Memorial Day Weekend!

We started our weekend with a Pre-K graduation! We love you, Gaber, and Mommy can't believe that you're going to Kindergarden in a few short weeks! How did that happen? Thank you, Mrs. Lucas, for a GREAT year!

We didn't do much on Friday night, other than pack and make a quick visit to Mamaw and Papaw David's. We had to check on their new kittens...Hook, CC, and Shadow! Matt, don't be suprised if these little babies end up at our house. I'd like to tell you that I had nothing to do with it, but that'd be lying! I don't even like cats, but the smiles on these little Houdini's faces is worth it!

Spent Saturday at Kings Island! This was Nate's 2nd trip and Gabe and Adri's 1st trip. We were invited to go with some friends to celebrate Eric's J's birthday! As were were leaving, Gabe informed us that Kings Island needed a sign that said, "Best place on earth!" I have no doubt that our kiddos had a splendid time! The trip was even sweeter because we got to spend the day with some awesome friends. Our kids think so much of these incredible people! We are so blessed to have other adults in our lives that love our kids! Nate even suggested that next time we stay home with Adri and and he and Gabe go with Eric, Rebekah and Athena! Thanks for sweating with us, friends! And by sweating...I mean...SWEATING!

Probably should have started off a little smaller, but for some insane reason, we decided that the boys should ride The Beast...as their first roller coaster!

They look pretty scared in this picture and although they both admitted to NEVER wanting to ride it again, there was no permanent harm done because by the end of the day, their roller coaster tally was uncountable! Good thing the lines were short and we have fearless boys!

Adri with Athena! She loves her so much!

Sweet Natalee! How can this face not cheer you up?

Can't ever get enough of the carousel...or the scrambler...which is impossible to take a picture of! We had to take turns riding with her on that because no one could stand to ride it over and over again! We're old folk!

I think this may have been the only thing I rode with Adri all day...she'd rather ride with Mommy and Daddy's "special friends, Ewok, Becca and Afeena!"

Cherubs...all 3 of them!

I must confess that I got a bit teary eyed watching my big boys ride some of the rides. I couldn't help but imagine when they were just babies and now they were riding rides and roller coasters at Kings Island! I grew up going there every summer and never imagined having kids that I would take there someday! Again, I'm old!

Any time the Martin's take a trip, it usually involves ice cream! This yummy stuff used to be called Smurf ice cream and now it's Snoopy blue...still tastes the same and they loved it, even if my kids don't know the Peanuts characters!

I don't think Gabe savored this cone, one bit. I handed it to him and then looked over less than 1 minute later and it was gone! The Martin's don't mess around when it comes to ice cream...especially Mommy and Gabe! No one wants to see a picture of me eating Snoopy ice cream...too scary!

After a day in the sun (sweating) at 'the best place on earth,' (did I mention we did A LOT of sweating?) we headed to a hotel to recuperate before spending Sunday with some of Matt's family that lives in Cincinnati. I guess they're my family, too...I can say that, right, after almost 13 years of marriage? I hope so, because there were a few precious little ones that I wanted to bring home with us...Baby Joey, Faith, Reagan, Rachel and Bo the dog. I mentioned sweet Rachel in a post in November. Her and her family spent the weekend with us for Thanksgiving and I was hoping that I'd get to hear her sweet little voice say, "CanIhaveapeanutbutterandjelly?" again. I'm so glad that I did...that should hold me over for a few more months :)

The sweating on Sunday was optional because we were poolside. I'm sure that Nate only got out of the pool to eat and this morning, he said his fingers were still puckered. Thank you for the hospitality Tracy and Kevin (and the tons of other Cowans that we don't see often enough).

We might have overdone it last night...didn't leave until 11:00! The kids were asleep before we even left their neighborhood! We rolled into our driveway about 1:30 a.m. this morning and I don't remember how Matt and I got the kids to bed and still made it to bed, ourselves! What a fun weekend!

Found Adrianna this morning, at 8:30, still snoozing! I think she was tired...that girl never sleeps past 7! And yes, she still has the remains of chocolate milk on her mouth from last night...we were too tired to worry about it!

Todays' plan was to spend the day in our jammies, but a few things came up!

I headed out to our ladies this morning and found 5 beauties eager to greet me, however, the other 4 were missing and when I looked in the hen house, all I saw was 8 feet (and part of head)! That's country life, I guess. Good thing my Honey was around to help with clean up duty! He's spent the afternoon beefing up security on the hen house and chicken run. He also managed to finish our swing set! Yeah! The kids are super excited!

Sassy the Cat likes it, too!

And, we couldn't resist an invite from Mamaw and Papaw John for dinner. I think we'll still head over there in our jammies :) Keely, we missed you...here we come!

Last week of school for Nate! As of this Thursday at 3:30, summer will officially begin!