Family....

I've been off the blog for the past three weeks due to family.  This has been my fourth family visit this year and today I'm sitting here tired and full of good thoughts and memories.  The house is so quiet and I think I might have gone deaf!

I once again gave up my bedroom to family members with children. Mishal, his wife Mona and their two small children, JoJo and Majed.  They flew in from Kuwait and totally took over my home and life.  This was a good take over and I so enjoyed each and every moment but a few times I forgot I had a heart problem and did a bit too much. But I did survive all the fun.

Mishal is my sisters son, Mona his wife and their two children. JoJo is three and Majed is 19 months.

JoJo and I made cupcakes.

Feeding  bread to the Gulls was a big hit for the kids.

 Oh how we laughed while Mishal peddled us on the bike build for 6.

The children were so happy to talk with and hug Elmo and Big Bird.

Cousins, Cyndi and Mishal racked up points for the kids.

 There were times when I wanted to pass out along with the kids.

 Shopping, how we shopped.  Today the van took 8 large, over weight suit cases  along with numerous carry on's to the airport. I'm afraid to ask what the airline charged for it all? 

All of you who are frequent flyers  know how much easier it is to find your bags on the busy round about. Tie a ribbon of sorts on each, of color.  Mishal bought a 'dog chew' and separated it.. wonderful colors tied to each.

Shoes Mommy, Shoes!

Even at 3, JoJo is an experienced shopper.

If I was to list the places we went, it would take at least 4 pages.   Each day, 21 in all, we went out in a large rented van equipped with car seats and enough room for us all, including  my sister, Mishal's mom. We must have visited every tourist attraction in Florida. My body is telling me to stop and take it easy but my mind is in over drive because it was so hard to say bye this morning as the airport shuttle took them away. 

This was my first visit with Mishal's family and I fell in love with them all.

Out of the 21 days I cooked only twice.  We ate out every day and that in itself was a treat for me.  But the house, what a mess it stayed.  

 Today was me and my sister going from room to room finding little things that only small children could leave... cars, balloons, little bits of paper and so much more.  I also found a few of Mona's (my niece) hair rollers and bath items... wonderful reminders that were left for me.  They will grace a shelf in the bath.

When Mona first entered my home all I could see was her 'black sweater coat"... I so loved it and although she wore it quite a few times, she knew how much I admired it and today it was hanging on the coat rack on the stair case.. (Thank you Mona)

The kids are on their way to their home in Kuwait with the promise of coming back next year..  

I'm holding them to that!

Family.  There is nothing better, except maybe family living closer.  My kids are so scattered around the world.  

But, that makes it all the more special when they come.