Cousins!

Usually when the kids and I head "up North" to visit my family, I forget my camera.  And since I usually forget my camera, there are hardly ever any posts about all the fun we have when the Todds gather.  BUT guess what?!?!  I remembered my camera this last time!  AND actually remembered to take a few pictures.  (But just a few because even though I remembered to take my camera, I forgot that I actually had it and therefore forgot to use it.  Geesh!)

The Gang, minus one who is still in the high chair.  Sarah Rose (3), Caleb (5), Emma (2), Abigail (4) and Jocelyn (5).  I think those ages are correct!  Their ages are so close, its easy to get one or the other of them off by a year!  They're enjoying a fish fry with all the trimmings.  Since Josh is allergic to fish, us  Van Zantes don't usually have it at home.  So this is a treat to me... um, er...  I mean the kids!  (But I DO love a good fish fry!!!)

 

And here's the "minus one" from the picture above, Miss Izella.

 

I remember how Jill (my sister-in-law) and I would always talk every visit how fun it would be to someday have the kids running around playing with one another whenever we got together.  That was four or five years ago when all our little ones were still content with sitting on our laps and chewing on a corner of a book.  My how time flies!  It can get pretty hectic and noisy, but its so fun watching them run around!  I have no idea what they were playing in this picture, but it involved Abigail being in the toy bin.

 

Granny and Papa's new puppy, Buster.  Caleb looks pretty happy, doesn't he?  Do you think he needs a puppy of his own?!

 

A boy with his Papa and puppy.

 

After lunch and a few fun odds and ends, us big kids had a little fun on the "shooting range".  Here's Jill taking her turn target practicing.  She's pretty good!  Like my brother said, how embarrassing would it be for a criminal to be shot by a woman wearing a skirt and her hair in a bun?  (We're practicing for our protection.)

 

Take a good look, 'cause you will hardly EVER see a picture of me!  Here's my turn to shoot.  I had a tendency to flinch since this was my first time ever shooting anything with more power than a BB gun.  The flinches made me shoot a little low every time, hitting the ground just before the target.  Like Jill said, the intruder wouldn't have a chance of running away if he's caught in my house! 

 

Our instructor, my brother Adam.

I feel bad, but I don't have a picture of my mother.  I'll try to remember to take my camera the next time we're up and I'll get a picture of her then to share.  Sorry, Mother!