening. Evalyn loved this and has added to the collection.

* the popsicle and strawberry faces (Henry and Lillie seriously downed 5 popsicles one afternoon)

*Troy and Henry vainly trying to swing on our "holey" hammock. yes, the beloved hammock has reached it's end after being left out to the elements too many seasons in a row.

*the garden box makeover that April and Carlin helped us with. Yes, I finally faced the music that it's too late in the season to terrace the slope and build the 3 super duper boxes that I really want. So it's make-do or do without!

*the yummy bbq feast which included ribs that Matt prepared ala-Uncle Dougie. Yum.

*cute 14mo Savannah carefully navigating the toy strewn floor on her two little feet

*the 5 big kids (which includes my 20mo Linnea who acts more like a preschooler than a toddler. sniff. ) playing so nicely together. for the most part.

*Playing Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride: Europe. Always more fun with more than 2 people.

*drinking homemade Italian cream sodas. perfect on a hot day: Crushed ice, Izze Blackberry Soda, a generous splash of cream. stir or swirl glass. bliss.

I DID manage to snap a shot of the kids playing on the front grass after church on Sunday, minus Savannah.



And here's the aftermath, Monday afternoon when all the playmates were on their way home:





It was a fun weekend.


On Friday before they arrived we went on a spur of the moment outing to Sportsman's Warehouse (an hour away in Medford) to buy life jackets for the family (in prep for The Arrival of The Boat). We ended up getting two swimsuit lifejackets for H&E in addition to the Type II jackets for the boat. This was mostly due to Henry's crazy poolside antics when we went to see friends in Sacramento the weekend before. We're hoping swimming lessons this summer will help, but either way we'd rather not have a drowned boy. He will jump in whether you're there or not and getting scared and swallowing water doesn't seem to phase him. Yikes.

The funny thing about going to Medford at the last minute: my sister and her family were due to arrive from Salem that night. We left Yreka for a "quick trip" about the same time they left Salem, figuring we had a good 5 hours before our guests arrived. All the little errands added up and before we knew it I was panicking that April would arrive before we did. And I still hadn't made the beds up yet! We got home literally 20 minutes before they did, just enough time to put our tired ones to bed , set up the pack n paly and put clean sheets on the new "guest bunk". Whew.