Clint and Rachel's Visit

After our last Longview crew left, we had almost a week to get ready for our next visitors: Clint, Rachel, Roselyn, Nolan, and Marion! About 6:45 am Saturday the 21st I got the best wake up call ever! Clint, Rachel and their crew were in our driveway! They had originally planed on stopping at a hotel in Wyoming but they were all full, thanks to a Lady Antebellum concert so they just kept driving through the night and made it to our house by morning! They were just in time to do a little work.  Clint and Ro changed clothes and jumped in the car with me and Kanyon to go help us moves some cows.  Rachel stayed back with mine that were still sleeping and hers that weren't interested in getting BACK into a car!  

We had the boring job of holding the road while we moved some cows down the highway.  So, while we waited, Ro and Clint picked some lovely flowers.  

Here we are leading the herd down the highway.

Meanwhile, Jaylie June woke up and Cousin Marion was happy to join her in her crib! 

This picture is pretty accurate of these two.  Marion was very interested in being close to her cousin, but June was quite skeptical.  

Clint stayed with Kory and helped move the cows a little more, but once my job on the highway was done, I headed back to the house.  Clint and Kory came home with lunch and we were all thrilled to finally be all together.  Aaaaaand this next picture depicts a habit Jaylie June has developed. If she's nervous, shy, embarrassed, excited, in the mood to show off, etc. she raises up her shirt. RAISES UP HER SHIRT! Not sure why this is her "go-to" move, but we're hoping she finds a new one in the next couple of years. Here she is seeing Uncle Clint for the first time and doing the obvious greeting for him. 

Sunday evening after church we went out to the ranch to eat and watch a World Cup game.  The poppies were BEAUTIFUL so I couldn't resist trying to get Juney's picture.  Key word: trying.  

I bet you can guess what's coming...........

Yep. Raise her shirt. That's what you're supposed to do when someone takes your picture?

Marion joined and was much more photo ready.  Jaylie? Still scowling. 

I found these little shorts on clearance and they just kill me.  Anytime a kid wears a tiny version of grown up clothes, I almost die.  

 Ro and Q climbing a tree 

Ginger and Ro

2 sweet cousins

Monday,  Kory and Clint worked and so me and Rach took the kids to the park to eat and play.  Kory and Clint took a work break and met us there to play for a bit. Group picture on the tires.

The park where we were playing is right by the city pool.  I talked Rachel into trying the pool with me the next day. I wasn't real interested in braving the pool with my 3 all by myself, so this was the perfect chance for me to try it with a little back up.  Plus, we were thinking MAYBE the water would be a little warmer since the sun had been shining and the rumor around town was that the boilers were fixed so they could heat it a little.  

Here's the crew ready to go!  

And here's a representation of the crew about 45 min after we got there. 

 Ro and Nolan got cold pretty quick.  jjp was in and out of the pool and more interested in trying out the potties there than the swimming.  Kanyon was happy to be swimming but devastated that I wouldn't pay money to let him go down the slide.  It was a little lame on my part but it would cost $6 for ONE slide since I'd have to go with him and he would want to go over and over and be mad when I said No. And maybe I didn't want to FREEZE MY BRAINS OUT! I promised him a trip down the slide later in the summer. We finally had to drag Q out of the pool cuz the rest of the crew was basking in the sun waiting for him! ha! So the first trip wasn't a total bust, but it reaffirmed my belief that it is NOT hot enough here to swim! SHEESH! 

This is what happens on the way home from the pool, so it was totally worth it! 

 I think this picture was taken the morning they got to our house.   Kanyon woke up, was so happy to see them, and wasted no time playing in the playhouse. 

Sweet Nolan hugging Jaylie when she woke up. 

We have so many sweet pictures of these 2 and I'm afraid its an inaccurate depiction of their relationship.  While they did have their sweet moments they spent quite a bit of time picking at each other.  They were quick to learn how to get to each other and were very consistent hitting each others' hot spots.  Oh well, its all part of the cousin game.  

Wednesday we went up to the Snowies to show them the mountain summer pasture. Here is the natural rock canyon corral.  Its a really neat spot owned by a neighbor up there that allows us to unload cows into the corral when we ship in/out.  

There's a cool rock "cave"thing that you can crawl under and play in.  The kids had a big time running around in there.  

They were all good flower pickers!  

playing in the "cave" 

Jaylie has a smilar problem as Quinn when it comes to showing a little to much rear end.  

This child is cray cray. 

Sliding down the side of the canyon! 

We got Ro to take a picture of the grown ups. Its nice having kids around that you can trust with a camera. 

The photographer demanded a silly picture....

We drove up a little ways to see the view from up higher.  It ain't half bad. 

Speaking of Jaylie being cray cray....I think she got it from Marion! Sweet thing. I could eat her up! 

