Cousin Pictures!!

 Presenting the last complete cousin picture for the next three years....

 We finally had to move the oldest two cousins to stand behind the couch!

 Isaac (6), Derek (6), Logan (5), Andrew (5), Preston (4), Emeri (3), Bryce (3), Savanna (3), Clara (2), Sierra (2), Oakley (2 weeks shy of 2) and Asher (16 months)!

The reward for compliance? MARSHMALLOWS!! :D

Park, Pizza, P...uh... Movie

Today was a full day! We played at the splash pad and the park and then drove to Austin and Liz's house for pizza and a movie. The kids have been looking forward to seeing Zootopia and tonight is the night! It's so much fun having all the cousins together and they had a great time taking up the ENTIRE couch. All the adults ended up sprawled on the floor or corners of the giant love sac.

Constant motion

Bryce and Emeri off on a whirlwind adventure

Levitation!

Derek really loves these water jets

Running, running, running

Derek's favorite things - moving his body and playing in water

Clara and Sierra were a little less enthusiastic about getting wet

Preston found an itty bitty toad

See?

Isaac, Preston and Logan were fascinated with that toad and took turns holding it

Logan was actually happy to hold the toad

Love these sisters of mine! :D

Derek and Andrew apparently weigh as much as Bryce and Preston

Sweet Savvy!

Sweet Sierra!

Windblown

Later in the day, Clara fell asleep in the car and Derek was struck by a tender, big brotherly kindness to hold her hand and be so very sweet and gentle with her

 Caught him stroking and kissing her little fingers

...and then she shifted in her sleep and the funny-boy face was priceless

Movie Time! That couch is getting full!

Andrew and Clara's Pinata

We didn't have time to break the pinata during the party, so we got together to break it today! According to Liz, Andrew kept asking and asking about when we were going to have the pinata, so he was thrilled to finally get a whack at it today, haha! See what I did there? ;) As usual, we started with the youngest and moved to the oldest... Katelyn was determined that it would end with her! She gave it a couple good hits and severed Spiderman at the waist. Uncle David picked up the top half and made it a puppet. Ew!

Jon helped Gracie give Spiderman a beating, haha!

Andrew waited a long time for this moment... and he didn't disappoint, haha!

Swing and a hit for Logan!

Derek forgot that Aunt Lizzie usually spins the older kids before they take a swing. Whoa!

Swing and a miss for Derek!

Spinning Isaac...

Spiderman was no match for Katelyn when she means business!

Chaos!

There's always at least one kid who cries... poor Andrew only had a couple pieces of candy

"Can I have candy, too, please?"

Golden coins are always a hit with these kids... particularly this one. ;)

Uncle David and his Spider-puppet, haha!

Halloween!

Cousin Pictures

11 grandkids with one more on the way! Oldest just turned five and the youngest is almost four months old.

Each of these sweet kids are so unique and we are so glad they are here!

Grapevine Aquarium

Can you tell we like this place? It's great for group activities. Lots of room, lots of cool stuff, lots of cool fish - it has it all! Plus, the kids always get excited to go to the aquarium. Today, it was part one of our double feature. The kids don't know it yet, but Grandma is treating us all to dinner at the Rainforest Cafe (just down the hall from the aquarium in the mall) after we're done with the fish. Woohoo!

Keepin' it real in their scuba masks

Man, the kids fought over these interactive exhibits. Logan was fascinated with this hammerhead

Isaac and Andrew are learning about the Great White

Derek and Emeri checked out the Manta Ray

Emo Nemo

Derek was in a hurry to see everything, but he took some time to make sure Bryce saw the cool stuff

Pregnant Daddies!

Derek was excited to hold this shell

The nice employee helped the kids touch the starfish and hermit crabs. Preston, Savanna and Bryce were impressed

Clara isn't old enough to be more than slightly interested, but she liked to watch the waves Bryce made

Logan helped himself

Preston was very enthusiastic about the starfish and the shells

Aren't these two so sweet! Sierra and Clara are both so happy. :)