We just got back from our week-long trip to the Houston area to visit my sister's family. We left Monday and then Karen and her husband, Jason, left that Thursday to go to Salt Lake for Jason's mission reunion while we stayed with their 4 kids! It was a fun, busy week!
We've been talking about this trip for quite a while and Caroline was super excited to go see her "Texas cousins". The Saturday before we left we started getting things ready and saw Caroline had started packing her own suitcase! She packed her play dishes and dress up shoes and zipped it up and rolled it out to the car! It was so cute, but I had to explain that there woud be pleanty of toys at her cousin's house to play with, so all she needed to pack was her clothes.
We went south through Mississippi, and west through Louisianna to get there. This picture is of a friend Caroline met at a Louisianna gas station!
Caroline had a lot of fun playing at their house. Any place with a sand box and a trampoline is an automatic hit! Emily is 11 and was so great about playing with the two younger girls - Caroline and 5 year old Lucy.
I love this picture of Lucy. She's usually a pretty serious little kid, but this is a face of pure glee from Uncle Dave's tickling!
Making cupcakes with Aunt Karen for Lucy's b-day party. (More on Lucy's party at Build-A-Bear to come!)
The kids all slept in the same room for most of the week which meant many late nights!
They have a greyhound named Bullet that became Dave's new buddy. Caroline loved him too, but I'm not so sure he was as fond of her as he was of Dave!
There was a very cool park in their town the kids called the "train park". We went 3 times that week! Here's Lucy, Randy, and Emily. Caroline is in the background somewhere pouting because she didn't get icecream from the icecream man!
Dave and Randy enjoying a game of tennis.
We had some activities to keep the kids interested during conference. It worked great!...for about 20 minutes.
We had a good time getting to know Karen's family. I also learned how difficult it is to be a mom of 5 kids! And it was only for a few days! I was nervous that I would forget to pick someone up from school, or I'd lose one at the park (which I did, but it's ok - it was mine!!!) I don't know how my mom handled 8! Dave reminded me that it's not normal to go from one child to five - that they're usually added one or two at a time giving the family time to learn and adapt. That made it seem more possible, but still, managing so many different schedules and personalities is quite a task! It makes me feel so spoiled and lazy being a mom of just one. So kudos to all of you with two or more children! You are my hero!
7 comments:
looks like a fun trip! That is so cute that Caroline packed her own suitcase and I love Lucy's expression on the trampoline... looks like there were many moments of "pure glee" for those 5 kids! good times.
dave tells me the same thing about kids coming one at a time. i'm freaked out about a newborn with the current circus that is part of my everyday... but then i remember that i taught 1st grade! my patience, or lack of, is probably why it only lasted for a year. i'm sure you did great- it looks like Caroline and the Welkers' (and dave and bullet) all had a fun time. and you survived, right?!
Wait, you are related to Jason Welker? Crazy. I remember him from EAC. Wow he has 4 kids already. It looks like you guys had a great time...by the way I think that alligator is so gross!--Riley thinks it is awesome.
For the record, my Jason Welker went to UofA, but he had lots of family in Thatcher and Safford. Susan, you and Dave did a phenomenal job watching my kids. Lucy woke up Monday morning, and before she opened her eyes she said, "When are Aunt Susan and Cousin Caroline coming again?" (Sorry, Dave, no mention of you.) You know what she's like in the morning, so that's a huge credit to you! We miss you already! I think Bullet most of all.
what a fun trip. It is a little easier adding the kids on one at a time.
Your sister looks just like you! Glad you guys had a good tme.
Sounds like a good trip. I'm sure your sister is grateful for your efforts and hopefully Caroline will remember her cousins from this trip.
Post a Comment