A Visit From the Texans!

What do you get when you put a family of 5 boys (and 1 baby girl) together with a family of 5 girls (and 1 baby boy)!?!?!?! Well, that's exactly what happened this week, and it turned out to be a fabulous time!
My sister, Heather, and 5 of her 6 children came to visit us here in AL. They are from Arlington, TX....so in some ways it was like the City Mouse visiting the Country Mouse. :)
Both parties of kids had their times of doubt mixed in with anticipation before the long-awaited visit, much to the laughter and enjoyment of the moms (Heather and me!). Around the dinner table, the girls would say things like "I hope they're not REALLY city-boys....I mean, do you think they'll really like building new forts and cutting down trees?" And meanwhile the boys were telling their mom, "Well, if they're telling us to bring boots and jack-knives, they might be cool girls." That brought on comments from my girls such as "I can't believe they are thinking we might be boring....I mean, we are the FARTHEST THING from boring!!!" Heather and I were e-mailing the dinner-time discussions back and forth, and it was hilarious! We loved it. These kids are cousins, but hadn't spent a whole lot of time together prior to this week. We've always lived several states apart, so interaction was limited to Thanksgiving each year....and usually in an extended family our size, the girls have a party all their own, and the boys are all doing their thing. SO, this was going to be a time of really getting to know each other!

We met them at the airport Monday evening, and drove the long trek home. That was their first introduction to "living in the sticks". They live within 20 minutes of THEIR airport! HA! When we finally arrived home, I started to get everything on the table for supper. It was in the crockpot, so not a whole lot had to be done........but where are all the kids!??!?! Certainly they're hungry?!?! They were outside checking out all they could in the dark.....the chickens, the donkeys, the perimeter of the "bamboo forest", etc. By the time they got in, everyone was fast friends....and we ate our supper amidst the loud chatter of 11 kids. Loved it.

Next morning, Jack (10) was up very early, and so were the older girls......ready and eager to share the morning chores. Taking care of chickens never was so fun! The girls were thrilled to find that the boys actually enjoyed washing eggs, drying them, and putting them into cartons (the novelty of which wore off long ago around here!)

Throughout the day Heather and I had a really nice sister day of sewing and talking and catching up. I still have to say that my sisters are my very best friends (after Johnny), and it doesn't matter how much time passes between our face-to-face encounters.....it's the same as ever, and just like old times every time! We didn't see the kids all day, except at meal times!!!! Really! They were re-creating all the forts and passageways and trails and hideouts in the Bamboo Forest, clearing new areas, etc. The boys had been told (by the girls) to bring 2 things: boots and jackknives. These came in very handy, and when Heather and I were given the tour later, we were quite impressed with what they'd created in a relatively short amount of time. Other activities included archery practice (using an old crib mattress as their target), chariot races (in a stripped-down stroller), and army fights. There were army bases in the woods. Sticks became guns, pine cones were bombs, and war was "declared" regularly with neighboring tribes across the pond. (Let me add here that my girls aren't COMPLETELY tomboys. They do love to play with dolls and dress-up, but................not when there are boys to play with!)

Wednesday morning, Johnny stayed with the children, and sent Heather and I out for breakfast (with the adorable little Abigail along too, of course!). Very fun, and such a nice treat! By the time we got back, it was lunch time, and he had already fed them. His explanation of the experience was, "I made 16 sandwiches, and they were ALL GONE IN 2 MINUTES!!!" We laughed! :)

That afternoon it was rainy, so we all went to AIR IT OUT, and all the children had fun jumping, sliding, and flopping on the huge blown-up slides/trampolines/etc. Then we had pizza and headed home. Every night after supper, the oldest kids would head outside to play flashlight tag.

Thursday was the last day, and the original plan HAD BEEN to visit the McWane Center in Birmingham. However, that was voted down in favor of spending the last day together playing, and to be sure the Reed boys would get to ride horses. Johnny took all of the oldest kids to ride. Heather had everthing packed and ready by noon, we had hamburgers, and a couple more hours of playtime....and then it was time for them to head back to the airport. Sad good-byes...and a suddenly quiet house.

It wasn't easy getting back into a normal schedule on Friday after such a fun week, but we managed to get school in, and most of the regular chores. The girls had to wash all the eggs themselves, but spent the time laughing and talking about all the fun they'd had w/ Jack and Josh...so it wasn't so bad. Josh has grand plans to start his own chicken operation in Texas, so the girls had given him a catalog and helped him choose some of the best varieties. They can hardly wait to hear about it when he gets started! I guess they feel somewhat like mentors! LOL!

Heather and I at the airport

(yes, in both airport pics, Hanna is RIDING the luggage across the corridor!)

Everyone loved little Abby. Chase tried to hug her every chance he could.

Matthew had been asking every day WHEN he would get to ride a horse, so this was his shining moment!

Jack on Gypsy. Emelie on Daisy.

Lots of eggs every morning. :)

Marissa hiding out.

Other soldiers in their foxholes.

(Emelie and Josh)

An hour goes so quickly at AIR IT OUT!

Jack, Josh, Emelie, and Marissa - playing Horseopoly

Allison, Matthew, and Tyler

Josh making plans for poultry!

Heather and me.