Kissing Cousins

One of the best parts of our trip to Iowa last week was getting to see my cousin Joni. We are the same age and I just adore her. We very rarely see each other - why is that? - so I was very excited to hear she'd be driving over.

It was really fun seeing our kids together. It seems like just yesterday Joni was visiting me in my freshman dorm at Waldorf and suddenly we are both the mother of two. Her kids are soooo cute and amazing. As always, thanks to my dad for the pictures!

Here, Sam is wrangling 10-month-old Isaiah while 5-year-old Miya tries to hold up Matilda's big head.

The kids were antsy after being inside and wanted us to play with them. Joni told them to play Run To It. It was fantastic. Sam and Miya would stand in front of her, panting and excited, and Joni would say, "See that pole over there? Run to it." The kids would dash off happily, giggling, and eventually end up back in front of Joni. "Okay...do you see that bush?" she'd ask them. "Run to it." I like to think I have a few parenting tricks up my sleeve - but I'm going to have to bow to Joni for this one. She's a genius.

Run to it! They couldn't have been having any more fun.

Poor Isaiah and Matilda were too little for the fun, so Isaiah thought he'd make his own good time. He kissed Matilda every chance he got. Here he's planting one right on top of her head.

I desperately wish Joni and I lived closer to each other. I'm daydreaming about more afternoons in the front yard, playing Run To It and giggling the hours away...