Twins...

Remember this picture?

This picture was taken back when we picked up Addison and Marcus almost two years ago. While in Texas waiting for some of our legal adoption paperwork to go through, we stayed with a family who adopted twins, through my work, 6 weeks before Marcus and Addy were born.

Well...their birthmother placed again and happens to live near us so we got to return the favor. The greatest part is that Heather and I have become good friends over the last two years, so I was super excited to see her.

Our attempts to recreate the above picture--it's a lot harder with 4 toddlers vs. 4 infants (and of course Katie had to be front and center).

Addy, Marcus, Katie, Ansley, Elizabeth

I took a picture of the kids on the treadmill the first day they were here and for the rest of the week the kids would jump on it and say "cheese".

Katie is holding Elisa--this is her favorite babydoll, it was given to her by Mimi in Pittsburgh, a castoff from her grownup children. Katie got the name from her favorite book about bringing home a new baby. For some reason she loves this baby more then all her other ones.

Just a warning if you are ever tempted to have quadruplets; don't give in, it got a little crazy around here.

We visited the pool at our old neighborhood (my old neighbor/friend gave me some of her passes so I can use it whenever I want since our pool doesn't have a kid's pool).

And now for the highlight, meet baby Tyler...Heather, Tyler & Elizabeth

My kids pretty much wouldn't leave him alone. All three of them wanted to hold him all day long. I expected that from Katie and Addy because they always want to hold their cousins, but Marcus was a big surprise. He would wake up every morning (or from his nap) and run downstairs calling "baby, baby". He even did it a few times after they left. He would stroke Tyler's head with his big hand...way to cute!

Katie was such a special little helper. She would hold Tyler anytime she could; she would help feed, change, and take care of him (Addy also held the bottle any chance she got). It was a sad day for all of us when they left.

And of course, selfishly, one of the greatest perks for me was that Heather happens to be a fabulous cook-- so we ate well the whole time they were here!Katie, Elizabeth, Ansley & Addy
Helping cook Father's Day dinner!
(Happy Father's Day Mark and Chandler)

Grammy and Grandpa

So Hannah left us and Grammy and Grandpa came to visit. They stayed for a week--you sure can pack a lot into 7 days.

We went to Monkey Joe's (which is a big bounce house--if you don't get that from the pictures). We used to go last summer and Marcus and Addy would cry when I forced them down the slides (on my lap of course because they were only 10 months). There was no crying this time; Marcus was nervous the first time down but quickly got over that.

We went to the pool almost everyday--because it was hot, it's summer, and because we can.

We went on a walk on a local trail.

I think all of the kids must have been tired from all the action because the walking part didn't last long for them.We had a mini-birthday party for Katie so that Grammy and Grandpa could give her their presents, complete with cookies and milk.

(Somewhere in the middle of everything Mark gave Marcus another mo-hawk)

Mark and I got out of the house a couple times by ourselves; but for me the highlight was Wicked. Mark bought me tickets for my birthday and Kerry and Eileen joined us for dinner and the show.

On Monday morning we headed to Lazy 5 ranch and went on a wagon ride to feed all sorts of cool animals. Marcus was a little nervous about the actual feeding part of the first part of the ride (yes, my son is a little bit of a scaredy cat, but he will be fine in the NFL).

Marcus finally loosened up after we fed the giraffes and got into the action before it was too late.

Katie posing with the "lamb" in the background. She saved 1/2 of her feed from the wagon ride to feed to the lambs at the petting zoo. But, the lambs were under the shade with their mothers--they wouldn't come out, probably because they knew the goat would butt in front of them anyway. But she did get to feed the loan Ram a couple times.

We also spent plenty of time hanging around the house and enjoying our back yard.

Katie, showing off her dance routine

Wait for it...

Yep, right on the head and down the face...this went on until Addy couldn't breath anymore.