making merry, part 3

and then came the night before christmas eve.

my brother’s family came to spend the night with us.

BEST IDEA EVER.

especially since phil had to work a 24-hour shift that day.  (a nice lady passing by offered to take a group picture for us.  thank you, nice lady!)

the company and the extra helping hands were most appreciated.

extended playing time with the cousins = suuuuper good fun.

we went to a nearby park when the kids needed a bit more outside play time.  where we found the parking lots had been closed off.  this will be an important fact in a little while.

jump, kids!  turns out it’s next to impossible to get six kids to jump at exactly the same time.  who knew?

while the parking lots may have been closed, the playgrounds were still open.

thank goodness for that.

and then on the way back, the kids asked if they could throw leaves.  (this is where the empty parking lot becomes a key factor.)

and then if they could jump in them.

and then if they could throw them some more.

did i mention that it had been raining the night before and for most of the day?

so while our first inclination when they asked was to say NO to all of the above, we said YES instead.

thank goodness for that, too.

and after having dinner together and before they had to leave, my brother and his mad haircutting skills went to work.  assembly line style: boy #1.  (please take note of that small boy there on the right carefully observing.)

boy #2 (an old pro at this).

and after having carefully observed how it’s done by his predecessors, boy #3 was ready for his turn!

see him sitting so still for the whole haircut?  see him?!  a MIRACLE is what that right there is.

a miraculous miracle, i tell you.

and he got all three boys’ haircuts done in just one episode of curious george.  mad skills, man.

and then there was this.

finally, this.

THANK YOU uncle johnny and auntie joanna for coming and turning what would have been kind of a depressing day into a ton of fun day!  also for the new front door lock.  and for getting the bathroom door unlocked.  we love you guys!!  🙂