So Christmas day after church we hopped a plane for Alabama and made it by dinner time. The cousins were NUTS. We had an instant play put on by the oldest girls that was a little hard to follow amongst the squeals.
Something about a mermaid that becomes a flower with a princess narrator. Convoluted, I know. We finally got everyone settled in for the night with baths and stories...
Wes particularly loved any time Gramps had an open lap. He's quite the guy's guy these days.
The next morning the kids awoke to stockings and tree crowded with goodies...you know what ensued.
CHRISTMAS CHAOS. In the best possible sense of the words :).
We settled into a daily routine which was good for everyone... a little outdoor play (the weather was NICE), a little relaxing time with a show, a little art project, naps for the youngers. Once we got into a rhythm all was well.
We woke up one morning with this visitor:
And thought...well we should keep up with the pictures while the iron is hot! So we dressed the wee ones, fluffed our hair and.....did our best.
The grown-ups were much easier targets!
And then, there was the FAIRY FORT. The preacher got an itchin' to be in the woods for a few hours and when we came up to find him there was a FAIRY FORT.
The girls added to it as the week went on- greenery & eventually the mailbox glitter Christmas bells to complete Daddy's stick original. So yeah, it was popular. We're hoping it stays up a while so the kids can revisit it on upcoming trips to AL.
Pretty cute cousins huh?
Gramps also got to show off and help the girls walk on his giant log balance beam. Handy that it was yards away from the fort. A woodsy paradise for the girls!
AND....if that wasn't crazy fun enough...we celebrated Greta's birthday early with this side of the family with an amazing UNICORN PARTY. 5 year old nirvana.
The little ones also enjoyed the party...complete with some of our Bham family who came up to help us celebrate. Who are we kidding, we had them at "unicorn party."
A few fun trips to the park rounded out our week....(note: MN kid refusing to wear her coat because it is "too hot")
It is clear on the playground that the little sibs will not be outdone by their older counterparts...they went on every slide, every ladder, every everything that their older sisters went on. Hello heartburn for the mamas....
Gratuitous cute pictures with Granny & Gramps:
On our last night in AL, we came down the hall and found this lovely site. I won't pretend that this is every day in our house...but its sweetness is strong enough to help me forget the not-so-perfect moments.
We had a great time...complete with a quick overnight to Birmingham to see some friends (brought the camera, took no pictures...boo, I know). A very restful trip for our family after a break-neck Fall pace. Happy New Year!
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