Part 2 of Landin's visit

On Friday we drove out and had lunch with BB and Poppy at the farm!  Then Marc, Marky and Poppy went hunting at Poppy's hunting camp.  They saw some deer, but left them in peace.  :)

Meanwhile, BB and I took the four younger children to Desoto Caverns to see the cave and their Christmas laser light show.  Desoto Caverns is privately owned so they do a Christian Christmas program.

When we first went in we saw a movie on the history of the cave and experienced absolute darkness.  Then we watched the laser/light/water show about Christmas. 

They took turns squeezing through "Fat Man's Squeeze."  :)

They said the cave stays around 60-65 degrees year round- no matter how hot or cold it is outside. 

 The boys got sling shots and the girls got necklaces.  Everyone had fun!

This morning we took it easy and lounged around.  We put together a gingerbread nativity and played with pearler beads. 

 

 

After lunch we went to the trampoline park for the first time.  Marky has been asking to go for years- it was awesome!!

I thought it was just a room full of trampolines, but there is much more.  There are basketball goals, foam pits, ribbon swings, and a whole room dedicated to dodge ball. 

Marc and Charlie played dodge ball most of the time. 

 We jumped for a full hour- they were exhausted, but so happy!

Landin's Visit

The day after Christmas, our niece Landin flew up to spend a week with us.  The children were so excited when we went to the airport.  We went straight to the place we always go when she's here for lunch. 

Charlie was wiping a wittle sauce off sleepy sheep. 

All better!

Aunt Amber sent matching jammies again!

We've had fun watching "old" movies.  So far we've seen The Neverending  Story, Muppets from Space, Flight of the Navigator and The Princess Bride.  No school like the old school!  And my three youngest are enjoying their fish tail, dragon tail and dinosaur tail blankets that BB gave them. 

The girls worked on these paintings-

On a rainy Tuesday we went to Chuck E Cheese to play after lunch. 

They got 519 tickets to use for a prize.  Sweet Marc agreed to get nothing as usual.  He's such a sweet boy.  Charlie ran out of tokens right away and of course, Marky gave him some of his so he could keep playing. 

Tuesday evening we went to the Zoolight Safari!  We all loved the snow machine!

All the children (except Julia) went twice down this slide riding on tubes. 

And of course we rode the train. 

Zaza got the boys "draw-on" pajamas for Christmas.  Tucker drew the Earth, Charlie drew KW Sagittarii. 

Charlie put together his Melissa and Doug sticker stained glass window all by himself.  :)

And we got a whole new batch of pearler beads that everyone is enjoying!

Today Marky sang the National Anthem with the choir at the Birmingham Bowl, which hosted the University of South Florida vs the University of South Carolina.  Marc took all five children to the game while I ran errands.  They had a blast!

Since all of Marc's family is in Florida we rooted for USF!

Go Bulls!

The game was so much fun and went into overtime. 

We so enjoy the woods around our home.  Landin and the children have taken walkie talkies and gone on long hikes looking for deer.  It's so sweet.  Marc asked who wanted to go the other day and just Tucker said yes.  When he got home Charlie cried and had changed his mind so Daddy went on two hikes that day.  :)

Sweet little Tuck Tuck telling Daddy he's strong enough to pick up this big rock and throw it. 

Veni, Vidi, Vici!

And now Charlie's turn.  :)

Ahead of him they saw about 20 deer!

In other news, I think I've said before that I love 90s country.  I'm so happy to have a station dedicated to it- how can you not enjoy singing Callin' Baton Rouge?