I know this seems a funny way to start my Florida vacation photos, especially since it happened a few days into our trip but I thought it was so darn cute anway. My parent's local community center had a stuffed animal fashion show that all the grandkids (except Nathan, who was still in Alabama) participated in. The kids had to pick a stuffed animal, dress it up, name it and then stand in front of everyone and tell them about the animal. It was alphabetical so of course we went first. I think that is going to happen to us a lot. Pepper named her bunny, Salt. She won most creative name.
Morgan dressed his bear up like a runner and won most athletic.
After the presentation, they played games with the kids.
Our crew: Morgan, Pepper, Jacob, Joshua, Mikayla, Benjamin, cousin Sophia, Jill with Alice on her lap, Jane and baby Kate in the stroller
Pepper holding a not so small 6 mos old baby Kate.
Uncle Kevin is very good at keeping the kids occupied and entertained so he set up this pillow game and took some funny photos.
Benny and Morgan having a grand time.
Alice celebrated her 3rd birthday while we were all there.
Kevin made this amazing cake. It melted a bit in the car ride from their house to my mom's but he saved it and I don't think many people could tell. The details were awesome, inclduing the chocolate rocks around it.
On Saturday the 18th, the adults, minus Kevin who was babysitting some of the kids for us, went over to the Orlando Temple to do some family file names. Nathan and Mike had flown in so they were there also. Nathan did some baptisms and then watched baby Kate while the grown-ups went in. Poor kids. It was pretty darn hot outside even in the shade. This is how we found them when we finally came out.
Jill, Kim and I waiting for our parents to come out. It was a pretty amazing and spiritual experience being able to do my mother's parents' work and her grandparents' work as well.
Sunday afternoon was spent hanging about and enjoying lots of cousin time.
Morgan dressed his bear up like a runner and won most athletic.
After the presentation, they played games with the kids.
Our crew: Morgan, Pepper, Jacob, Joshua, Mikayla, Benjamin, cousin Sophia, Jill with Alice on her lap, Jane and baby Kate in the stroller
Pepper holding a not so small 6 mos old baby Kate.
Uncle Kevin is very good at keeping the kids occupied and entertained so he set up this pillow game and took some funny photos.
Benny and Morgan having a grand time.
Alice celebrated her 3rd birthday while we were all there.
Kevin made this amazing cake. It melted a bit in the car ride from their house to my mom's but he saved it and I don't think many people could tell. The details were awesome, inclduing the chocolate rocks around it.
On Saturday the 18th, the adults, minus Kevin who was babysitting some of the kids for us, went over to the Orlando Temple to do some family file names. Nathan and Mike had flown in so they were there also. Nathan did some baptisms and then watched baby Kate while the grown-ups went in. Poor kids. It was pretty darn hot outside even in the shade. This is how we found them when we finally came out.
Jill, Kim and I waiting for our parents to come out. It was a pretty amazing and spiritual experience being able to do my mother's parents' work and her grandparents' work as well.
Sunday afternoon was spent hanging about and enjoying lots of cousin time.Jane and Mikayla looking very pretty while they eat their apples.
Nathan and Joshua looking enthused.
Benny and Morgan are focused.
Jacob looking quite comfortable in my chair!
Uncle Mike being very nice and keeping Pepper entertained.
Family dinner.
My cousin, Lisa, is all the way at the end next to my dad. Her husband, Sean, is next to her. They just moved to the area and built a home. We are all very excited to have them so close. Lisa and I were always best buddies growing up and now our girls are the same age. Very exciting.
Baby Kate and Sophia (Lisa's daughter), saying "cheese."
Nathan and Joshua looking enthused.
Benny and Morgan are focused.
Jacob looking quite comfortable in my chair!
Uncle Mike being very nice and keeping Pepper entertained.
Family dinner.
My cousin, Lisa, is all the way at the end next to my dad. Her husband, Sean, is next to her. They just moved to the area and built a home. We are all very excited to have them so close. Lisa and I were always best buddies growing up and now our girls are the same age. Very exciting.
