i'm back!!!

but the mcdonalds are not:( My absence has been due to my sister's wedding projects and the fact that my internet-sharing neighbors moved {the jazz band of brothers that always practiced during nap time} The mcdonalds moved to idaho...sadness, but it also meant a party! lora kept saying no, but then she needed a babysitter. i said yes, but it was conditional... we HAD to have a party!! i won:) we sent them off in style with a crawfish boil!!

{lora and jessica}
{ryan and his dad...isn't the resemblance CRAZY!?!}

{the spread}
{the newbies getting brave...they did it and they loved it!|}

while we were waiting...we had a little crawfish race. the one above was the winner--it was renee's. the kids thought it was AWESOME! hazel was enthralled by them, but she wasn't alone.

tyler {below} loved them too!

Renee drew a winner's circle and a trophy for hers :) She chose the most active one...it kept going to the finish line towards the gate, but was unable to escape the pot!

Elijah preferred throwing things at them. I think his was the one that was smashed before it was all over!
Hazel found the stash of capri suns and then the crawfish were suddenly unimportant. and don't think we'd have a crawfish boil without matching clips!?! aren't they adorable!

orum assumed his summer role as cook...only this time he had an assistant. renee thought shucking corn was soooooo much fun! it looked like so much fun that soon ellie joined in.

the ridiculously long stand of bunting flags made another appearance!

and the babies kept themselves entertained and surprisingly happy in the sweltering heat that day!
these are obvioulsy out of order, but the kids LOVED seeing them all in the boxes! hazel loved them so much, that she kept trying to grab them, but not to worry she had PLENTY of help from her brother and sister to help her refrain.

all in all...such a fun time! ryan, lora, ellie, and parker we are so glad that you love your new home, but we still miss y'all!! see ya at mardi gras :)