Considering what was in store for my family just days later, I will be forever grateful for this week.
All six kids were once again in the same state! Bethany and Ben flew in from Texas and headed to the beach house in Neskowin with Paul and Ally. We cut our camping trip a day short and met them there. Then Jon and Betsy came up the next day.
Definition of my mom's happy place right here - the beach, all 9 of her grandkids and her dog.
Whenever Bethany is in town she likes to go to Bushwackers for their country line dancing lessons. It's kind of a family tradition at this point. One time we were all there but Jon so we FaceTimed him! Paul didn't want to join us this time though and Michael refused to learn the dance but we still had a blast. David really wanted to do s'mores for an early birthday treat so we hit New Seasons before we headed to my parent's house. The song "I saw the sign" by Ace of Base started playing and we started doing the line dance we had learned that night, then we were just dancing in the aisles. One of the workers said we weren't old enough to know that song and was blown away when we told her that the four of us were in our 30s!
The gourmet chocolate selection for our s'mores. Good thing Betsy, Sean and Matthew joined us, we had too much chocolate!!
The next morning Jon, Sean and Matthew met us at the fountains in Wilsonville. Jon and Bethany helped me plan my YW lesson for that next Sunday while the kids played. Paul, Ally, Kira and Sterling ended up coming over and playing as well. It was my dad's birthday and he wanted to go sailing so after the fountains we all headed to the marina.
We stopped at a dock and let the kids out to play. As soon as we motored in there was a man playing "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" on the bagpipes. It was like he knew it was my dad's birthday!
The next day we wanted to hike Oneonta Gorge. We had planned on going first thing but that didn't quite work out. We kept getting delayed but finally made it. Jon and Betsy and her brother Adam beat us up there and had to wait for us to finally find parking. We made these shirts for all the kids - Cousins make the best friends!
We ended up getting the kids matching water shoes.
This was the first time we had been to Oneonta and it was insane! I think if we had gotten there earlier in the morning it wouldn't have been so bad.
That water was cold!!! At one point it was all the way up to our chests. Some of the kids were super adventurous and scaled the rocks in the canyon, to stay away from the water. The rest of them were carried by the dads. We tried to talk my Mom out of bringing Teddy but she wouldn't budge. Teddy did not want to be put down. Jon saved the day though, after he got his kids over the logs he came back and carried Teddy. Teddy scratched his arms like crazy but he didn't complain.
These poor kids were cold!
I don't know which crazy person let the kids climb this.
After the hike Jon and the boys came over to hang out. Jon helped Bethany and I decorate my mantle place for the fall and then went to a movie with Bethany.
Saying goodbye to Sean and Matthew. Jon and Betsy had to go home so they stopped by our house on their way. The kids didn't want to let Sean go so it became a tug-a-war on the stairs with Jon.
I didn't like saying goodbye to them. Luckily my Dad pulled up just as they were loading up the car so he got to say goodbye as well.
The next day the girls had a tea party with Nanna and Nanny Gina (who had just come to town).
The next morning we said goodbye to the Hegerhorsts. Too many hard goodbyes, but we were lucky to get to see ALL the family!
