Hey sister go sister

Last month we got an unepected call from my sister Nicole (expats in Hong Kong) asking if we'd be happy for her and her 3 girls to come visit and if so she'd be there the next day!! We were very excited to see Nic and the kids which unfortunatley came at a cost to Mum, Dad & Meegs back home - Nic was due to visit Oz for 3 weeks but standby flights were all choccas so USA it was.

We had the most wondeful 3 weeks together. Admitedly 5 kids under the one roof pushed us to the brink of sheer exhaustion, copious hair pulling and numerous alcoholic beverages (the consumption of which got earlier and earlier as each day passed). Still, all that said, we had a time neither of us would trade and we did so many wonderful activities including The Children's Museum, Hardware store building activites, arts n crafts, pool fun, rock climbing at the YMCA, kids fun arcade, Pump-It-Up an inflatable fun house and lots more . . A jubilant reunion

Chuck-e-cheese: a fun arcade desgned for young kids and um, young at heart!

Rub a dub dub there were 3 in the tub (I was never any good at maths)

Hanging out at a splash pad (like the one outside the casino in Melb)

One of the many attempts to get a photo with all kids smiling (thanks for that request Mum, it nearly killed us)

Simon & Liam needed a reprieve from all the oestrogen in the house and spent an arvo doing blokey stuff

The 3 of us a had a night out at the local Teppanyaki restaurant which is actually called 'hibachi' here in America.

Happy faces

Hey mum did you know chalk and water make a really good paste that when rubbed all over your bathers makes an incredible stain that never comes out?
Thanks Liam I'll keep that one in mind!!

Erin and Ash at the Houston Children's Museum

Casey with her own paper helicopter

Nicole made a 'chores' chart so that the kids helped out each day doing age appropriate tasks. We said they could get a dollar a day. At the end of 10 days we took them to the Dollar Tree shop (as the name suggest, everything is a dollar) and we let the kids go 'sick' the only realy limitation was that they could only get one lolly with it. They were like pigs in s#%t. So they had fun and our housework load was lightened somewhat.

Biscuit decoration

and their works of art

Magic noodles: dampen with water and stick em together. Brilliant.

Painting.

Lowes (a Bunnings equivalent) do a freebee activity twice a month. The kids hammered and constructed their own helicopter which they all loved not just Liam.

The finished squad.

In the midst of it all I, Cara Webb, fixed a toilet!!!!!!!!!!! Need I say more?

4 princesses and a racing car driver

The Woodlands science museum

All in all a wonderful time. By the end of it Liam and Tara even managed a few moments of peace and co-operation! Not sure how Nic survived the journey home she may still be heavily sedated.