Cousin Week!

 So we (meaning Nathan, myself, Kathy, and Alan) took Richard and Rachelle's girls home with us to Mountain Green from the reunion in St. George for a week.

Bring on the madness!

 

Sitting together on the couch to watch a movie after 

walking the dog and finding the big puff balls to blow into the wind.

Jack (1), James (3), Elisa (8), Kayla (3), and Lydia (6)

Everyone was looking at the camera!

 Another day we went down to see Jason and Nicole, who have just moved to Sandy, 

and got to play at a really neat park and splash pad.

 They all had fun at Uncle Jason and Aunt Nicole's house!

(and there's a NEW cousin coming in Sept. here, very excited to have them close!)

The next day Kathy and I loaded all the kids and went to the Haworth farm to enjoy and spend the night.  It took us 5 hours to get out the door!  Lots to do with five little kids under eight yrs.

When we got there Grandpa brought up a tractor with a baler attached, and we all got to go for a ride.

 Cute Kayla in the window

   

 Lovin' the tractor, James still wants to be a farmer to drive a tractor when he grows big.

And Jack knows the difference between a tractor,a baler, a bale wagon, and a combine.

Not bad for not even being two yet :)

 Look, I'm in there too!  It was my first ride in the tractor too!  Loved it!

 If anyone's ever interested in a funny story, ask me how it was to make that fire (yes, the one without the flames that we are roasting marshmallows over the coals) for tin foil dinners and smores.

Short version, it took a really long time finding all materials, getting it going, so tin foils were made in the oven, and the fire had died down to only hot coals by the time it was for smores.

And then the kids were over it in 5 minutes.

 Jack waiting for his marshmallow 

Grandma and Elisa

 James was into turning the skewer to even out the heat 

(or he just liked to turn it over and over)

 Pretty Lydia

(side note, I really loved doing three heads of girl hair each day, by the end of the week, I was getting better and better) Lydia has some natural curl at the ends, which always complemented the style she chose for the day. Each girl could pick a picture from the computer, and I'd try to imitate it.

 After lunch the next day with mommy

I loved, loved, loved taking the kids on a fourwheel ride.

We only rode all together once, and we didn't go too fast, but it was great.

 Assorted farm fun

 We went to the cows and to play in the creek on the really hot day.

After going to the barn, Kayla held her nose and said it was stinky until we were well clear of the cows again.  Three yr olds can be hilarious

 All great-grands with Grandma Haworth

 Cute girls

 The next day we hit up the library, and Elisa I think read all the books we checked out to James and Jack in the back of the van by the time we got home.

 Kayla in the car

Story time.

This picture if funny because A) it's the best one I got and, B) Jack is picking his nose and 

Lydia didn't want to have her picture taken.

I learned much while the girls were at our house.  Those of you with lots of kids, huge kudos to you.  Also, I think I grew closer to Kathy watching all the kids than I have living with her for the last few months (or having the girls here too was just a catalyst).  

I had a great time, and the little times that I would get a hug, be leaned on during prayers, get them laughing, hearing all the cousins play together, getting one on one time, and hearing the girls say "we should move to Utah next" made it all worth while.

Thank you Rich and Rachelle for letting the girls come!