academy at thousand oaks: Saturday Was a Great Day

Saturday was a great day.

It really was. It was one of those days I didn't want to see end. It was one of those days that the whole day was good, not just part of it. The whole weekend was that way, actually. (Other than the fact that Rush was running a fever by the end of the night, and it's never fun to worry about a baby being sick.) I only wish my lil' sis, Tracy, had been able to come. :(

Friday night, we drove to my brother's house in Branson. Since it was "Friday Night," we didn't tell the kids where we were going. Just told them we were going on a little trip, we were spending the night, and we were meeting "someone new." They guessed "Grace and Owen's house." The kids all fell asleep on the way because it was kind of late, and they didn't have naps. Tornado woke up when we were pulling off 65, peeked his head up, and barely opening his eyes, said, "I was right. We're going to Grace and Owen's!"

7/9 of the kids eating breakfast (with their daddies). What a fun place when we're all together.

The "someone new" was Ghetti and Roni's brother, Ethan. Ethan, The Dog.

We went to my "hometown" to meet up with - as Tara described it on facebook - "long lost family." Chris and Brenda were my parents' best friends when we (my siblings and I) were growing up. We spent an immeasurable amount of time with them and their two daughters, who happen to be around my sisters Cary and Tracy's ages. They would stay at our house until 3 a.m., playing cards or trivia. They really were like our family...and since we all moved to Arkansas...we hardly ever get to see them...which is really sad. So, Saturday I felt like "all was right in the world again."

They have a beautiful home on wonderful land, and it just really felt refreshing being there. There were 13 adults and 15 kids present. We were missing 2 adults (Tracy and also Tara's husband). The kids loved having all the open space to run and play with each other.