Texas Friends

Since January, we have been anticipating the visit of our best friends from Texas, Kim and Jonathan, and their girls who are 8 and 6.  On Sunday, we finally reached the day that they were to arrive!  It had been over two years since we had visited Texas and stayed with them, and over four years since they had seen Seth and Aiden (because we only took Cora when we flew to Texas in April of 2010).  However, it was only a matter of minutes after they got here on Sunday afternoon before the kids were all running around the backyard and woods together.  On Monday, we brought them to the fountain in Corning and to a nearby pizza place for lunch.  Then in the afternoon, we took them up to Harris Hill to go gliding, and afterward let the kids play at the playground and go on a few kiddie rides.  (Because I didn't take the camera with us at all that day, the pictures from the last few years will have to do for reference.)  It was a wonderfully busy day, but we slowed down and ended it with some reading time before bed.  

 The next day, we drove up to Watkins Glen and hiked the mile and a half down the Gorge Trail.  (This is our third time there since we moved back to NY, and I'm always so glad that we choose to walk down, but not up.  832 steps would still be a lot for the little legs in our crew!)

 Because it had rained most of the night before, the creek was very muddy and much higher than it's been the last two late-August trips we've made there.

 Jonathan, Kim, Cassidy and Macey all had a great time on the hike.

 Cora, Macey and Cassidy looked cute in their matching pink Crocs!  

 Mikiah had the easiest time on the hike, as he slept the whole way.  

 After we finished our walk, we had a picnic lunch and let the kids play on the playground.

 On Wednesday morning, Cassidy and Macey got one last chance to hold Mikiah before they all left to drive down to Hershey Park.  They had both held him as often as they could, and Macey was especially enamored with him.  (The first time she held him, she turned to Kim and said, "Mom, I love him!")

It was so wonderful to catch up with Kim and Jonathan again and to show them around where we live now.  It was also great to see how much their girls have grown and to spend time with such sweet, well-behaved kids.  It was a great visit for us all!