The kids all enjoying the view (klp enjoying smelling Ro's hair....thats how he rolls) 

We had tried earlier in the week to go up to The Butte at the ranch but as soon as we climbed up there, it started to lightning so we had to come down. That ruined our cookout too, so we tried again Wednesday after the trip to the Snowies.  Other than the swarming bird sized mosquitos it was a perfect evening for a cookout!

Marion gathered firewood like a boss. 

While the others climbed trees. 

There was a fire a few years ago near where we were so there is still soot on the trees.

Kan Man loving on his his Aunt Rachel.

She won't smile at a camera, but she'll sure smile at her Aunt Rachel! 

Why not eat the hotdog from the middle??

After hot dogs, everyone started putting marshmallows on their sticks to make s'mores.  We looked up and June was standing by the fire with a little stick and she'd put a marshmallow on the end.  When I told her to show it to me, she didn't bother to turn around, she just threw it back to show me.  

She was so proud and ready to roast that marshmallow! Funny girl doesn't miss a thing. She did this all on her own! ha!

Clint made a near perfect one...

This is a combination of soot, dirt, sticky marshmallow, and CUTE NOLAN BOY! 

The whole gang! This picture makes me so happy just looking at it! 

Nolan and Q had the all important job of putting the fire out. 

Kory and Clint went off in the Rhino to look at some more of the place. Rach and I decided that we'd rather cram in the other Ranger than wait around for the guys....so here we are with all the kids in the Ranger!

Sweet little ones.... 

Goofy little ones....

 Nolan was SO SWEET to Jaylie.  He just hugged and kissed her all week.  One time he said, "Aunt P, Jaylie loves me because she loves my hair". Probably won't be the first girl that loves Nolan for his hair.  

Clint got baby girls out of the bath

Rach got them all PJ'd up.  And SOMEONE got Jaylie to SMILE AT THE CAMERA!!! I'm not sure who, but whoever it was is magic.   

Cousin sleepover! (black trash bags over the windows to keep the sun out...since it comes up at like 5am!)

 Ro reading to the crew...(Kan's arm around her *sigh*)

 Lunch with the crazies! 

More eating and trampoline time! 

This is a picture of jjp's monitor.  Marion got in her bed and "read" to her.  Pretty cute. 

If you know klp you know he LOVES getting to ride in other people's car so he was PUMPED to be riding with Ro!

Nolan was happy to switch and ride with Q. 

One afternoon, the other kids were resting so me and Ro got to paint. 

 June and Marion helping Clint with his GoPro footage. 

 A little Wa-Hoo for the grown ups after the kids were in bed.  

At some point in the week, the kids found a Lego Movie game on the computer. They loved playing it/watching each other play.  It was annoying for them to be asking about it all the time but it sure was funny to watch them when they got to play. 

Ro literally moved klp's fingers for him so he could play too! (*sigh* again)

We played hard all day every day. You know kids are tired when Q turns down a cousin sleepover.  He opted to sleep in his own bed this night, but klp enjoyed sleeping with the cousins. 

  

Morning TV.....CUTENESS

klp mentioned he was cold and next thing I know we looked up and saw this: Nolan had gone to klp's chair to share his blanket.  This boy couldn't get any sweeter.  

One afternoon we let the big kids paint some wooden peg people.  They had a good time.  Jaylie June looked way too old sitting up there with the big kids.  

Busy little painters...

Ro showing Uncle Kory all the peg people they painted. What started out as 1 or 2 for each kid ended up being the whole bag of wooden peg people! Ninja turtles, babies, princesses, super heroes and such! It was a fun thing to do!

Not sure what was going on, but Juney girl was chillin' on her Uncle.  

Which is funnier.....Jaylie clinging on for dear life or Nolan's "college girl" pose?

I'm sure she was having fun, she just has a hard time showing it. 

SUPPER TIME!

One night we walked/biked/carried kids to get ice cream.  

klp decided to leave his helmet on while he ate his french fries.  

Marion gives Dash-In's ice cream 2 thumbs up! 

The kids. (Pardon my impossible daughter...but PLEASE notice klp and Nolan's voluntary hug!)

The whole gang.  I've said it a million times but my 2 brothers are 2 of my most favorite people in the world.  And then they go and marry girls that I LOVE and am so very close to. THEN they go and have kids that I love more than I knew possible.  Put all that under one roof for a week and it makes for an awesome week!  It was so great.  

So....we took the group picture, then walked to get the kids candy from the candy store and said our goodbyes.  It was my birthday....them leaving was the worst present ever, but them being here was the best present ever!!!  We were all feeling sad, so we decided throwing some rocks in the creek would make us all feel a little better. So we drowned our sorrows in the creek.....meanwhile Clint, Rachel, and crew started the LOOOOOONG drive home.  Thanks for coming! We love you!