Baby Kate and Sophia (Lisa's daughter), saying "cheese." Can you tell both her parents are photographers? Such a great smiler.
The screened in back porch is a favorite place for the kids to play.
Morgan is one of his swimming outfits. It was Jane's old floatie, Morgan liked it because it had a skirt like a Jedi. It made him happy and he swam by himself so I was happy too.
The kids LOVED Gramma's pool. We miss it a lot!
We also miss the beach. Pepper really loved going there. Such a cutie.
Morgan loved playing in the sand, jumping in the shallow water and with his cousins but didn't want to go out into the waves.
Mr. Tan himself. Benny, what a cutie?
Auntie Kim capturing the moment.
On the Sunday everyone was together we attempted to get some family group shots.
On our first trip to the Brevard Zoo we saw a cute family of giraffes.
Jane feeding the giraffe.
Morgan's turn. Pepper and Alice declined to feed them. Not our bravest two.
Getting ready for the train ride.
The zoo is always lots of fun but super hot. Luckily, they have a water park area that the kids spend most of their time at.
Reading time at Barnes and Noble for Alice and Pepper.
Morgan found a Star Wars book, surprise, surprise.
Pool time with Papa and baby Kate.
Everyone enjoys a little naked baby time. Especially when you have such a wonderfully chubby baby to love.
Gramma picked out some matching outfits for the girls. Pepper thought her shirt was itchy and was not very cooperative.
Alice and Pepper have the whole "identical cousins" thing going on. We were always mixing up who was who. We thought it would be fun to get them matching dresses and take some photos. I love how Alice is trying so hard to look pretty while getting Pepper to cooperate.
Crazy curls.
The screened in back porch is a favorite place for the kids to play.
Morgan is one of his swimming outfits. It was Jane's old floatie, Morgan liked it because it had a skirt like a Jedi. It made him happy and he swam by himself so I was happy too.
The kids LOVED Gramma's pool. We miss it a lot!
We also miss the beach. Pepper really loved going there. Such a cutie.
Morgan loved playing in the sand, jumping in the shallow water and with his cousins but didn't want to go out into the waves.
Mr. Tan himself. Benny, what a cutie?
Auntie Kim capturing the moment.
On the Sunday everyone was together we attempted to get some family group shots.
On our first trip to the Brevard Zoo we saw a cute family of giraffes.
Jane feeding the giraffe.
Morgan's turn. Pepper and Alice declined to feed them. Not our bravest two.
Getting ready for the train ride.
The zoo is always lots of fun but super hot. Luckily, they have a water park area that the kids spend most of their time at.
Reading time at Barnes and Noble for Alice and Pepper.
Morgan found a Star Wars book, surprise, surprise.
Pool time with Papa and baby Kate.
Everyone enjoys a little naked baby time. Especially when you have such a wonderfully chubby baby to love.
Gramma picked out some matching outfits for the girls. Pepper thought her shirt was itchy and was not very cooperative.
Alice and Pepper have the whole "identical cousins" thing going on. We were always mixing up who was who. We thought it would be fun to get them matching dresses and take some photos. I love how Alice is trying so hard to look pretty while getting Pepper to cooperate.
Crazy curls. Good thing Alice's hair is just a little longer or we would have been really confused.
Baby Kate getting in on the action.
Pretty Pepper on the way to church.
Baby Kate getting in on the action.
Pretty Pepper on the way to church.This little lady did not do so well while we were on vacation with nursery. She is still not totally sold on it now that we're home. She needs to get over this quickly because I was just called to teach in Primary so she's out of luck now.
On Monday, June 27th, my Uncle Larry and Pat came to visit us for a few days. Everyone always looks forward to their annual visit. Uncle Larry is like the Pied Piper. Children instantly love him, despite his 6'5 frame, full beard and deep, booming voice. We always loved playing with him when we were kids and our kids feel exactly the same way. Pat is also a lot of fun herself and she and Morgan had some great water noodle fights.
Pat taking a break from her epic battles with Morgan.
Our second trip the zoo was not super successful, since about 20 minutes after we arrived, there was a huge rain storm.
Trying to wait out the rain in front of the jaguars.
