COUSIN TIME

Three of the five cousins are here together visiting grandpa and making sure he is still alive and kicking. Grandpa is managing to keep up with them to some extent but these little guys just never stop! Have you ever tried spending a day with a one and two year old boy and a four year old little girl? You really must try it some time to get the total effect.
Kaelin and Finley arrive with their parents on Thursday and we were all doing well in spite of the fact that Kaelin and Finn had been up at dawn to catch their 8 AM flight from Baltimore. Then Finn got an ear infection in his left ear to counter act the one he had in his right ear the week before they flew down here. Kaelin, just being a 4 year old girl is usually a shrieking mess as soon as her little brother gets within 2 feet of her and her toys. So we were having a great time in spite of all this.
Today Smith and his parents arrived and he got right into the mix. From around 11 this morning till 7:30 tonight it has been bedlam in a very great way!
The blow up toys grand ma bought for the pool would not stay blown up. The pool is a chilling 84 degrees, compared to the usual 92 but the kids and I didn't mind a bit. Finn decided he didn't want to nap on the first time around and he was a nose dripping mess for about a half hour. Grandpa actually pulled him self together and came and sat out side with us. It was an awesome day! The kids have a ball together and Kaelin and Smith have become fast friends and pool pals.  The two of them floated around in their swim aids and spend most of the afternoon in the pool with grand ma. Steve and Keri spent some time power washing the patio and Kent spent time rousting out Grand pa's BATS! Yes folks, the bats are back! They probably never left but we didn't want to tell grand pa that. Uncle Kent decided to do a show and tell about bats for Kaelin and Smith. Kent got two small nets that I use to clean the surface of the pool and proceeded to roust 5 or 6 poor bats from their afternoon siesta under the eve of our house. He actually caught 2 bats in the nets! Next thing we know Kent is putting on garden gloves to PICK THE BATS UP to show the kids. His sister Keri just kept yelling "RABIES" at him but the bats got shown around to anyone who wanted to see them.  I can only imagine what these poor creatures were thinking. Once Kent released them they did a wide circle of the lake and returned to another part of the house over hang where they hoped to be left alone for the remainder of the day.
Our day ended with a turkey dinner and a COUSINS BATH !  I did sneak in to get a photo of the 3 little guys all playing in the bath together but it was out of focus.
Everyone has returned to their borrowed condos for the night, (Keri and family at cousin Ann's condo and Kent and family at Kyle's condo.) We will see them all tomorrow for a 1:00 foot ball game to be viewed at a local sports bar. (Keri and family are HUGE Redskins fans and cannot miss watching their team lose yet another game.) I will probably go along and bring all the little folks home once they have enough of foot ball.

As for grandpa and me, We will be asleep in about 5 minutes.  GOOD NIGHT !