jana came

We have had so many family members visit since we moved here a year ago.  I feel so loved thinking of all the people who have come to see us.  I've blogged about some of those visits, and sadly, others have been forgotten.  It's not that some were more important or memorable, it's just that it's hard to blog about everything all the time and that's really all there is to it.

Jana is totally the winner of the visiting.  She has come three times!  She and Mark were our very first visitors last November.  Then, Jana and Carson showed up on my doorstep one Saturday morning in May.  That was a fun one.  And just last week we said goodbye a third time to Jana and King Baby- they came to meet little Layes.

And guess what?  I have never done a post on one of Jana's visits.  Not one.  Until now. . .

But here's the thing.  I just had a baby.  And my hosting skills were not at their finest.  So we didn't really do a whole lot.  But I love not doing a whole lot with Jana.

After a couple days of just hanging out at home we decided to do something really big.  Huge, in fact.  The excitement was palpable.

We went to Walmart.

I'm not even embarrassed to say that we walked those aisles for over two hours.  Well, part of that was spent feeding Layla at the McDonald's inside, but the rest was spent pursuing the goods that Wally world had to offer.

I don't go to Walmart very often.  Hardly ever, in fact.  It's over thirty minutes away.  I was happy.  Jana was sweet to pretend that she was happy to be there.  Shopping with four kids wasn't as bad as it could have been.  They were pretty good.

And I'm all stocked up on hand sanitizer, tights and leggings for Elle and who knows what else I came home with!

We were tired afterwards.  So tired, in fact, that we had to take another day off and stay home the next day.

But then, we did something else even more exciting than going to Walmart, if you can even imagine.  We first got donuts from Sesame Donuts- and we all decided they are better than Voo Doo, if you can imagine that.  And then we went to Roloff Farm.  I am not a regular watcher of Little People, Big World, but I've seen it enough to be excited about potentially seeing a Roloff or two hanging out at the farm.

And boy, oh boy, we got to see four!

First we saw the one of the twin boys.  I don't know his name, but I know that I loved him!  He was so cute and polite and he touched my shoulder and told Jana that Carson's eyes were amazing and posed in a photo with us.  And we kept seeing him all over the farm and Jana swears he kept looking at her and I was a little jealous but then he waved at me when we were driving away and I felt better.

Then we saw Matt, the dad, talking to some people at a picnic table.  Jana was totally like paparazzi and discreetly followed him around until she could ask for a photo.  She got one right before he climbed into that trailer because his back was hurting.  A little insider information for you there.

Brian says he saw the mom- can't remember her name right now either- is it Amy?  Anyway, Brian says he saw her, but he's the only one who did and of course he didn't ask for a picture.

Then, we saw the cute little brother.  He was adorable and Jana loves him the most.

If that's not exciting enough, their farm is actually pretty fun.  We walked around the pumpkin patch, they had a little petting zoo and some bounce houses, as well as some exotic baby animals. . .which is kind of weird to have at a pumpkin patch, but whatever- my kids loved seeing the baby tiger and lion.  We also made Brian climb up in the big chair with the kids.  Who doesn't love climbing in a big chair?  Brian.

You know after a day like that we totally needed to rest again.  

So we stayed home and watched Robin Hood by Jana's request and played outside at the park.

Then, on her very last day we went to Pittock Mansion.  

 Pittock is a really old mansion that overlooks downtown Portland.

We grabbed some sandwiches on the way there and enjoyed them on a bench on the mansion grounds.  

After lunch we decided to do a photo shoot since we hadn't really taken any pictures of the babies together.  You'd totally think that with all the time we spent at home we would have found time to do this.  Well, we did not.

I think I might know where Carson gets his big head from.  Your welcome, nephew.  You can't see if very well, but behind us is an incredible view of Portland.  One of the best, I'm told.

This is the best we could do of our babies.  They were not happy to be taken out of their carriers and placed on the ground.  I can't believe how tiny Layla looks here.  She's grown so much since then!

Jana and the kids in front of the mansion.  

I love this picture.  I love it so much.  First, it reminds me that we decided to brave the tour and we took our four kids inside an old, restored mansion.  Second, I was happy that my kids didn't destroy the mansion while inside- they were really good.  And third, Ellery is crying because she had gone under the stanchion to try to look out the window, and in a panicked moment, Jana grabbed her by the hair when she wouldn't respond to our calls to come back.  That's why she's crying and I love that I can remember it.  

You see, Ellery is very into saying, "Mom.  Daddy (or whoever) scared me." in the whiniest voice you ever did hear.  If you tell her no, or look at her wrong, you risk "scaring" her.  Well, earlier that day Jana had told Elle that she couldn't get out of her car seat.  And you know that Ellery had been whining at me the whole day that Jana had scared her because of it.  So when Jana actually pulled her hair, the child was inconsolable. . .in a mansion. . .with a bunch of old people. . .actually, all the other tourists were old people.  Anyway, I thought it was really funny and Jana felt so bad and Ellery was a slightly traumatized.  What a good memory!

So we probably did more. . .but several weeks have passed and I can't remember what else.  I remembering when she was here I thought to myself, "I need to write down what we're doing so I can remember."  but I didn't.  And now I can't remember.  

But, I'm so glad that she came to visit again.  I have a good sister.  I love her.  I think about Layla and Ellery being sisters and I'm so glad that I have two girls because I know what a blessing a sister is.  We should all be so lucky.

And goodbye to King Baby.  I sure liked getting to know him.  He is as adorable as he looks.  My kids can't wait to see him again.  They loved having him here.  And now he and I are bonded over big heads forever.