We're home!

We went north for the weekend, 5 hours north to my Aunt and Uncles house in Wisconsin. It was opening deer season and that is a huge deal. There are blaze orange dots all over the county side as we travel and trucks parked at nearly every timber entrance. My Cousins, Aunt and I all chip in to feed an average of 20 people per meal for 3 days. It's a lot of food but also fun for everyone. After 3 years of practice it's down to a near science and we all get to enjoy time together and not just cooking and doing dishes. The "cousins" (some 1st cousins, some 2nd) range in age from 1 to 15. That does present some issues with trying to keep everyone happy, but luckily the over 9 bunch of kids are great with the younger ones. They did craft activities, played with kitties, watched movies and helped out with meals and the little one (ds). I had three revelations for this trip. 1. If you don't comb your 4 year old daughters hair (middle of the back length) for 3 days it gets some mighty tangles. (she did brush her teeth while we were gone!) 2. When traveling with children, you take the same amount "stuff" if you stay 3 days or 3 weeks. Our van held- 6 people, 5 pillows, 4 blankies, 1 pack and play, 2 coolers, 1 deer stand, 1 gun, books, movies, craft supplies, 20 outfits, 8 sets of Jammie's, diapers, 4 water bottles, 1 set of jumper cables (the battery is acting up) and all the miscellaneous items needed for a weekend away. 3. I wouldn't trade this special time with my extended family for anything, except maybe a cargo van.