Jane, the photographer, caught Morgan playing in the water after he was told not to.
Since the kids were getting soaked anyway, we decided to put them into their bathing suits to walk around.
Alice and baby Kate staying dry.
Lovely, Morgan.
We finally gave up and headed to the water area. It wasn't lightening or thundering so the kids could still play in the water, while we attempted to stay dry.
Checking out the cool sunglasses in the gift shop.
Morgan also found a light-saber substitute.
Such great skills and facial expressions.
One morning Jill and I invited some friends of ours from YW days over to play. It was fun to all get together and let our kids play.
Jessica, Jill and Audry all have three kids, plus my two made for an exciting lunchtime.
Morgan spent a lot of his vacation time trying to convince the girls to play Star Wars with him or to watch the movies. Luckily, they worked it out by playing house and Morgan got to be the "big boy Jedi." Morgan would run around asking the girls if they, "Wanted to see his skills?" Too funny.
Morgan and Pepper enjoying a nice bath in Gramma's newly remodeled bathroom and huge tub.
Another shot of the pretty bathroom, complete with ceiling fan. My mom is a HUGE fan of ceiling fans. Such a nice bathroom, too bad it wasn't this nice while I was growing up:)
The second week we were there Kevin had to go to scout camp so Jill and the girls had some sleepovers with us. Morgan, Jane and Alice all slept in the same room together and did surprisingly well. Luckily, Pepper had her own room or it would not have been as successful. It was fun getting to spend so much time together.
That second week, Lisa, Sean and Sophia were also gone so we were very happy to get everyone back. The kids loved the pool and decorating Gramma and Papa's backyard with chalk.
Jill and baby Kate watching the chaos.
On Monday, June 27th, my Uncle Larry and Pat came to visit us for a few days. Everyone always looks forward to their annual visit. Uncle Larry is like the Pied Piper. Children instantly love him, despite his 6'5 frame, full beard and deep, booming voice. We always loved playing with him when we were kids and our kids feel exactly the same way. Pat is also a lot of fun herself and she and Morgan had some great water noodle fights.
Pat taking a break from her epic battles with Morgan.
Our second trip the zoo was not super successful, since about 20 minutes after we arrived, there was a huge rain storm.
Trying to wait out the rain in front of the jaguars.
Jane, the photographer, caught Morgan playing in the water after he was told not to.
Since the kids were getting soaked anyway, we decided to put them into their bathing suits to walk around.
Alice and baby Kate staying dry.
Lovely, Morgan.
We finally gave up and headed to the water area. It wasn't lightening or thundering so the kids could still play in the water, while we attempted to stay dry.
Checking out the cool sunglasses in the gift shop.
Morgan also found a light-saber substitute.
Such great skills and facial expressions.
One morning Jill and I invited some friends of ours from YW days over to play. It was fun to all get together and let our kids play.
Jessica, Jill and Audry all have three kids, plus my two made for an exciting lunchtime.
Morgan spent a lot of his vacation time trying to convince the girls to play Star Wars with him or to watch the movies. Luckily, they worked it out by playing house and Morgan got to be the "big boy Jedi." Morgan would run around asking the girls if they, "Wanted to see his skills?" Too funny.
Morgan and Pepper enjoying a nice bath in Gramma's newly remodeled bathroom and huge tub.
Another shot of the pretty bathroom, complete with ceiling fan. My mom is a HUGE fan of ceiling fans. Such a nice bathroom, too bad it wasn't this nice while I was growing up:)
The second week we were there Kevin had to go to scout camp so Jill and the girls had some sleepovers with us. Morgan, Jane and Alice all slept in the same room together and did surprisingly well. Luckily, Pepper had her own room or it would not have been as successful. It was fun getting to spend so much time together.
That second week, Lisa, Sean and Sophia were also gone so we were very happy to get everyone back. The kids loved the pool and decorating Gramma and Papa's backyard with chalk.
Jill and baby Kate watching the chaos.On Saturday night, July 2nd, Cody flew in to join us all for a week. So I've divided up the trip as before Cody and after Cody.
Too much fun for one post:)
