We had a family get-together Saturday afternoon and evening. We all gathered at Aunt Sondra and Uncle Phil's home, chatted, and enjoyed some good meals together.

Grandma reading to Aubrey and Joel

Aubrey and Aunt Alene (Grandma's sister from New Jersey) bonded while we were there. They spent lots of time together looking at books, doing puzzles, and having good conversation. :)

Family just hanging out in the afternoon

Zeke (Clay and Kellie's 11 month old) slept in Grandma's arms all afternoon.

Aunt Debbie showing Grant the fish. He loved the aquarium. He also loved the stairs at this house, and I spend a large portion of the day chasing him and saving him from those stairs.

Aubrey with Aunt Alene and Aunt Myrta, Grandma's other sister who came for the week.

At the anniversary reception/celebration the next day.

Kellie, my cousin Clay's wife, made the cake. It was beautiful!

The kids singing a song at the reception.

Siblings--Dad, Aunt Sondra, Aunt Brenda, Aunt Lynda, and Uncle Darris

The whole family! (5 cousins weren't able to be there, but it still was a pretty big bunch)

Our trip wouldn't have gone nearly as smoothly nor been nearly as fun if it hadn't been for these people. Greg's Uncle Scott and Aunt Marianne let us stay with them the whole time. They picked us up from the airport in Anchorage, housed us, fed us, arranged for us to see family, and just made our trip a really good one. Every evening after we put the kids to bed we stayed up and chatted with them (they got us on Alaska time and we stayed up way later than usual with all those daylight hours). It was great to reconnect with them and have a place to relax at the end of each full day. We really enjoyed our stay with you guys. Our kids think you're great, too. :)

Lunch at the airport before we boarded our flight to head home

On the airplane again. The flight home felt longer than the flight there because we were so much more tired. We wrestled Grant again for a couple hours before he fell asleep in my arms. He fought sleep and screamed for abut 20 minutes, but it wasn't too bad. The kids enjoyed both flights, especially the drinks they got two times on each flight. :)

And this one is for you, Aunt Marianne, so hopefully you'll see it. He does that thing with his feet on the tray at home, too. :)