The best kind of weekend...

...is when my parents come to visit!

We all eagerly anticipate it for weeks.

I need to remember not to tell Ivy too early that Grandpa and Grandma are coming in a couple weeks...because then she precedes to ask every morning, "Grandpa and Grandma are coming today?" 

Here's a little recap of our long weekend with my parents:

Lots of reading time with Grandpa...

and with Grandma.

Braving the cold temperature on Saturday morning to go to Kaine's soccer game.

The girls waiting patiently for lunch one day.

The girls are all just in love with their Grandma Jan. She is the best!

One night we had a birthday party for Ivy and Layla (they both have November birthdays).

The girls made cake pops together.

And they did SUCH a good job.

I had so much fun watching them and helping them.

And they were pretty proud of themselves.

The finished product :)

Eagerly awaiting the time to open their presents.

Watching the birthday girls open gifts...

Helping them read their cards.

Two of Ivy's gifts were dress up clothes and rainboots...she barely took either one off for the rest of the weekend!

We also celebrated Nathan's birthday. 

He was just slightly excited by what he got.

Finally getting to eat their cake pops. :)

Grandpa Jim plays with the kids CONSTANTLY. 

He's one amazing, energetic Grandpa.

I love this picture of him and Israel! Israel sticks to his side like glue anytime we are with them.

The weather cleared up for some of the weekend...both my mom and dad spent TONS of time outside with the kids.

My dad grilling our supper one night.

We eat all our meals together when they come visit. It's so fun!

The girls' table.

Listening to Grandpa Jim tell a story one night before bed.

The kids listen very intently :)

Some other great things about the weekend...going out to eat a couple of times at restaurants, hanging out in the evenings at Rachel and Nathan's apartment (just the adults) after the kiddos were in bed, my parents watching all seven kids one evening so that Aaron and I and Nathan and Rachel could go on dates, having ALL of our food provided for us by my wonderful mom for the entire four days (just to give you an idea of how abundantly they like to bless us...they brought FIVE full-size coolers full of food with them. Five.) We will be eating leftovers all week :) 

What a wonderful weekend. A few years ago, I never thought we would be living in a different state than my family, but I have to say that there is something to the saying that when you live far apart, the time that you do have together is somehow sweeter.

Thanks for a great weekend, Dad and Mom. We all love you!