Great Uncles and Leaves.

One thing about living in the desert, people LOVE to come visit you when their region of the planet is frigid and yours is still ... well ... WARM! They tell you it's because they haven't seen in forever but I beg to differ. You see ... these same folk have never "popped in" in say ... August ... when it's 110 and humid as all get out. Nope. They miss you from December to March. We won't hold it against them though ... it's probably the same reason why we love to go to them in the summer :)

Our littlest Audrey had never met her Great Uncle Dave before ... or her Great Great Uncle Eben. Eben is my Grandma Audrey's brother ... I hadn't seen him since I swam across a lake in Canada about 20 years ago. When he saw me this time, he recalled that was one of the dumbest things he'd ever witnessed. Three kids swimming across Lake Restoule. I thought it was fun. Except my drivers ... (I swam next to a boat as my guide) led me about 1/2 mile down the shore from where I was supposed to end up. The deal was you had to swim from the beach on one side of the lake to the dock of the cabin. It didn't count unless you reached the dock. Lucky for you ... I can't find the picture of me ... breathless ... walking to the shore in my ever so cute 1980's pink and white striped bathing suit. Just like I have seemingly misplaced all of my huge hair pictures from 1985-1994. Crazy how things like that happen.

Uncle Eben now knows three Audreys ... but this one ... he promises in the cutest.

Three generations of nieces ...

Back on the block ... the boys participated in a little leaf pile jumping.

I suggested perhaps the grass would be a better location for one's tush to land ... but as you can see ... I was assured there were plenty of leaves to protect the rear.

But after a few landings on the ever so soft concrete, the boys called in the leaf pile expert ...

And then they got their bikes and pretended they were off-roading ...

Even the girl child got in on the fun ...

Until Joshua got bit by an ant and ran to the porch SCREAMING his head off. Eli got bit too. But he just took off his shoes and kept playing.

Until the bite got a bit too itchy and he had to take a break.

A fun day. Ending in this child falling asleep in her highchair ... while I was feeding her. I have yet to produce a child who sleeps in the car, in a stroller, in a shopping cart ... so this was a triumphant moment for me. I finally did it ... one can only pray she'll stay this mellow for YEARS to come. But I kind of think she'll be jumping in her own leaf pile this time next year!