Buds Reunited

Dear Kidlets, 
We are so happy to learn that Cousin Jonny will be attending school in Indiana this year!  This makes the possibility for weekend sleepovers and nobody is happier than you, Henry.  We picked him up from Uncle Gary's new house...in my "new" 2004 mini van! (WEEEEEEE! SO EXCITED to have a reliable car again.)  We ate lunch with Uncle Gary and then headed over to Conner Prairie for a couple of hours.  My back was in pretty crappy shape today so I was when we found a house that didn't have any time period actors in it and Jonny sat down to teach you how to play checkers while I laid back on the bed.  

Hazel, you stood in the doorway and waved at people going by.  With your braids and calico dress, compliments of Great Aunt Linda's talents, passersby thought you were an actor at the park.  
I heard a group of school kids go by and lots of awes ensued.  Then, as we were visiting the house across the street and you played with the little girl reenactor a visitor came in and they were taking pictures of you playing with the little dolls, haha.  

 

Honestly, it would be awesome to do that with you two one day.  Judging by the way you can easily spend an hour in each house this could happen one day.  

We made our way home with Jonny along and look forward to the fair tomorrow and Grandma P's and Bahboo's on Friday.  I love you guys so much, my lil buddies.
Love, Mama  

Cousins

Dear Henny, 
In my life some of the most important people have been my cousins.  We played and had so much fun as kids.  I could never wait until the next time we would get to hang out.  Now as adults we support each other through births, adoptions, marriages and hardships.  You have two first cousins and, if my count is correct, you have 10 second cousins that you see with regularity...there are lots of birth cousins you occasionally get to play with, and other second cousins whom you also get to occasionally play with.  It is your first cousin Jonny that you can't stop talking about.  What had the good fortune of having him near us about an hour and a half away.  It has been a hard transition for you to have him move back to Florida for school this year and to live with his mama.  You miss him and talk about him constantly.  You've tried to convince Bahboo to dig a tunnel directly to Jonny's.  It does make you very excited that in February you'll get to go to Grandpa Tim and Trish's in Florida and we hope to work out a visit to Jonny Cakes'.  I should get in contact with his mom Michelle when we know more of the plan while there.  It would be great to have you able to run on a Florida beach together.  You did have a fabulous summer together.  You played together as much as possible, traveled to Chicago and tried to out jump each other on the diving board at Grandma P's and Bahboo's.  So here are some photos of the two cousins who can't get enough of each other.  Love, Mama

Sharing Henry's Birthday together

BB Gun

Pool Time with Bahboo

Aliens in a strange land

Lake Michigan

Cuddling on a cool beach

Castles with 2nd cousin Jospeh

Shedd Aquarium

Robot dancing in the Chicago Skyline

Riding the 4 person bike at Navy Pier

Playing in a Chicago Fountain

Buddies warming up on the hot concrete in Chicago

'Buddies!

The Adventures of Cousins

Dear Zell and Hen, 
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving we had an awesome weekend with your cousins.  We picked them up on Friday when the boys got off from school.  That night you played Spider Men creating lots of great poses for Daddy and me.  

You played so hard, immersed for a couple of hours in LEGOS.  

Henry's first Lego ship!

It got late so you went to bed and watched a movie falling quickly off to sleep.  The next morning we had breakfast at Waffle House and enjoyed the company of three goofballs instead of just one.  

Hazel is still working up to being a goofball.  That day we hung out and played at the Wonder Lab and stopped by Chocolate Mouse to get a drink.  

Daddy and Tony met us and we had time to play at the Third Street park before darkness set in.  

We picked up a big pizza and set off for home.  After pizza you boys played LEGOS a bit and went to watch the Muppets.  You took a break and helped me make chocolate chip cookies, far later than I would have liked you to have all that sugar but what is a night with cousins without fresh cookies?

After cookies you returned to your movie and Mama went to pick up Tony from a show he went to.  I went to check on you later that evening and the two of you were wrapped up together like pretzels!  Jonny sprawled his long skinny body across yours with his arm bending around and underneath your leg. 

You ended up in our room.  In the morning neither of you woke up early nor could you recollect how you got so tangled.  It was funny and cute!  We had to get you up to Indy to meet Uncle Gary and so we choose a great park on the southeast side because I had seen on Facebook that IVY Tech was doing a pumpkin chuckin' trebuchet demo there.  It was a beautiful afternoon!  

