A Georgia Girl in Germany

I remember what a great time I had as a kid getting together with my cousins -- it was always a special time. We may not live close to David and his family, so we get to see each other much less frequently than I’d like. But that didn’t stop our kids from getting along magnificently this summer!

Andrew was cutting teeth, so wasn’t always in a good mood -- but he seemed to enjoy this cuddle time with Zachary. I think Zachary liked being the big cousin here.

Rachel and Benjamin were inseparable at times. They enjoyed watching the kitty that showed up at Granny’s house shortly before we arrived there. He had fleas, so they were good about not petting him, but still had fun watching him and running around with him.

Again, they were inseparable in the yard, whether it was running around the utility room, running with the kitty or standing on an old piece of wood.

MacKenzie liked being able to help take care of Andrew (when he wasn’t fussing about his new teeth). She was a big help when we were getting everything ready to head over to Uncle Sam’s and Aunt Gail’s for the reunion. Andrew was strapped in his seat and ready to go, except for needing his bottle. MacKenzie willingly obliged.

Everyone had fun playing in the inflatable ball pit, although we often had to remind the bigger kids that it wasn’t really big enough for them to move around in there when a smaller kid was with them. They were pretty good about looking out for each other to make sure no one got hurt. It didn’t take Andrew long to figure out how to crawl out of there on his own and scoot away, so we had to keep an eye on him. He looks so relaxed here -- what fun!

When Rachel decided she wanted to work on some puzzles, Zachary the puzzle-master immediately stepped in to help her out.

MacKenzie was a great help when Aunt Leslie was feeding Andrew. They’d double-team him -- one with cereal or fruit and the other with veggies. He couldn’t complain that his food wasn’t coming fast enough!

Rachel and Benjamin discovered the piano and banged out a few tunes together. They’d even take turns and let each other play short solos too. They really got along well.

Rachel had her first taste of Oreos on this trip, and enjoyed dipping them in milk while sitting in Nana’s lap. What a great vacation snack!

No trip to the farm would be complete without the baby getting a bath in the kitchen sink, and this year it was Andrew’s turn. MacKenzie was right in there with Aunt Leslie helping clean his hair.

He sure looks like he’s having fun!

Rachel and Benjamin kept finding different things to do -- they were never bored! They changed the rules for their own version of Junior Scrabble -- they simply covered the letters on the board as they found the corresponding tile. It was a much more efficient way to play, and still helped them learn their letters.

They even made up their own jumping game. They must have jumped off these stools for 15 minutes! They’d jump together. They’d jump one after the other. They even let their stuffed animals have turns jumping! What a way to tire them out before bedtime!



I think Rachel and Benjamin really resemble each other, and it’s obvious in this photo. What cuties!

In typical boy fashion, Benjamin squirmed away when Rachel tried to give him a kiss.

David, Leslie, Rachel and Andrew left the day before the rest of us, heading back to Texas, so Zachary had to get one more hug from Andrew.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include a photo of Papa, enjoying some play and cuddle time with Andrew.

MacKenzie and Rachel had to get in one last game of Woodkins before Rachel left. Rachel loved dressing up the wooden dolls for different occasions (play time, bed time, even as a wedding party!).

I couldn’t resist adding this photo of all five of the Quarno grandkids, taken when we visited Granny Walker.

Labels: Benjamin, MacKenzie, Nana and Papa, Stateside visits, Zachary