Houston (part 2 at last!)

So after the party and a rest in the afternoon (for a lucky few - JM & Clara), it was off to the great outdoors again for some fun in the yard. Clara had a blast playing with Uncle Jamie as she has never played before! Chasing, playing pirates, sliding, swinging - they were having a blast. Good thing Uncle Jamie is a runner and used to running around with a little boy! I think Mike & I need to go into training so we can be ready for JM and also so Clara can have more fun with us! She requested that I play chase with her "like Uncle Jamie" the first day we were back home.





Not to be left out of the action in the yard, John Michael was a happy observer in his stroller. He munched on a few cheerios (and a few toes and a few stroller straps) while watching.



I guess the last thing before dinner was a pickup basketball game (the womenfolk were in the kitchen fixing the food, so I just go by the pictures).



Then it was finally time for bed. The three "big" kids all slept together again. They settled down a little faster (pure exhaustion, I think), but then the morning was a little rough. Alex and Clara were both getting a little sick & Clara had to move to our bed in the morning (Mike moved to the couch). Everyone was okay, but it was probably good that we were heading home that day so everyone could get a good night's sleep.

Once everyone was up (okay, I was the last to get up - again!), we had Christmas! It's pretty sad, but we weren't able to get together when we had originally planned because of sick kiddos so this was the best we could do.



Clara loved her new Alphabet posters, which are especially fitting since she has so recently discovered how much she likes to write her name! (and say it - "C L A R A ... C L A R A ... C L A R A ... again and again and again)

And the girls were so excited to finally be able to give Alex his Spiderman scooter. It was the first Christmas present they wrapped this year. Gracie took it out of the box and told Uncle Jamie that he would probably need some tools to put it together. I'm not sure he was really planning to put it together right away, but he was a good Uncle and obliged my enthusiastic kids!


Then it was outside to run off a little energy before getting in the van to head home.


Alex got to push John Michael in the stroller and the girls got to enjoy Alex's bike & new scooter! He was a good sport to be able to share everything so willingly with his cousins. He even let JM play with one of his new dinos that he got at his birthday party!



We had a blast (hah - what else in rocket city?) and the girls are already planning another trip.