There's No Place Like Home

Mom and Dad came over to babysit so that Tim and I could go out with our friends to a concert (more on that later). They came early enough that we had time to just hang out before heading out for the night. Typically I am the designated photographer in the family. This means that I am absolutely NEVER in any pictures!! Well, I decided that enough was enough. I handed the camera to the official backup photographer- Mary Grace. Notice it's not Tim.

So these are pics of us just hanging out at home before the concert. These are moments I love the most. Sitting on the couch with the kids all scrambling to "sit next to mom" and more than likely that means "on top of mom". Making cookies with grandma. Grandma is famous for making cookies and brownies for no occasion at all and doing it regularly. Grandpa is throwing someone into the air or putting someone on top of the refridgerator and then saying to the rest of us "Look everybody at how big (fill in blank)_______ is!" We all turn and look and say "Wow, you're up high!" and the child giggles with delight. Tim and mom talk politics or religion and argue/tease one another. Tim loves to get mom going saying something he KNOWS will trigger the most dramatic response and then he snickers to himself being pleased with the resulting agitation he's caused.

Someone is always hungry or always needing to be cleaned up, pig tails straightened, or diaper changed. There is constant noise and activity. Just the way I like it! (Although I DO ENJOY some quiet time to read as well) But on days like this one I try to absorb these little people and take in all their JOY and all their LOVE because these are the greatest gifts they give me. They treat Tim and I and their grandparents like the "rock stars" we were about to go see. They idolize us and hang on our every word. (unless we are saying something about cleaning their room that is) But these little people make home the best place to be. It really is true Dorothy, there's no place like home.