joy

I don't know how else to describe it: friendships that are just comfortable and natural = joy. Transparency, honesty, time, and care is required.....but it is worth it! We are blessed to have many friendships like this - but it is always a bonus when it is family. My cousin Duane and his family of five have been visiting from Colorado the last few days and we have so thoroughly enjoyed it. Our children just click - regardless of the fact that sometimes a year or more goes by without seeing each other. We have done lots of eating and playing!

Yesterday we hiked at Papago Park with the intention of getting really hot and then heading over to the Tempe Town Lake Splash park to cool off. Unfortunately I misread the website and didn't realize it wasn't open until this weekend......so the kids were disappointed when we arrived and saw maintenance men in the splash area instead of other children and water!

We were determined however to think of some sort of alternative - so the kids brainstormed and decided to run through the sprinkler and play shaving cream baseball.......I had no idea what shaving cream baseball was - but Madison and Ryan did and told me all we needed was trash bags, duct tape, and dollar store shaving cream. I can do that.

The kids made a "slip n slide" with the bags for the slide into home......and they all worked together on it....set it up and the rest is history. Sorry there are so many pictures - just couldn't narrow it down!

Assembly

Applying the shaving cream

Studying the shaving cream

Totally

Fun!

Blissful Boy

I love how the kids just play forever - working together and making lego creations, or playing board games, or sitting and eating popsicles and chatting.....

It is a big effort for their family to make the two day drive here. But I think relationships are worth it - visits with Granny and other extended family - and encouragement of one another for the parents and kids. Priceless.