I eventually gave in and supported ways to soak the ball fast, providing a bucket to fill. (Does my admission excuse me from any blame for returning messy kids? I hope so. :)
The water game is over; sparing the girls from extra soakings, but Vanessa wants to pretend she can fill the bucket on her own. Zach is just chillin'.
Soon after we got outside, Andrew noticed the big hole that will magically turn into a garden pond area when we can loosen the purse strings a bit. For the time it was fun to run and jump in. Andrew liked for me to capture him making these action moves.
Vanessa and Hannah worked hard to refine Adam's work on the pond -- shoveling and raking loose soil and rock.
Ben got to hear all about their adventures.
My brother Thom's suggestions for this blog posting: 1) "All people give me joy. Some when they arrive, and my brother when he leaves." Or 2) "Boy, am I sorry that they live so close!"
He's funny but in no way shape or form could I take either suggested spin to this post. I most definitely wish they lived closer. And I hate when our visits come to an end. We love our time with each other. I can't say anything I haven't already said in previous blog postings about Vanessa's cousins. They're special and loved dearly! I admire Thom and Diane's parenting skills and the importance they place on their role as parents. Their kids are sure to make a positive impact in this world.
