a beautiful weekend

It was a beautiful weekend.  My heart feels full today from all the time spent with family.  Ryan didn't have to work, so we spent three whole days together.  I can't remember the last time that happened, and it will not likely happen again until November.

  ~ daddy and his girls ~

~ looking for airplanes ~

Out of town family came to visit, some regular faces, and a new one (love you Aletha).  I tried to take pictures of everyone, but didn't.  I had grandiose plans of a big family picture, but, fail again.  Maybe on the Fourth of July when we are all together again.  I did manage to take enough pictures to overwhelm the average person, though.  It's just what I do.

~ beth and aletha ~

~ momma and baby ~

 ~ big brother and little brother and big brother again ~

We BBQ'd ribs at my parent's on Saturday and had the strangest weather.  Thunder, sprinkles, lots of wind, and looming black clouds.  Sunday morning we had a big breakfast up at our house, followed by tacos for dinner back at my parent's.

~ laci and cousin Ryan and the iPhone ~

We laughed about our migration patterns and how we can't go anywhere without everyone joining in.  Staying behind always means running the risk of missing something awesome.  Though, to be honest, truly awesome things rarely happen. Aletha fell victim to our herd-mentality and had trouble leaving "on time" Sunday evening.  I assured her that nothing awesome happened after she left.

~ snow cones ~ 

There was also a very serious quest for cotton candy on Sunday which involved multiple phone calls, searching the internet, and some Facebooking.  It ended with a trip to Blockbuster, where they do, indeed, carry cotton candy, and my sisters returned with seventeen bags.  I do not kid.  Seventeen bags.  We ate half of them, and while it isn't exactly the same as cotton candy fresh from the fair, it did satisfy my hankering for fluffy sugar for at least another six months.

Ryan and I spent the day at home with the girls yesterday, mostly just to detox Laci from too much sugar and too much fun.  We had an impromptu dinner with his parents last night, which I believe was the perfect way to punctuate the end of a wonderful weekend.

 ~ baby Justin ~

Today feels especially quiet without all the cousins, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents.  It almost feels lonely, except for the two little people who live here and who make sure it is never too quiet.  I am catching up on household duties that have been neglected, mostly blogging so far (very important), and also some laundry.  Because I'm wearing my last clear pair of comfy pants, which happen to be maternity leggings, and since I am not, in fact, pregnant, it feels a little weird.

I hope you had a wonderful, beautiful weekend too.