WEEKEND TRIP - PICTURES

OK - here goes my 2nd attempt to share the pictures. I am not the best photographer and we didn't have as many photo ops as I had hoped due to the extreme heat. The kids didn't even want to stay in the pool too long - the water was hot too. We spent most of the time inside just "hanging out."

My 8 yr. old nephew (Thad) with his art - he is still very lovable & who could resist that face.

Thad's artwork was displayed in a renovated Church that is now called the ArtChurch, it is also where his art camp was held. The ArtChurch is owned by a former art teacher & her husband, they run the art camps and classes and then do the art displays for the Gallery Walk that is held the 1st Friday of each month. This is in Hot Springs. This photo is of a stained glass window at the church (it is much more beautiful than this pic shows.)

My Sis, Thad, and my brother-in-law

4 Cousins getting ahead of us!

Thad & Camo - just chillin!

Flicka, Tanner (11), Camo, and Thad

My oldest nephew - Tanner. He has had a growth spurt this summer and his voice (among other things) has started changing! He thinks he is soooo cool now.

more lounging in the pool

Playing video games to cool off.

I took this pic right before leaving. Had to get them to pose for us - we wanted to show how much Tanner has grown, we lined them up according to height & Tanner is now about 1 1/2 inches taller than Flicka (she is 13, he is 11). At the beginning of June, Flicka was still taller! What a "motley" crew we have!

So that was our trip. The cousins still have fun together, and it was good weekend. Yes, we had at least one major disagreement between them, but they worked it out. Now they will all just be waiting for the next trip.

(BTW - Tanner & Thad are their real names, just in case you were wondering. I have been mulling it over, and will most likely introduce you to the real Flicka & Camo soon as I think their real names fit them and are a part of the window into the who they really are, so watch for that post soon)

Weekend Trip

We are going to go to my sister's house for the weekend. We have all been so busy this summer we haven't seen them much, and that is very unusual for us.

My sister is 3 years older than me. We did have the normal sibling arguments as children, but overall I would say we got along OK. Now, I would have to say she is one of my best friends.

When I first found out I was pregnant w/my daughter, my sister did not yet have children, and was very excited to become an aunt again (my brother already had a baby at this time, but he is in the Air Force and they lived very far away). At the time she and my brother-in-law only lived about 20 minutes from me. Then a house on my street came up for sale at the same time they were wanting to move, yep you guessed it they bought it - there was only one house in between us - it was very convenient for us. Many people said, I can't believe you want her that close, but having grown up in a very close extended family, I was thrilled to have her close by.

Fast Forward several years, and my sister had a baby boy, well her oldest son is only 8 months older than Camo so they grew up together on the same street, and were best friends. And of course, my kids and hers have a cousin bond much like the one I had w/some of my cousins growing up, not to mention the bond we were able to build w/the kids ourselves.

Fast Forward again, around 5 years ago, we decided it was time to move, and found a new house more suitable for our family. It was only about 15 minutes from them, but the children were just devastated by the move. Well then to make matters worse, my sister took a new job and they then moved to another town an hour away. I believe the kids actually had withdrawals for quite some time. Even a year or so after the move, my son told me one day that he was mad at his Nae (that is what they call her), I asked him why and he said because she took that job and left us.

The two boys are still close and get to spend time together, but not as close as they once were. Of course my sister and I don't see each other everyday anymore, but we talk to each other on the phone at least once a week and often more.

So, anyway for our weekend trip, we are going to my sister's house. They live in a local resort town. My youngest nephew went to an art camp a week ago, and tomorrow the city has a "gallery walk" and he will have art displayed at one of the galleries. (The gallery walk is free and held the first Friday of each month, you can to all the local galleries in the downtown, and enjoy the art and snacks, did I mention it is free!) After the gallery walk, we will all go out to eat, and then back to their house. They have a pool so the rest of the weekend will be filled w/swimming, eating, and visiting (I'm sure there will be at least one argument/fight between the children at some point, it's just part of life.)

I am excited to see my nephews, and my sister and her husband also. I will take pictures and share more of my family with you when I return home. This is a trip I have been looking forward too for some time, and it will be such a refresher for me!