A "flippin" good time

I had such a fun day today. I got to spend the day with my family!!!! It was so amazing. But it did make me sad that we aren't closer to each other, closer in distance of course, because my family is SUPER CLOSE. The Nannee, AKKRIT, and The SEAKers, along with my loving hubby and Jonah-Balogna, make up this awesome family that I love so very much. The gang decided to meet today to celebrate Rhiannon's (my oldest niece) birthday and to meet for one last time before the hectic school schedules get under way. We met at the White Marsh Mall, in MD, and we spent the day together.

Kudos to Nannee Tink and DAJ Mahal for being the firsts ones there (with the farthest to travel might I add). We hung out in the parking lot (where a poor little birch tree lost its bark - thanks 'G') until Team Thorne (aka SEAKers) arrived where another little birch tree was stripped of its bark (thanks Aubrie). We then proceeded to enter the mall and get a last minute gift for the b-day girl. One quick stop was our intention, but things never work out that way now do they? Three stores and 1 hour later we have the gift. We meet up with AKKRIT and bombard the toy store. Who had more funplaying with the toy. The kids or the men? It's a toss up. The babies got to ride little cars and they looked so grown up. Speaking of grown up, is this where I should mention that my son totally dominates his cousin? Maybe it's payback from the pregnancy when Aunt Emmy, or her belly, dominated us. :)

Off to dinner where apparently we need to learn to count. 7 grown ups and 7 children now equals 13. Isn't that amazing!! Well, we got off on the wrong foot with the hostess and her "cupcakes", and were TOLD to put our strollers in their office. Thanks for ASKING, aheem, but no thanks. That really made cupcakes mad and she proceeded to bad mouth us to the wait staff. THEN she gives us highchairs with no straps, so up to the hostess stand go the daddies requesting working highchairs, HOW RUDE!! Cupcakes bouncing, she huffs her way to the stack of highchairs where she has to find working straps - can you believe what her job requires? (Good job to the restaurant for the stellar child friendly highchairs!!) Thankfully the server was pretty decent so we made it through dinner without a throwdown. GET US OUT OF HERE!!!

Outside we go to chill and regroup by the water fountain. We do presents for Rhia :) and avoid creepy old man with not so nice uhmmms. Quickly walking to Barnes and Nobles with several backwards glances and many shudders of disgust - YUCK- we descend upon the children's section where Uncle Jamo takes up post as the gate keeper. 'T' went back to the fountain to watch el-creepo and keep an eye on him. The babies got set up in a corner where Jonah continued to demonstrate his largeness and rock-bottom Kaden. SORRY CUTIE!!!! We have some work to do. Meanwhile, Aubrie (the animal lover) and Iain and Teagan set up a pet shop of stuffed animals spanning the display. Too cute!!

We decide to get ice cream, which should have been a quick decision, and go to where they have the best ice cream around - WENDY'S!! We get frosty's and headed to a grassy spot where the kids can play and be crazy. We end up having a cartwheel-off. The entire family was doing cartwheels in the parking lot of White Marsh Mall. We must have looked hilarious but man did we have fun!! Erin, don't quit your day job to do gymnastics. They say that time makes things better, but... You have many other talents!!

We end the night helping KT clean out her car; funky, rotten apple cores and all. Who says you can't get everything done in one day. We had a really fun day and it created wonderful memories.

I am so blessed to have such a loving, committed, devoted family and I thank God for the gift off each one of them. I love you guys sooo very much!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Amy T