Too Many Possible Titles to Choose Just One

Kristen, Mark, and the girls visited us for the week between Christmas and New Years. I took a variety of pictures during that week and I've collected what I think are the best for this post. Understand that I do not think we got one perfect picture of all the kids beautifully looking at the camera but I definitely got shots that describe our life in that moment.

The day after they arrived dad offered to stay at home while Jamison, Ruthie, and Maddie all took naps so that the girls could go out to lunch. Kristen admitted to him that the girls would wake up before we got home and gave him instructions for feeding them a snack. This is what we came home to:

He was very much on guard watching them. The dogs were too since they were expecting something to fall on the ground.

The next day my mom's sister, Linda, drove up with her daughter Denine and Denine's daughter Myria. Although they all live in Rochester, I consider us all pretty close. Denine and Myria avoided the camera so you won't see them. I should make it clear to anyone who doesn't know, my Aunt Linda is crazy. Completely. Unequivocally. No doubt about it. So when she is around we have automatic entertainment.

Lily loves to play "band" on this obnoxious electronic piano (if you can call it that) and Aunt Linda is usually the one who joins her on the tambourine. So for Christmas Linda thought it would be a great idea to give instruments to all the kids. Lily had a trumpet, Jamison received a drum, and each of the twins had a maraca. It was chaos. I love the look Maddie is giving Aunt Linda because I want to tell her - "Honey, it's just begun for you. We've been giving her that look for years. It goes so much better if you just accept."

Later on in the week Jamison was roaming around the house looking for Grrmam to read to him. He had put her reading glasses on his head in preparation.

Finally. He found her. Maddie was relieved as she was looking for someone to distract Grrmam.

And somehow Ruthie found her way on to the couch as well.

And then Lily (excuse me, Sleeping Beauty) wanted to be a part of it for attention purposes only. At this point Jamison is the only one who still cares about the book.

Snuggly. Is that spelled right?

And then he was done. This is actually his new face that he knows I love and will only do it when he feels like it. I'm glad I was able to get a shot of it since he uses it to bribe me all the time. No more bribery from you Jamie!

Next it was bath time. When my sister visits we tend to spend a lot of time over at my parents so it's just easier to bathe the kids there and put them in their pj's. They go straight to bed when they get home. (Jamison is going to hate me for these pictures in 10 years).

And he's not a stupid kid. As soon as bath is over he runs into Grrmam's bed and gets all cuddly while he combs his hair with her brushes. I'm sure he lost them as well and she's probably been looking for them. Check under your bed, mom.

Then they all pile on to do somersaults, jump, and have parents throw them around. We do this in hopes to get some unused energy out of them. It usually ended in someone falling off the bed. Notice that Jamison is still combing his hair. He's nothing if not thorough.

And that summarizes what we do when all the cousins are together. You are blessed that I didn't post any videos - the screaming, crying, and whining would have made it all less perfect for you.