A VERY SPECIAL VISIT!

My dad and stepmom flew in from Price, Utah last weekend for the boys' birthday party and a week long visit. We had the best time with them. I thoroughly enjoyed having them around to help out with kids. The girls were smitten and of course spoilt by them both. For those of you who don't know, my dad was origianlly going to be called "grampy", but Claire McKinley decided when she was about a year old that "becky" was more appropriate. Now the entire family knows him best as "BECKY" and of course he wouldn't have it any other way.


This year's visit was a bit different from last year. Last year we spent much of our days traveling back and forth to Brookwood Hospital to visit with James and John David. This year we were able to enjoy their visit to the fullest and the girls were completely blissful just hanging out with them riding around in their rental car and enjoying the simple pleasures in life, like stopping at the gas station for chocolate chip cookies and gum.
Becky and Rosey picked the girls up from school each day, took them ice-skating, bowling, bought Jenna a big girl bed, put together the girls' playhouse, repaired the flat tire on our mountain bike (which by the way, I plan on using to train for a triathalon one day), and even kept the boys and Jenna one morning while I had some time all to myself. In the kitchen we prepared pancakes one night, Rosey passed down the family secret recipe of how to make Laban (Lebanese yogurt) and even bought me my very own "crock" to prepare it in. The memories we were left with will last forever. We have beautiful pictures and stories to tell of their visit and my children squeal with such joy when we remember them.

Thank you Dad and Rosey for your unconditional love and your infatuation with our children. We love you guys so much and the girls are already planning the next visit...if I remember correctly, Jenna asked me today if Becky and Rosey were in the airplane we saw in the sky today and asked if you were coming tonight to make pancakes again.






















We took Becky and Rosey out to dinner at Dales Southern Grill. Dad had hamburger steak with grilled onions and Rosey had salmon patties. The girls all ate veggies (yeah right, mac and cheese and mash potatoes!) and we topped off the meal with strawberry shortcake (Rosey and the girls) and Dad had bread pudding.

Then Becky and Rosey took the girls ice-skating. Going ice-skating is a tradition with the girls when my dad comes to visit. They made memories to last a life times.






















Claire and Jenna bowling with Becky and Rosey.
Boys eating Oreo cookies for the first time.....bad idea at 7pm..they were up til 12!!!! BTW- those of you who know me well, know that I would never allow my girls to eat that junk at such an early age, but my boys are a whole different story..haha!
Boys riding their car together...too sweet!
All five kids riding "horsey" with Becky.






















Dad and Rosey bought Jenna her first real big girl bed. Jenna has been sleeping in the floor on her baby bed mattress for a few months now...well not any more thanks to her "Becky and Rosey" who made sure to get her a beautiful white iron bed (just like Ellie's) and complete with "princess sheets". Jenna is so proud of her bed and Rob and I are so grateful for their generous gift. My dad has now bought each of our girls their "first" big girl beds. What a special way to always remember him each night they lay down to sleep.

Dad and Rosey also put together the playhouse loft for the girls. We were completely blessed by receiving this playhouse from one of eye technicians at Rob's office. Her name is Christy and her girls have outgrown it so she passed it down to us. Obviously it has been a HUGE hit with our girls. My favorite quote is from Ellie, when they arrived home from school and jumped out of the car, Ellie said, "NO WAY!" really loudly. They all three began jumping up and down screaming. It is adorable and I am sure they will make lasting memories for sure.





















Here is our last night together with Becky and Rosey. The girls were so thrilled with the new pj's and special books they received from them. They have serioiusly worn their new footie pajamas every night since.