The cousins came

Last Sunday I was talking to my sister in law.  She mentioned that my brother and her oldest son were going backpacking with her Dad and brothers and she was staying home with the little kids.  After I hung up I told my husband about the backpacking trip.  He called back and told her to come play at our house... and she did.  She told me that my husband is crazy.  I know, but it's a good kind of crazy.  She packed up the kids and hit the road early Monday morning making the 15 hour drive in one day. 

 

 

I'm so glad they came.  We had a fantastic week.  We picked Buddy Boy up after school and headed to the beach.  It was the best beach day we've had all summer.  This is the time of year it finally warms up a bit.  Now that summer is offically over, it's beach weather.  Since it was a Tuesday afternoon there weren't the typical summer weekend crowds.  It really was the perfect beach day.

 

 
The most amazing things were the dolphins and the seal that we saw swimming extremely close to shore.  It's one thing to see them at aquariums or lounging on the dock, but to see them swimming and playing in the surf was fantastic.

 
After a burrito dinner on the beach watching the volleyball players, we walked out to Watkins lighthouse.  The little guy cousin has a thing for lighthouses so we couldn't pass up the chance to get up close and personal with one.

 

One afternoon the girls kept busy making an art museum in the back yard.

 

It started with their own art, but soon anything "pretty" was put on display as well.  Scarves, tea pots, plates...

 

We took some of their designs and made feezer paper stencils for t-shirts.  They finished them on the day we walked through the Japanese gardens on our way to Happy Hollow. 

 

My girl loves her cousins.

 

 

Oh, Happy Hollow, what a great afternoon.  Being there with the cousins made it much more fun.  Since we were there later on a Friday afternoon the place was practically deserted.  We saw some animals, but the rides were the highlight for the kids.  Buddy Boy finally worked up enough courage to ride the roller coaster.  Perhaps seeing the three year old jump in line pushed him just a bit.  Right before leaving we rode the little roller coaster three times in a row since no one else was waiting in line.  We were all squealing and laughing so much it was just silly.

 

I hope they'll come back again.  We're only 15 hours away.