Summertime get togethers :)

  Love that we have so many wonderful nieces and nephews..9 of them!!..and that Steve comes from a good size family on his Dad's side (4 sisters and 2 brothers!!) and that we enjoy getting together with them. Even better is that most the bdays in the family fall in the Spring/Summer and makes it even more fun to have cookouts and get togethers to celebrate. I'm blessed with 8 sister and brother in laws. 
  Kaya absolutely loves her cousins. The whole gang ranges in age from 4 (Faith), 5 (Kaya), 6(Jacob), 7(Madison), 8(Dylan), 9(Cody), 11(Kaitlin), 12(CheyAnn), 13(Colin),and 17(Aaron) so when they get together it's always a blast! Faith and Kaya are two peas in a pod (both are in the pic above) and are so much alike it's almost scary! Same hard heads, same quirky jokes and silly laugh.
  One of the best things about the get togethers besides the kids having a ball is just how relaxed and fun the whole thing is. Good food, good company and alot of laughs. 
  Steve always knew his brothers and sisters but didn't get to really grow up together due to divorces, remarriages and other issues so it's really nice to see how they all just fell into place as adults, love each other and enjoy being together. Huge strides have been made as well in the area of his Dad and it's good to see them talking and spending time at the get togethers together. Steve has always said that the past is the past, he's a man not a child and he can either live,forget and love or hold onto anger and bitterness and let it ruin what could be. I am EXTREMELY proud of the man Steve is in this situation and how him and his siblings have let love lead the way. That may sound corny but it's true!
  So glad for another Saturday night of laughs, good food, great conversation, awesome family, wet kiddos from water fights and wiggly sprinklers, hugs, kisses, cheers of "Pitch the ball game for us Uncle Steve"...to hugs goodbye and sweet little promises of "I won't cry ok this time because we will get together again soon" :) (Kaya and Faith often tear up when parting because they have so much fun together!!!)