Cousins Come Callin'...

Let's start off by saying a big old, "Hats Off" to those of you with a half dozen kids or more.

WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?

This past week we got to host a couple of our cousins... Wyatt and Sophia.

The boys were in Heaven.  They had anticipated it for so long, however, that we were wound up into a frenzy by the time our cousins actually arrived.  And that frenzied state was a little catching.  And soon, all the little gents that typically live in my household were excitedly shouting at their cousins about all the great and many things they had in store for them during their stay.  And if their little voices could have gone any decibels louder or octaves higher... they would have, but alas, they had maxed out.

Whew.

The good news is their well-laid plans started to become realities and things simmered down to just a low and manageable boil.  Don't ask me to list off the week's agenda... it's all a bit of a blur.  But I did manage to catch some highlights on camera.

In no particular order... Scheels.  AKA little outdoors men & women's field of dreams.

I'm pleased to report that all cousins rode on the Ferris Wheel and loved it.  And we didn't even receive a warning for rocking our carts or hanging precariously.  Bonus.

 Might I also mention that some of Carl Rae Hooky Albrecht's off spring received a more healthy dose of the dramatic genes than others courtesy of their grandpa.

I'll let you decide who the real drama cats might be.... with just a couple of hints.

 It should be noted that the photo ops at Scheels are a HUGE hit with the tween crowd.  Wyatt may or may not have asked for at least a half a dozen re-shots at each and every station.

And the rest of our crew?  Not nearly as meticulous... hence the deer head in moose-butt phenomenon we were experiencing.

At some point we also made it to the Children's Museum of Natural Curiosity.

I'm gonna tell you right now.... that place is awesome.  Kids love it.  I'm also gonna give you a little life hack for said museum... go to the Water Works section LAST.  If you don't heed my warnings you may or may not have some chaffed little humans.  

Like the rookies we were, we went their first.  But look how cute they are in their vinyl aprons and their galoshes?  I know, I know!

Thank goodness for the wind tunnel to get us back to "semi-dry".

The week flew by and the littles did so great playing with one another!

The sunsets were amazing.  We ate our weight in day-old duck bread.  We watched a movie with popcorn and cotton candy nearly every night of their stay.  And we played and played and played.

It ain't bad to be a cousin, is what I'm saying.

 And Ryan and I will gladly facilitate another "cousin bonding" opportunity by booking our own tickets to paradise soon!  We're givers like that, you know?  :)