Lucy and Charlie

Before I can even begin to talk about how much fun we had when Lucy and Charlie (and their parents, of course) came to visit...I have to first admit how awful of a sister and an aunt that I really am. Sarah had asked me a month ago if I would like to have Lucy and Charlie for a night or two while she and Trent took a few days to themselves. Of course I jumped at the chance and even asked if I could just keep them the whole time. Since Trent's mom is only an hour away from me, but 7 hours away from them...I had to share. When it actually came down to time to take them, my schedule had gone from open and clear...to so busy that I was going to have to juggle babysitting EVERY DAY!!! It was horrible. Sarah and Trent were so wonderful and quickly stepped up to say that it was just as easy to have his mom watch them all of the days.

I am still so sad I missed my special time with the kids. Sawyer and I had activities and fun trips planned while they were here. And my daughter is just as sad as I am. We will make it up to everyone...I just have to figure out how and when!!

Lucy and Charlie were so much fun to have around!!! Sawyer and Lucy have only one volume when the get together....LOUD!!! My house sounds like it's FULL of little girls, not just two teeny tiny grade schoolers! It's insane when they get together...but they have so much fun..it's hard to tell them to stop.

While they were here, Sawyer showed off some of her reading skills to her Auntie Sarah...and then Lucy (who just turned 5) proceeded to read the same book Sawyer had just finished reading. The really weird thing about that is, it's just like how Sarah learned how to read!!! I was in first grade...and I was really struggling to get this whole reading thing down. My 4 year old sister would sit by me on the couch...and follow along. My mom was amazed to figure out that not only was Sarah able to read what I had just read...but she could read books on her own. My super smart niece is just like my super smart sister...they have that innate ability to just pick up reading. It's wonderful and I know that Lucy is going to do so well in Kindergarten this year!

And then there's Charlie. Little sweet Charlie, who last Christmas would not repeat anything you asked him to...and now, at age 2, speaks more clearly than Sawyer or Lucy at age 4!!! Not only that, he's our little genius! He is so smart, he can count, he can recite books and he can follow directions like no 2 year old I've ever seen. He's so calm and sweet and he loves his Auntie Rachel. He eats anything I make him and he always says please and thank you! I could just eat him up!

We had so much fun with our family while they were here. I just feel so blessed that my sister and I had babies, the same gender, close enough in age that they will always have someone to play with when they get together. And if Charlie and Reed follow along with how their sisters get along...they will always enjoy hanging around their best friend!!!