For $50 I'd Put My Face In Their Soup And Blow

We're home once again, this time from a glorious trip to Fountain Place to visit my Aunt Amy, Uncle Mark, and cousins Brent and Ashton. I have the best family. They are beautiful, loving, kind ... and most importantly, gosh darned hilarious!

It took the Precious about 2.8 seconds to decide that Mommy was a completely optional accessory as long as His Ash was close at hand. Isn't she gorgeous?

And First-Cousin-Once-Removed Brent received a huge grin each time he entered the room. Andrew was soon reaching out for him as well. When Brent would sit on the floor, Andrew would circle him, wide-eyed, trying to figure out the hair. Actually, I'm convinced Brent is actually bald, and the brown curls are just his brains seeping out. (Do not, and I repeat, do NOT sit in a room with him while he's watching Jeopardy unless you want to be freaked out - kinda like that scene in Groundhog Day where Bill Murray can answer the question before it makes it out of Trebek's pie hole.)

Here Brent taught him how to link together monkeys (from the Barrel of Monkeys).

This must have made quite an impression, because the next day Andrew decided wearing the monkeys around his ears was really cool. If one fell off, he'd immediately request that it be put back and then sit incredibly still while I acquiesced.

He fell in love with Ashton's toy cash register from back in the day. He actually went into my bag, found my wallet, unzipped the change pocket (I had not idea he knew where the change was or how to open it), then put all my change in the cash register. See the little red monkey hand peeking out there?

Here's my boy munching on a ginger-lemon cream at tea time.

And Ashton gave him his first Oreo, which was quite a hit.

Among the many delights of staying with the Sandersons is my Auntie's cooking. Everything she makes is superb. The list of delicacies I enjoyed over the weekend includes, but is not limited to, the following:

- unbelievable lasagna, whose construction involved a 2-hour sauce simmering episode and a bechamel sauce (and I might mention that the first ingredient in the recipe is bacon)

- creamy potato soup made from actual potatoes (and garnished with a smattering of bacon)

- pressed chicken sandwiches with cheese, homemade pesto sauce, and, oh yes, bacon

Andrew helped out in the kitchen by stacking soup cans. He actually made some pretty impressive towers!

With all the fun to be had, it's not surprising that Mr. Scooter Bicks decided to wake up every night around midnight, just to make sure cool things weren't happening without him. In an effort to keep him asleep our last evening there, Phil and I made beds for ourselves in the den while the Precious had the entire guest room to himself.

(It didn't work ....)

My Great-Aunt Nancy, Great Uncle Foster, and my cousin (once removed?) Laurie and her daughter Ashley (second cousin? Help me Brent...) were in the area and stopped in for supper on Friday night. I haven't seen them since my wedding 8 years ago, but since I have figs for brains, I don't have a single picture from that evening.

It was really difficult to leave all the family fun. I miss them all and wish they lived down the street (or perhaps I wish I lived down the street from them since their neighborhood is WAY cooler.) We stopped at a Steak-N-Shake on the way home to drown our sorrows. Andrew decided to put in his application for milk shake tester.