Parks and Recreation

I always wished I had had more cousins when I was a kid. Of the few I have, I only saw them like once every 5 years, if that. Cousins are great because you don't have to live with them, but they are family so they are automatic friends. Fortunately I grew up with a lot of brothers and sisters that are automatic friends, but I did have to live with them and their.....um, quirks. I'm the middle child so I'm the normal one, trust me. However, so far they all have great kids and therefore my kids have great cousins. We got to see my mom and my irreplaceable and lovable siblings, along with their kids, for about a week.

The Park

Michael is wearing a sweater here. The high was around 60 degrees this whole week in (not) sunny California. This same week it was 80's in Michigan. We're always so lucky like that.

Keturah and Aunt Heather

Jaden and Mike

Grandma's House

The kid dinner table

The adult dinner table.
Nathan there in the red shirt evidently belongs at the kid one.

Alex and Jasmin are the oldest children in their families. They got annoyed with all those pesky younger siblings and hid out in this room to play together.

Lily and Bekah could be sisters.

Bekah and Keturah are sisters, as hard as that is to believe.

Michael is just cute.

We made good use of the rain and went to jump in puddles. It was fun for a while, but it was time to come in when that wool hat on Heather's head started smelling like a dead yak.


Keturah and Bekah hanging out with Aunt Mary.

Nine kids nine and under.

Funderland

This Wizard of Oz thing needs to be switched around a bit. Alex really fits better in the Lion's face, considering how he reacts to small amounts of pain. Keturah is pretty heartless with how she treats Michael, so she could pass for the Tin Man. Bekah is a cute Dorothy, but she really should be the Scarecrow with how much she jumps around (and falls down). Michael screams like a girl and seems to like music so I guess he'd be Big D. But even so, it is still a cute picture.

Aunt Mary sharing a horse ride with Kate.

I love this. Here is my mom with two of her grandsons. Happy.
Then the ride starts...

...and here she is trying to keep her lunch in. Not so happy.
Don't worry--she succeeded.

Keturah needed consoling after that last ride.

Uncle Matt with all the kiddies--except Michael.

Here was Michael's only ride for the day. Poor kid.

The Jelly Belly Factory

We got a tour, some samples, and some sweet new head gear.

Noah and Heather sporting the hats.

Mary's and my kudos to the jelly bean Ronald Reagan. Almost as cool as the real RR.

Uncle Matt and Aunt Kacey's House

Keturah totally latched on to Aunt Kacey. A.K. taught her how to shoot people in the face with a squirt gun and she gave her rides on a wheeled office chair. Who needs Funderland when you have an Aunt Kacey?

Brycen, Bekah, and Alex wrestling; Michael and Noah were busy playing in the toilet...

...then they will all grow up and spend their time standing around talking with their hands in their pockets. Adults are so boring. Don't they know there are things like office chairs and toilets around?