Trip to Ohio

We just got home from a fun trip to Ohio to visit my sister, Rachel, brother Craig, and her children~ Victoria and Caleb, and Baby Farrell. This is the sister that is due 3 weeks before me...! We had so much fun watching the kids run around together, going to the library, playingin the snow we didn't know was coming, having a birthday party, going to church and countless hoursplaying different games and make-believe at her house.

We started by driving there on Wednesday, through the snow in Pa and rain, rain, rain in Ohio... I was glad to have the big vehicle and not Peter's car when the snow was almost blinding and trucks still going 70 on the Pike. We got there in one piece and made it in 5 hours which isn't bad considering we stopped for potty breaks along the way since Scottie was just potty training! I am happy to report we made it with no accidents too!!

Wednesday night we took the kids to Rachel's church where Victoria was happy to "show off" her cousins and again we had no accidents. I was able to go with Rachel to her choir practice to see some of the music for their upcoming performance for Easter. It sounded amazing and I was equally impressed at the choir director being able to pick out one person from the 80 or so that was there who was singing off key! Wow was his ear amazing.

Thursday was Caleb's 3rd birthday. We had lots going on that day, Rachel with 1st grade registration for Victoria in the morning, (we stayed home with Caleb and played), story time at

their fantastic library, and a party for Caleb with some of Craig's family in the evening. The snow started that evening and continued through the night as Rachel warned, "We live in Ohio, don't count winter over yet... last year we had 3 feet of snow on Caleb's birthday, and when he was born, there was a blizzard!" So to hold true to those words we got a few inches and the kids were ecstatic in the morning to wake up to the winter wonderland!

Friday morning we went out and played in the snow with makeshift snowsuits. Scottie wore 2 pair of pants, 3 socks, and rain boots, while Stephen wore 2 jackets, Victoria's next size snow pants (yes, they are purple but he didn't care!!) and her next size snow boots. They had a blast playing snow ball fight, eating the white stuff, and with the help of me and Rachel~ mainly Rachel, we built a snowman! It was a great couple of hours and then we came in for some hot chocolate!

The rest of the day and Saturday we pretty much spent just playing together and enjoying cousin time. We had a blast when Craig was home with the kids playing attack Uncle Craig, and he would throw them around. At nights, the adults enjoyed "adult time" playing games like Greed and Rummicube.

Sunday came too fast, packing up to leave, and going to church with Rache and Craig. The kids went to sunday school while we went to service. We said our good byes and headed back home. We were excited to see Daddy, yet sad to leave Aunt Rachel's and Uncle Craig's. They said the whole way home, "Mommy, when can we go back?"!! I am so glad they had such a good time with their cousins. I am looking forward to having Marc here this summer so they can develop a great relationship with him also, as I remember the times with my cousins at my grandparent's house growing up, and what special memories and relationships they are still to me today!