Visits From the Big Kids

We had some special days around here last month!  Sam came home for the first time in a year. 

It was so good to have my boy at home!

We hung out together, played darts in the back yard,

took a drive to Apple Hill for pies, cider, apples, and more, for our Thanksgiving meal (which happened the week prior to everyone else's Tday because of Sam and Paul's schedule).

Apple Hill was exhausting.

Annaliese came up for 2 days while Sam was here.  Eli talked me into letting him stay home from school one day, and we went bowling.  Sam won, and I came in second!  We went out to lunch afterwards.  I really enjoyed spending time with my adult (and almost adult) children. 

It was so good to have Sam home for a time of rest and re-connection. 

And it was great to have Annaliese here for Thanksgiving this year! 

Long time blog readers may recognize Snake Oil, a game we reviewed 4 years ago, and it's still one of our favorites. 

It was so fun to sit and laugh together and see the younger kids building memories with the older ones. 

It's pretty rare to get 7 of our 9 kids all in the same room, so we did a family picture. 

After Annaliese left, we got to see Zach for the first time in 6 months, as he's freshly home from a deployment to the Middle East. 

So incredibly proud of my boys who've chosen to serve our country.  Even when it means they're gone for months at a time. 

All too soon, it was time to take Sam back to the airport. 

Yes, this mama cried most of the way home.