Fun weekend

 We just got back from a long weekend away.  Our friend Kaitlin got married this weekend in Pennsylvania and took the whole family.  At first I wondered if we did the right thing by bringing the kids but looking at the picture above confirms we did.  They were in the car a long time this weekend but they had a lot of fun with each other.  The kids did great traveling.  Norah only fussed about 20 minutes and that was because she was hungry.  Norah also doesnt sleep much in the car.  Strange kid. But Norah did great and the boys did a good job entertaining her. 

 Norah did go from reading board books to long chapter books.  My kids are so smart!

 We stayed the first night right out of Philly and my friend kelly had told me a list of things to do but the kids just wanted to go swimming so that was easy.  So we just stayed in the hotel and swam, played chess, and swam some more. 

 The wedding was at Kaitlins house but there wasn't enough parking so we all parked at the country club where the reception was. They shuttled us back and forth on a school bus.  Joel got to ride a school bus like Bubba twice this weekend.  He loved every minute of it. 

 Getting a picture of my kiddos when they are all dressed up and matching didnt work very well this weekend.  Oh well 

The wedding was  beautiful. And I just love Katilin.  We can go a long time without talking but when we do it doesnt seem like its been so long.  Shes amazing and such a great encourager.  We hadn't met Aaron yet but loved him from the start.  They make a great couple.  Thankfully Colin had to use the bathroom RIGHT before the start of the ceremony so while he was inside peeing, I snuck in to spend a few minutes with the bride!

 The best of the family pictures!

 Norah was amazed by the bride.  I'm thinking it wont be hard to get her into princesses!  That and the moving lights on the floor.  During the dances she would run all around trying to catch the lights.  I had to go out and grab her a few times because she almost tripped up the bride.  Sorry Kaitlin!

Kaitlin has been such a special friend all these years. And Aaron is just perfect for her. 

 This was after their first dance. Which Norah fell asleep during.  Tired girl to be able to sleep right at that point.  The reception was really fun. Colin danced a little.  And he did a little breakdancing (its what all the 1st grade boys do during PE)    .

 My sweet son asked me to dance during a slow song so Norah and I went out to dance.  She never woke up.

 We eventually had two sleeping kids so we didnt stay long for the dancing. Joel and Norah stayed asleep from the walk to the car, getting them in the car, getting to the hotel, walking from the parking garage across the street from the hotel and up to the room to be changed and put to bed.  Tired kids. 

 Brent and I were joking that we got a lot more sleep this wedding trip with the kids (and one night we only had a king bed with both boys in with us) than the wedding we went to a few weeks ago without kids. 

 The next morning Norah thought she should drive home. 

 She didnt like when Daddy put her out of the drivers seat. 

We stopped by an Ikea outside Philly on our way home for a table for our patio.  It just happened to work perfectly for a stop to get the kids out and walk around and then eat lunch there.  And if you see in the picture below we did put pillows down for Joel to sleep better.  But we wore Joel out this weekend. 

 It was a fun weekend.  I'm glad we were able to go.

We got home in time for me to go meet a sweet baby girl. Emeline was born while we were gone so I rushed over to hold her and spend a few hours with her. Sweet sweet baby. I was telling Brent it was the only time I've gone to see a friend in the same hospital my kids were born. In West Va we moved when Colin was almost a year and didnt have anyone we knew born in that hospital. For Joel they closed the labor and delivery soon after he was born to move it to the new hospital. So it was fun walking down the hall to labor and delivery not in labor. But I still remembered every spot I had to stop and wait through a contraction! 

 Holly has loved on my kids so much I can't wait to love on hers. And steal that sweet baby any time I can get to hold  

 Beautiful girl.  She is an answer to many many prayers. 

The happy family. 

A great weekend.  Its a little hard to get up and moving today but I'm so glad we did it.  And now we can really start counting down until summer break - 14 more days.... well 13 since today is already happening!