The rest of our Florida trip

Beware of all the pictures because I took tons of all the silliness that occurred this past weekend.  We spent a good portion of the weekend afternoons at the pool.  There is really not much else to do when it is 95 degrees outside.

Samuel, Maya, Hanna, Owen, Emma, Leah, Jonah, and Elena

They are just too cute!

Cousins and best friends

There may have been a crazy silly water fight at the house.  The adults may have participated.

Uncle Scott was being attacked by Jonah and Samuel

Sean and Scott on the offensive

While the boys were playing outside Estrella treated all five girls to a spa day.  This might have been their favorite part of the trip because they were beyond pampered.  Estrella gave each girl a goodie bag filled with fun stuff.  Each girl had a facial, a pedicure, and a manicure.  It was awesome.

Samuel had a little crush on Estrella so he pathetically watched through the window.  Estrella came to his rescue.

He was incredibly happy!

Estrella and the girls

Aunt Janet and the girls

 The guys had a pizza making contest.  There was no clear winner because they were all yummy!

 Scott made a gluten free pizza with artichokes and feta for Kelsey and Aunt Janet. 

 Joe made a chicken marinated in whiskey and apricots topped with Colby jack cheese pizza...yum!

 Drew made a most delicious stromboli.  I am not sharing the secret ingredient, but it makes all the difference!

Sean made a french bread sausage, tomato, goat cheese and onion pizza.  Seriously, it is not possible to pick a winner with all that yumminess.

And, if all that was not enough fun we went to two parks where the adults may have played as much as the kids.  I swear at times it was hard to tell who was in charge!

This was a hit with all the big kids with Jonah always needing to be at the very top.

Aunt Janet, Emma, Maya, and Samuel

Hanna, Sean, and Jonah

It took Scott and Sean forever to get this balanced.

It took Drew and Scott even longer to get balanced.

These two, despite the weight difference, got it on the first try.  I give the credit to youth and gymnastics.

Owen tried to keep up as best he could!

After a crazy, fun filled weekend we had to head home. 

On the tram at the Orlando airport

Trying to get home is a story unto itself that shall remain untold. I am trying to forget it.  When we finally arrived back in Houston we were at least greeted with a beautiful rainbow which we could actually see from one end to the other (not in this picture obviously)!

It was a great trip.  Being with faraway family is always a wonderful experience filled with lots of laughter and love!

My favorite people

Florida Trip part 1.5...celebrating life

We went to Florida over the weekend to spend time with family and to have a memorial service for my Grandpa.  I took so many pictures and we did so many fun things after the service that I have to divide our trip into two posts. 

We arrived in sunny, hot Florida on Friday afternoon.  The entire weekend was crazy hot with temps in the mid to high 90's.  So, we spent lots of time at the pool in the afternoons.  Our mornings and evenings were spent at parks or being silly at my aunt's house.

Leaving Houston

Elena thought it was sunny on the plane

Saturday morning we had the memorial service for my Grandpa.  He was 97 years old.  Can you just imagine all the things he saw in his lifetime?

My aunt made a great book of his life which was awesome.  We spent time telling stories about his life and his adventures.  After the service time each family received a balloon to write on.  My grandpa always wore blue pants and a white shirt so all the balloons were blue and white.  The balloon release was quite awesome!

The other life we celebrated while there was baby boy Hayes who is due in September!  My Aunt Janet and mom planned a surprise baby shower for Kels and Scott. 

I did an awesome job wrapping my gift! I took it back too.

Scott, Hanna, Maya, Kelsey, and Leah

Ice cream cake (melting a little) since Kels is allergic to everything

A shower would not be complete without a game.  I have to say that I never played this game before at a baby shower, but the guys thought it was pretty awesome.  Estrella, my cousin Sean's wife, gave each willing adult a baby bottle filled with beer.  Whoever finished first was the winner.  I was the only willing female to participate.  It was hilarious even though I did not win.

Before the contest...Leah had apple juice I promise

Sean won but we think he cheated!

Of course the kids thought this was hilarious so they wanted to have their own contest.  Again, I promise their bottles were filled with apple juice.

I don't know where Elena was

Samuel was very proud of his victory.  He struck this pose as soon as he finished.

Spending time with family is pretty awesome especially when we don't see Sean, Estrella, and my Aunt Janet very frequently....stayed tuned for the rest of our adventures....

Aunt Janet and all the kiddos

Grammy and Grandpa with all their grandkids