OOOOOK-lahoma where the wind comes sweepin off the plains

That's right!  Our first official trip to Oklahoma to visit our amazing cousins.  They moved away from us after six years together.  We had our baby girls together, then our baby boys together, and Aunt A was there when baby Kins took her first breath... there wasn't more than a day at most that went by without us getting together and playing with one another.  So last fall we got some hard news from them (and that is saying something given the year we had thus far) about how they were packing up and moving to Oklahoma.  They did ask that we join them hehehe.  (And yes, every time I say Oklahoma I start singing the dang musical song.  I'm wondering if they had picked California so I could be singing "California girls are incredible, cowboy boots bikinis on top" but no... I have western musical in my head all the time now.)

 

Anyway, as always I digress.  We braved the roads and went to spend some much needed time with our sweet cousins.  Miss Kins wasn't all that pleased with the road trip (she prefers the front seat when in the car and doesn't seem to understand that she had several years before she can call shotgun) but she was a trooper.  The minute she saw her Aunt A she was all smiles and coos - the whole trip she would find her Aunt A in the room and just stare and smile at her until Aunt A was forced to come snuggle her.

 

Well we made it!  We were greeted by four excited faces that we missed SO MUCH!  They were standing in the dark on their driveway, waving and laughing.  (Mommy might have gotten us a little lost in their neighborhood opps).  What a greeting, these Texas-born Oklahomians are pretty great!  The kids were together in seconds, laughing and hugging and chasing each other.  They were so happy, it took us a few hours to calm them down and get them to bed.

 

 

 

 

Our weekend was spent playing mostly while the Mommies and Daddies chatted and spent time together.  I somehow managed to ignore my camera through most of the relaxing times, but I did take some pictures when our Cuz took us to the Aquarium.  See below:

 

Here is our four smiling faces - they did not let go of one another the entire trip!

Mommy and Kins - she loved the fishies

You could actually touch some of the fish and shells - this is AJ getting brave (well Mommy wasn't touching them - I grabbed the hand sanitizer instead. Someone had to be the health inspector on this trip).

Kins and a fish staring down - I think they made a real connection

The girls... notice someone photo bombing like a BOSS?  I said girls only and he decided to show me who's a boss.

Daddy and Kins checking out the sea creatures

So another cool thing in the Aquarium was the SHARK tank.  You walk under the tank and can watch them swim right over you.  Here are the girls showing me how very tough they think they are!

Kins wasn't impressed, she decided it was her feeding time.

The boys posing with the sharks - they loved this place.

So we had some fun in the tank - here are the girls pretending to be scared... I'm not sure they will be nominated for any Oscars this year.

The boys were too busy checking out the cool sharks to even pose for me

Yes, this is what we do when surrounded by sharks.  Like logical people we pose for a self taken picture.

Me and my little man

 

The girls and Cuz petting a sting ray - how cool (and a little creepy for me) is that! 

 

So one of the cutest things that happened at the Aquarium was when Kins found a little friend and fell in love... While I was playing with the big kids, Daddy and Kins found a little tank made just for her, full of colorful fishes.  There was one little fish in particular that she couldn't get enough of.  We called her "Dorie" even if she was yellow.

 

Here is Kins and Daddy, watching for her yellow fish Dorie to come back.  Kins just watched her go back and forth across the tank forever. 

 

Clasping our little hands together as we see Dorie coming closer to our side of the tank - she was so excited.  It was adorable!

 

Our sweet girl just about fell over when Dorie swam by - I was laughing so hard I almost didn't take the picture in time to catch our Dorie (that is one fast fish).

 

 

There are so many pictures I should have taken while at home.  The girls had to match every time they got dressed (next time A and I are planning what I pack so its easier to accomplish for them) and every time I checked on them in their room they said they were having GIRL TIME and to go away.  They listened to music, danced and giggled all weekend.  So sweet.  The boys were no different.  They tore up the play room playing legos and super heros and then went to their room to play trains (or sit on top of the train table and destroy things together) and jump on the bed illegally.  All the kids were sweet with Kins and would sit by her on the floor as she played and talk to her.  They loved on her so much.

All in all it was a great weekend!  As I was telling the boys it was almost time for us to get in the car to leave.  Will told me I couldn't take AJ. I said that I had to take him ,that he was mine.  Will gave me a fierce look and said "NOOOO, he is MINE"!  It was so cute and almost made me tear up.  We hated leaving but we will be back in no time to visit again.

 

So here is my last shot - the cousins (minus Kins)... inseparable, even with several hundred miles between us.  We love you guys!  Counting down the days until we are back.

 

P.S. See my post about our girls and their Daddy's breaking it down!

Daddy Daughter Dance Post