So...

My Totally Awesome and Amazing sister (she told me to write that) kidnapped my kids on Sunday (legally, no charges pressed) for a week-long adventure in Chicago (with her, anything's possible).

It's been over a day and a half, and reportedly, things are going AMAZING! The girls are having the time of their lives, but of course, if I was there, I would be too!

Aside from a super fun road trip with their cousins,

ever-entertaining Uncle Steve and Aunt Kerri,

they have lived it up...in only one day so far:

Yesterday, they went to the Children's Museum in the morning

a super cool park in the afternoon

and roasted marshmallows before bed.

They called a left me a message before bedtime that was the sweetest thing I'd ever heard. Lots of "I Love You, Mom's". Ad.or.ab.le. Will be saving that message for a while. Though--what is it about hearing your kids' voices on the phone that makes them sound so much younger?

And all of this is AFTER a weekend of hot hot camping in Nauvoo where we were the mosquitos' Thanksgiving Feast...oh I didn't mention that?

There is too much.  Let me sum up. 

My friend got married this weekend in Nauvoo (a very special place in our church's history).  It worked out that my sister and brother's families were both there too!  It was so fun, besides being hot, humid, and full of mosquitos.  AND...we were camping.  Yes, that was my idea.  No, it was not my brightest. 

Now I'm back, I have 10 days to pack and get us moved to a new city.  WAHOO!  So, with that in mind, I need to go...

We Love Family Visits!

My brother's family drove out here from Colorado for the week before Memorial day and we LOVED having them! They have 3 teenage sons and 2 younger daughters (6 and 3). Keara and Taryn were in heaven, both with the girls AND with the big boys. They love their cousins. And I absolutely love how my teenage nephews play with their little cousins. They are great guys.

We took them to the lake on a very windy and not so warm day (too bad the gorgeous weather came the day before they left).  My brother brought his human rubberband to play with.  It is SO fun!  Kai got the girls together to play with them after the adults had their fun.

Such great girls and fun cousins!  We definitely miss them!

On Memorial Day, we ran over to the splash park between the rain episodes for some water fun.  I was surprised that the big boys wanted to come along, but we all had a GREAT time.

Of course, the big boys enjoyed the water gun sprayers...even if their opponent was 1/3 their age and 1/2 their size.

They also tried to see how they could affect the water pressure in different spots by covering up holes.  Hours of endless entertainment.

Can I jsut say how much I love ruffle bums!  That, and curly hair!

Keara loved splashing around in her rainboots at the splash park and thought it was hilarious when they filled up all the way.  What fun sounds and feelings that made!

Keara and I found a dead baby painted turtle at the beach.  She thought it was awesome (and it was).  Too bad it was dead.

Talon kept Keara entertained by doing that silly hand game with her.  You know the one, where you cut off the blood supply to the hand, squeeze it, rub it, and then "pull" something out of the middle of it?  She loved it.

Avery loves everyone and sure thought it was great to have a playmate who didn't beat her up!  Lily is 3, but Avery didn't care!

Memorial Day means making ice cream!  So Braden and I stayed up way late on Sunday night making pistacho, rocky road, and white chocolate oreo.  Delicious!

Avery definitely agreed.

And so did Lily...who is just too cute!

It was a busy, crazy, fun week and it went by WAY too fast!  We miss you guys and can't wait to see you next summer!  Thank goodness for family reunions!