Catch Up: MacKay visit

as usual, the photos from my camera phone have the consistency of potato soup, so that's nice. haha. and as usual, the photos from my actual camera have been DISTORTED by my computer. i literally do not know how this is happening, but my photos look FINE when i first put them on my computer from my camera, and then when i upload them to blogger or facebook, they get minds of their own and the contrast goes wonky. 

sorry. i tried. 

So a couple weekends ago, Allison and the kids came to visit!

I know, I'm way behind, just love me, alright? 

Natalie bonded over watercolors, as usual. she drew Harry Potter in our backyard, naturally:

we spent a lot of time outside. (i promise these pictures used to be rotated correctly. i'm just 1000% done fighting with my photo editor, so these horizontals will have to do. sorry again. )

seth is perfect. he's so squishy and cuddly and i adore his big blue eyes and happy smile. I've loved this sweet little boy since this time last year when we found out he even existed! i loved him because he was a miracle. and i loved him because i knew he would be the balm that his family needed. and i love him now for being a calm and soothing peaceful baby. and i love him for bringing such joy. 

 see what i MEAN about the wonky contrast? ugh.
but anyway, the pride of crossing the monkey bars completely by yourself for the first time:

the little princess restored to her throne of old:

and my dear Natalie, i don't know why she's turned incorrectly :/

this shirt just CRACKS ME UP. every time she wears it. 

 and the next couple pictures just make me laugh because they are SO. NATALIE. JEAN.

and some toe head love:

we spent some time inside, too. and i tried to say "yes" to as many things as i could:

"aunt wissa, i wanna pay a dame wif you. wanna play cahs?"

"aunt wissa, wanna play stwatego?"

"aunt wissa, wanna play guess who?"

"hey Melissa, will you play Hogwarts with me? you can be Neville."

"Melissa, let's have an art class!"

*Jenna points to the backdoor and tilts head with a smile* "side"

so glad i did.

 just realized that nasty Toto made it into the picture below. sneaky snake, Natalie. I shouldn't call Toto nasty, Natalie's poor heart would be demolished if she read that. i'm just not a huge fan of tiny dogs. or petri dishes of germs stuffed animals in general. and Toto somehow made it right next to my face, haha. 

but you rock on, girlfriend! love what you love! i'm not about to tell you not to love toto, because that's your thing! believe in yo dreamz, jumper.

and i love these because i feel like they're entirely indicative of our relationship:

bed head. judge me. also, this picture is almost identical to THIS one, taken almost exactly one year ago. 

and please enjoy these (incredibly unattractive) so-full-of-love photos:

i have ten (one on the way!!) nieces/nephews and i LOVE all of them. more than i can explain!! I truly do!

but i feel guilty because Natalie and Caleb are so much like my brother and sister instead of my niece and nephew, that it looks like i just love them more than the others. 

which is not true!!

i just love them differently. 

because we've been through a completely different set of experiences together. 

I love ALL 10.75 of my kiddos equally! 

it's just a strange line with Natalie and Caleb, because we lived together for so long, that the roles are fuzzy. 

these two are such an extension of me, it's unreal. 

 apparently i am unable to take a selfie without cutting off half of my face.

and oh, hi, can Natalie NOT have the hair of a pantene model? thanks. 

I'll be framing this one for when they're teenagers who don't think i'm cool anymore. because can we just LOOK AT ALL THE LOVE IN THIS PICTURE? makes me teary-eyed. 

my Bub and Bean forever:

thanks for the visit!