There is no place like Nebraska

I finally organized my pictures from our trip to Nebraska and am ready to share! (Warning: this is a LONG one!) I got some great photos...and some that were not-so-great. It's hard to get 5 kids to sit still and smile at the camera! It will be nice having pictures to share with the boys so they can remember exactly who is who. Our trip was a whirlwind of activity, as usual, but we got to see almost everyone we hoped to see, which is great. The boys were both wonderful on the plane rides to and from. We lucked out. Will was psyched to have his own seat (by the window...he stole my favorite spot!) and asked Keith a lot of questions about the plane, flying, etc. Finally all that pilot training comes in handy in our day to day lives! :) Archer was a dream too; he slept most of the time and only fussed a little when his ears hurt.


However, I can't say everything was as rosy. It was hard on both boys to be out of their routine, which resulted in daily tantrums and confusion from both. I'm sure Archer wondered why he was somewhere new every time he woke up. Will too; he had a hard time transitioning from house to house and spending so much time in the car. At one point he even told us that "there are too many Grandmas in Nebraska." hahaha Poor guy. But they survived and did enjoy all the attention they received. Will especially loved visiting the play area with Addison and Easton (and their respective adults!) and playing with cousins Andrew, Connor, and Abby. In fact, when we got home, Will wanted to know if the cousins could come for a playdate. Hopefully someday they can! And in his own little way, Archer told me how much he enjoyed meeting his Nebraska relatives. The next time they see him, he'll be a totally different kid!


We also got to celebrate Grandma Charma's 60th birthday while we were there. We did dinner, dessert, and even a surprise (adults only!) party. Thanks, Auntie Rach, for planning. Aunt Jill and Matt even made the trip. It was Matt's first time in Nebraska and he survived so that's a good sign. There was one incident with Will, Matt, and a fern at Charma's house but Matt was willing to let that go. :) It was GREAT having my whole side together, even if it was only for a day. I'll take it! Grandma Janene was nice enough to host yet another open house on our behalf. Thank you! It was wonderful to have so many family members travel to see us and catch up. We never have enough time but we do our best. We appreciate the effort on all accounts.


These are just a few of the pictures from our trip. A great time was had by all...but next time I'm converting back to a warm weather trip. When the high for the day is 6 degrees, that's a sure sign I'm in the wrong state! And remember: visitors welcome and encouraged on our end too!