Kate Days

Whenever Kate comes to visit it's non-stop fun.  But it's doesn't feel like we are trying our hardest to do every fun thing and make the most of every minute together- that just happens naturally.  In another day they will leave and it could potentially be 2 years before we see them again, but right now I feel like they have always been here and always will.

 We've had swimming lessons everyday, but also been to the spash pad, has some picnics, spent time with friends, played at parks and had plenty of good food (the mark of any Kristen/Kate get together).  But I think the kids favorite thing was the Springville Children's Parade.  We decorated their bikes and bought candy to throw and headed over to be part of the parade!

 There were lots of kids, and it was SO hot, but totally worth it to watch the little two cram their faces with tootsie rolls while the big ones threw candy to all the grandparents and police officers watching the parade.

 It was quite the scene- Alex and Archie would stop their bikes and then inch towards the observers who were obviously confused as to why these kids had stopped by them.  Then the kids would grab candy from their bags and throw a handfull of treats about 2 feet and ride off.  The adults were very gracious and would say thank you as they stood up and walked into the road to retrieve the candy.  It was awesome and Alex and Archie's favorite part of the parade.

 Annie never smiles for the camera, so chocolate face or not- this was a winner!

 After the parade we were treated to free snow cones, which basically just coated their sweaty bodies in a layer of sticky sweet.

 As if a parade wasn't enough, we got home and Grandma took us to the Discovery park at Thanksgiving point!  These 3 only need each other to have a good time.  I'm constantly impressed with their fantastic imaginations and how well they get along!

 Alex is in heaven having Archie around.  He is by far her best friend ever.

 Heidi is constantly saying "Annie is just so cute!"  Sometimes she sees herself as the older cousin and sometimes she see's herself as a peer.  It's adorable.

 Annie's been a pretty good sport, she can keep up with the big kids pretty well- but is tiny enough they just want to carry her around like a baby.  This stubborn little girl won't have any of it!

 They all love Quinn and are so sweet with her, occasionally running back in the middle of their play to check on her.

 I see a lot of Heidi in Annie and vice versa.  These two are going to be partners in crime when they get older.

 As if our week wasn't full of enough fun, we snuck in a trip to the cabin!  This is what Alex did when I told her I wanted to take her picture, she posed like she was in a catalogue.  hhhmmmmmmmm.

I'd done a pretty good job of hiding from my kids the fact that delicious soft white bread exists, but the past few weeks we've had it around and it's ALL they want to eat.  There will be withdrawals when we move to Pittsburgh.

 The kids were old enough this time to the cabin that we just let them run amuck with the walkie talkies.

 Heidi was all over the place, not needing the constant companionship of a friend or parent and happy to wander a bit on her own.

 Alex and Archie on the other hand couldn't be apart!  At one point I was fixing her button and she said "Hurry up Mom, I need to play with Archie, he is going to go home soon!"  Just like Kate and I, these guys like to get every minute out of our visits.

 There was lunch and shooting, hikes and dirt and the beaver pond.

 And then there was the zip line.

 The zip line terrifies me, so the thought of letting my kids ride?!  Heidi couldn't wait!

 That first drop turned her stomach, but after that she was hooked and kept coming back BEGGING to do it by herself!  We worked up to it but I finally relented and my little 3 year old rode the zip line a few times alone and didn't die!  The little dare devil.

 Alex on the other hand wasn't quite sure she was up to it and kept waivering.  She cried for 2 minutes afterwards and then did her own share of begging to ride again.

 This child is a bit more cautious.

 Annie had to do everything the big kids were doing!

 But I think one ride was enough for her.  She had proved her point that she could, and didn't feel the need to ride again.

 And then Kate spent the better part of an hour ferrying the rope up and down the hill for these 3 crazies.

 And it was hot.

 Tyler was able to con Heidi away from the zip line by offering to teach her to shoot.  Like the zipline, she didn't want to stop.

 Alex had to be bribed to try, but then turned into Annie Oakley.

 Some Cousins had met us up at the cabin and I realized that we had a perfect line of kids, newborn through 6 years old (with two 3 year olds) so I had to get a picture.  Unfortunately the 3 year olds didn't want to sit in order and the babies needed help, but you can guess their ages from their size.  We even got the biggest kid of them all to participate in the picture.

 With 4 little girls in matching dresses, I couldn't help but take a million pictures Sunday morning.

 I told the kids they could be good on a sheet by the front door, or I would drag them all to Kiddie Kandids in the mall so I could get a good picture.  After 5 minutes in front of the house I realized that I wanted to avoid Kiddie Kandids with 5 kids at all costs, and luckily they all cooperated, mostly.

This one has taken to sneaking into our bed at night.  I have a hard time saying no to her adorable teary face at 3 am when she snuggles up to me.

 

We tried to get a frame worthy picture of the girls, but Heidi had put in her 5 minutes of sitting still for the day, and Alex was having a hard time holding a cranky Quinn, smiling and keeping Heidi from bowling her over so we resigned ourselves to trying another day.