We all had chicken and played in the park a while while the pumpkins flew.  After the cousins and Uncle Gary left we stuck around a while and watched some more pumpkins.  As were got in the van I thought it could be fun to go downtown to the circle.  We had a great time making a new discovery, Rocketfizz, a store for all ages of sweet toothy kids and adults.  Candy! Candy! Candy! Soda, Soda, Soda!  Even a Judge Wampner soda from The People's Court!  

Which you would have no idea what that is because you are a little boy that didn't grow up in the 80's.  You did however clearly know what gummy sharks are and grabbed a bag for your candy treat while dancin' and shakin' your butt around the store to 50's, 60's, 80's music.  We picked up some wonderful sodas.  We especially loved the Huckleberry from Ameracana Soda and the Hank's Gourmet Rootbeer.  We can't wait to return and buy some other flavors.  The song as we left the store was your all time favorite, The Power of Love and it took you off guard so you froze in the doorway and then decided you needed to run up the monument steps.  We got you back and went through the museum at the base.  You had lots of questions, which we answered.  We came back outside and you ran up the steps gain, I chased after and we rode the elevator to the top.  We didn't like how tight it was and Hazel just stared around so we came back down quickly to meet back up with Daddy.  

At this point tired was beyond us and we got back home feeling very fulfilled with our weekend adventures. You're spending this weekend hanging out with Jonny Cakes again.  You were so enthused to get to see each other, your best buddy.
Love, Mama 

Conner Praire

Hazel, Ella, Jonny, Tyler, Jack, Henry

Dear Hensril and Hazelletta, 
Last week to our delight Mommy's cousin Wendy called up and wanted to meetup at Conner Prairie.  Well! I have wanted to go there forever but just haven't done it so despite the cold weather we bundled up and did it.  I am so glad we did.  Mama, being a history teacher, loves little living history towns.  You loved the town but really loved getting to meet up with your cousin Jonny Cakes, his house is just around the corner as well as second cousins Ella, Tyler and Jack.  I enjoyed listening to you all figure out how you were related as Tyler argued you were all cousins and you asserted that you were in fact second cousins because Jonny and Tony were your only first cousins.  We had quite a crew.  Aunt Claricee was there but she was smart enough to stay inside protected from the cold while we checked out the town.  We started out riding a little shuttle to the town store.  Of course you were all excited about this.  

It dropped us off at the general store where the Civil War was is full swing.  We were greeted by a soldier who had us hide important papers before the Confederate army came in to search the grounds.  When Confederate soliders came into the store our Union solidered shouted for us to get down.  Our little crew did not hesitate. 

When "shots" were fired I looked over at you Henry and your eyes were GIANT and your mouth was clearly trying to maintain cool while your brain reminded you this wasn't real.  Before the second shots were fired you decided to scoot yourself under a little table for cover.  

SO! SMART!  You weren't taking any chances.  Of course Hazel you slept through it all.   Next Tyler spoke with a lady who had a picture scavenger hunt for us to do.  This was fun seeing you all find the picture, run to the building and ask questions.  The first was a house where you asked questions about living there and played with some wooden soldiers.  You were all grossed out by their dishes in the sink and how they got clean water.

Then it was to the blacksmith's shop where you looked around and helped them do work by putting the different types of horseshoes away.  You and Jonny weren't happy about not getting to finish the task but Ella and Tyler had found a fun game with a hoop and pole.  

The mercantile showed you how to weigh nails.  The shop keeper asked you to do some work for him unloading the wagon out back of its crate boxes of china.  You boys took this seriously and made short work of it together. 

I think you would have stayed at the candle making stand forever.  This was very exciting to get to dip the string into the hot wax.  

Little Jack was in love with the animal barn and when we left kept turning back to find his way back to the cute baby goat.  About that time Wendy and I had caramel apples on our mind and decided we should round up Aunt Claricee and get us some.  

OH MAN! They were awesome and Aunt Claricee was nice enough to treat us all.  We bought some extra to take home to Daddy.  Nothing is sweeter than watching kids gnaw at caramel apples.  

(I'll confess here that I hid them in the cupboard and we ate them after you fell asleep.) Well, it was time to go home at this point so we said our goodbyes and got on our way.  We have to do something all together again. It was nice and familure having family cousin time.  

I'm glad the two of you have so many cousins, even if most of them are second cousins (14).  I know what my cousins have meant to me over the years.
Love, Mama