lots o’ cousins!

{Noah, Freddie, Charlotte, Sophie, Kate; Grant, Ava, Amelia, Jane, Tessa, Brooke, and Lionel}

Tuesday morning at my mom’s house we were getting a lot of calls from computers reminding us to vote that day.  It was getting really annoying and I almost didn’t answer the phone figuring it would be another computer recording (we’ve never had caller ID).  I was so happy to hear my sweet Grandma Ellis’ voice!  And, wonder of wonders, she was inviting my mom over (didn’t know I was in town) to dinner that night with a bunch of her nieces (my cousins) and their children (my… cousins’ kids?) in from out of town for a surprise birthday party.  I was ELATED, I have been hoping Sophie could meet my cousins’ kids for a few years now.  She only knows them through blogs posts. 

Anyway, after the aquarium we were already in the neighborhood and headed up to grandma’s house!  I didn’t have my camera out the whole time, I was just talking to my cousins and playing with the kids for the most part, but here’s what I got.

{playing with Grandma’s toys}  {Tessa “holding” baby Jane"}

{Freddie on the horse.  This was part of an elborate obstacle course Mary contrived.  Mary is awesome.  It went under the coffee table, on the horse for 5 bouces, zig zag through the quilting frames and dunk the ball in the waste basket!  Sophie took the course very seriously, and I found her practicing alone after the other kids had lost interest.} {Sweet little Brooke’s smile.}

{Chubby Lionel zonked out after Erika paddled his tummy for a few min.}  {Aunt Leah reading stories, look how captivated these kids are!}

I love the Wilsons, they are such an amazing family.  It was lovely to see you all!  I am so pleased our paths finally crossed.  I used to see my cousins all the time but as we’ve grown older and started families of our own we’ve moved to different states and things have changed so much.  I am grateful for the blogs and emails that keep us connected.

And I have to say, I think it’s a miracle we had 12 kids on that couch (in the 1st picture) 3 and under and no one got hurt and no one was crying!