Elder Larkin

 Today I loaded the kids in the van and headed to the airport after picking up some delicious food from Rudy's BBQ and Top Donuts.  Then the waiting began....

 How much longer, Mommy?  Is it time yet?  Where are they?  Why can't we just go back there and see them?

 Grab your signs... Here they come!!!!


My Nephew Deric Larkin returned home from his mission today.  Conrad, Annalee and Felycia traveled to Honduras to pick him up and they arranged a 6 hr. layover in Houston so we could see them.  So much FUN!



We had pork loin, turkey, brisket, chicken, bread, cole slaw, potato salad and donuts for dessert!
It was SOOOOOO YUUUUMMMMMYYYYYY!!

Annie handing out gifts from the trip.  Corn husk nativity for the family. Bell for me, yo yo's for the boys and purses for the girls.  And candy for all!!

I think he was a bit overwhelmed...

Brinley warmed right up to him.

Lovin' on Annie!

When we saw them, Kayla rushed up and without hesitation hugged Felycia first!

Deric's hair grew on his mission so now he's...



Taller than Lars!

   

Super FUN visit.  Just a note to anyone flying through Houston...

We put out a good spread, I'm just saying!

Independance Day 2011

We do love a PARADE!!!

 You fans of UNLV Rebels will recognize this song... ironic coming from this high school marching band from Smalltown, TX.  (I hadn't even heard of the town...)

Honoring the military.

When we got home we relaxed for about an hour then the fun began!!!  We all played in the pool and had a water fight and played beach ball volleyball.  Lots of FUN!!



Last year we made one of these... this is how traditions start right?



The finished product.  Last year nobody really liked the blueberries so we colored some Cool Whip and voila!!  The flag cake!

Jack and Brinley put strawberries on the jell-o... and in their mouths!

Hey! Hey! Hey! Grandma and Grandpa came to play!!!

Brinley has a new BFF.  She loves to SWING!

Baseball anyone.  My dad told Jack his baseball glove was made of cow skin.  He thinks that is pretty cool!

Watching WIPEOUT!!

Henry had a very loose tooth while they were here.  I told him, "Stay away from Grandma or she will pull it!"

We took a trip out to the temple.  Notice Henry's tooth fell out just as we were leaving!

"Touching" the temple.  President Monson said, "If you let your children touch the temple, the temple will touch your children."



Every time we saw a bench... "Take our picture here mom!"




So CUTE!



Henry wanted the cornerstone in the picture with him.  When my sister, Annalee was tending the kids while Lars and I went to Africa she took them to the temple and found the cornerstone.  They walked right to it and showed Grandma and Grandpa too.

Kayla, looking pretty stylish in the shirt Grandma bought her.

Jack - a little overexposed but still a cutie!

Build-a-Bear



We took Brinley to Build-a Bear for her 3rd Birthday.  It was her first trip and she was a little overwhelmed!

She named her bear "Princess"

We are losers and didn't get a picture of the finished bear... She dressed her bear in a pink shirt with a rainbow heart on it.  She has slept with it every night since.

THREE!!!

Brinley Mae Larsen

Look at how little Jack was... What were we thinking???  We know now that if we didn't have her then we never would have had her.  She is such a blessing!

I was stopped constantly by people who had to comment on her hair.  I don't see the problem...

I'm pretty sure I post this picture every year.  It shows her absolute LOVE for chocolate!

Most of the recent pictures I have of Brin involve her and water.  It's soooo hot in Texas that she would literally live in the water if we let her.

We had a PARTY!!

Super easy and super cute!  Party Bingo, Cake, Ice Cream, Pools and Water Blasters!  Super Happy 3 yr old!

Brin was thrilled to squirt Keola with the water gun and Keola didn't mind at all!