New Years

We have been so spoiled with visitors since we've been here. We've only been here for 5 months and we've had 5 different sets of visitors. We love it!! My parents have come down twice. David's parents have come down once. We've had David's little brother and sister come down for a weekend and Ben and Emily came down for New Years. We have missed them like crazy since we've left FLW and they braved a supposed 12 hour drive (+2 because of traffic) to reunite the kids and come play with us. It meant the world to us to have them here!

They were hoping to escape freezing cold Missouri and enjoy some 60 degree temps down here. Instead it was cold and rainy!! We went to Sea World and I severely under dressed every single one of my kids; the forecast said 49 but a storm rolled in. They were were wearing fleece hoodies and it was 33 degrees outside with some serious wind. I felt so bad. Just walking through the parking lot all their teeth were chattering so I walked right in the park and I had to buy 3 fleece blankets to wrap the kids up in at the first souvenir stand. We didn't think we would survive till the night shows but we did it and it was so fun! The bonus was that no one caught pneumonia.

Here we are hiding out in the penguin exhibit with hot chocolate for 30 minutes. David met up with us after work and we sent him right on a roller coaster with Ben. Emily and I had it totally under control in a busy theme park but just looking at this picture reminds me how many kids we have between the two of us!

Oh how the kids love the Azul show! It is always amazing!

Night time Shamu show!

The girls kept playing hide and seek behind the lit up trees. Oh how they love each other! I told Emily once that they're going to need a mini van just to hang out as teenagers once you add in Lucy and Ellie.

This is proof that the Ashton kids owe me for their first Chuck E Cheese experience! Mallie and Anna got a free turn in the ticket blaster because we ordered so many pizzas. Emily didn't have a panic attack because of the germs, so I consider that a win!

This is hugely blurry but the next couple of days we were stuck inside because it was freezing so we busted out just dance. It was a big hit! Until the girls started singing the Spice Girls around the house later that day. Hearing a 4 and 5 year old sing, "So tell me what you want..." was hilarious and simultaneously horrifying. Since then we have purchased the Disney version of Just Dance.

But at night the adults played Just Dance and during a dance off with Ben to "Eye of The Tiger" I broke the lampshade. He was winning at the end and I wanted to make sure I nailed my last few moves. I had no idea that my arm extended with the added length of the wiimote made me that tall. Oops. I never liked those shades anyway.

And this is what it looked like when we told the kiddos to say goodbye. It was so sad!

Here all 9 kids! We LOVE and miss them already! They even completely my house the night before they left, vacuumed, swept and wiped up. It was probably cleaner than when they arrived and I love them for it. Thanks for coming Bemily!! We are coming to you next time!