MO: chez Broadbent

When we were visiting the Broadbents in Missouri, most of our time was spent simply hanging out at their house. Quality time--that's what this long visit was all about! The kids mostly alternated between six major activities: Minecraft, Legos, superhero dress-up, fort building, outdoor playing, and eating. In between kid crowd control and food prep, the grownups alternated between six major activities of our own: making tasty treats, eating tasty treats, watching shows, talking, planning, and taking pictures.

 Friday night pizza night--they live luxuriously close to a Papa John's.

 Captain Jaymerica, protecting us all.

Ice cream in the sunshine! 

Macaroni dinner--I think I took a picture of the cousins feeding at almost every meal. It was just so amazing seeing all of them lined up, chowing down endless quantities of food. 

Trampoline time always got out of control and ended in tears. But they kept coming back for more! 

 Snack time for the triplets. Amber and AJ are 6 weeks apart, and Derek is 10 months younger. AJ may be the oldest, but she was also the smallest by over 5 pounds.

 I didn't realize I managed to get so many pictures of Amber and AmyJane in close proximity to each other, not fighting. All of the other non-pictured times they were near each other, they squabbled and pushed each other.

Swings, sunshine, and sisters. 

On days where we didn't go on an outing, the kids inevitably got WILD, so we resorted to activities like Cousin Olympics. Em stood out in the backyard and called out challenges for the kids to do... 

...run down the hill and back up again twice! 

 Resting and waiting for Amber to finish

Roll down the hill! 

They all kept rolling sideways, hahaha 

Run up the hill on all fours! 

Cousin Olympics/secret mom operation-tire-out-kids: SUCCESS. 

Lego central 

 Waffle night--YUM.

 Blanket forts and swords.

Minecraft 

 More ice cream/orangesicles/fudgesicles

While making sure Amber didn't wander off one afternoon, I taught Rose how to blow grass whistles. 

 More Minecraft.

The neighbors kindly let our large crew use their awesome swingset. All eight cousins flocked to it every time they set foot outside. 

AJ and Derek were buddies. Any time Amber came over, they disbanded, cried, or fought her off. (photo credit: Em) 

Jay dug deep into the superhero costume supply and loved every minute of it, especially the padded muscles and six-pack abs on Captain America's outfit. 

Friday night pizza night part two 

Friday night movie 

 When they weren't playing Minecraft they were planning Minecraft

Emmie Photo at work! 

The results:

Rose and Chase were such cute buddies! Chase is 4, Rose is 6. 

Rose especially enjoyed being Em's photo model. The girl knows how to strike a pose!

[end impromptu backyard photo shoot--photo credits: Em] 

 Once the kids were in bed for the night, we watched the best spy show that the 1980s produced: Scarecrow and Mrs. King...

...and ate treats like these face-sized cookies.

Sweet Dan, pushing the little girls on swings. 

Swinging with sunlilght and a sweet tooth. 

 Rainy day energy outlet: dance party! 

And the masters behind the madness: sisters forever.