Cousins...New and Old

One of the highlights of my childhood was spending the night at my cousins' house. We would trade off every other weekend. It was a great plan that Mom and Patty came up with...gave them a completely kid free weekend, a concept that is completely unheard of around our house. Although I have to admit that when Ro and I are without the kids...our hearts are empty and we can't wait to get them back home. We just don't know what to do.....no fights to stop, diapers to change, or fussy baby to hold!

I loved going to Heidi and Dani's house. It was so much fun! They always had the newest toys, yummy snacks and they had SODA POP...in glass bottles! We never had yummy snacks and we NEVER had soda pop at our house. We also got to stay up late and watch Saturday Night Live and sleep on their sofa bed! They were also the first ones to have a TV with a remote....I thought that was sooooo cool! On one of our sleepovers we had a babysitter.....we took that remote and camped out on the stairway and kept switching the channels on her. She couldn't figure out what the heck what was going on. Eventually, our incessant giggles gave us away. Those were such good times. Yes, I lived a sheltered life. A very sheltered life.

This last weekend while we were at the farm, I called up my cousin Dani and invited her kids to come play with mine and my niece and nephew. I have meant to do this so many times, but the weekends always seem to go by so fast and subsequently time runs out. Heidi, Dani, my brother and I grew up seeing each other everyday at school...we were also in the same 4-H club (A shout out to all the Perky Pals out there) and we went to the same church. Unfortunately, the next generation of cousins are growing up virtual strangers.

So they came and a good time was had by all. However it was slow going in the beginning.

You can tell Chi-Chi was unsure of he newly discovered cousin, B.

"The Law" on the other hand warmed up rather quickly. I think she was simply thrilled to have another girl to pal around with.

I loaded them all up and took them on a gator ride with Popsicles in hand. (The Popsicles were nothing more than frozen water...but they loved them!)

This little girl just stole my heart! Just look at her. I don't know how her mommy and daddy can say no to this little girl!

Her brother was just as sweet.....I just couldn't get him to stand still long enough to snap a photo of him. Especially after my nephew arrived....all they boys took off and did "boy stuff" like get dirty, ride bikes, chase each other, sling things at one another...the list could go on and on!

B sure loved the playhouse. She played and played and played in there. I have never had better tasting lemonade or more sinful chocolate cookies than the ones she made for me in the playhouse!

Simply divine!

S