Welcome Home Mike

My bil Mike (pictured above with my mom) got home from the desert on Sunday. He's been on deployment since May. My sister, Diane planned a surprise party on Sunday at my parents house to welcome him home (my parent's house is usually the gathering place for events in the summer because they have the pool).

This is my sister Mel's daughter, Kristal. Kristal is 11 months older than Little M, and 97% of all Little M's (and now baby L's) clothes are hand-me-downs from Kristal. I don't know what we would have done without Mel's help with clothes! Thank heavens for family!

When all the family gets together, the guys like to play horse shoes. Mr. N had never played before, but the guys taught him and they did pretty well.

Mr. N teamed with Mel's husband, Greg. They won one and lost one.

Here's my dad and Mike. They were the other team.

Here are Kristal and M ringing this bell in one of my mom's flower gardens.

The horse shoes

Here are Little M and I on the hammock

Kristal again. I obviously didn't get any pictures of all the other cousins. Whoops. Colin (Mike & Diane's son), Ryan (Greg & Mel's), & Jose, Ustavio, Nevaeh & Ivy (Steph P's) were also there.

Here's Mel holding Baby L. Everyone loves a tiny baby!

Kristal was fascinated with her new baby cousin. I think she could have held her all day.

This picture is of Little M watching Kristal holding Baby L. I don't think she liked the idea of her cousin holding her baby.

She quickly came over to stake her claim.

M is wearing a swimming pool ring on her head like a crown. it was pretty funny.