Hunter and Zanders World: Another trip downstate

The countdown was officially on 10 days before our trip downstate to visit Grandma Cousino and Asher (and many other family members, but these are the 2 people that were top on Hunters list). The excitement was at a heightened level but the dreadful drive was well dreadful. Thankfully we were able to break the drive up into 2 days on the way down, stopping half way to visit Jason on Thursday while he was in training in Greenville. Friday morning Grandma Cousino and Aunt Mary made their part of the trek north to pick us up in Greenville only to make their way back downstate with us in tow.

Friday was a beautiful day and we decided to get all the young cousins together at the park so they could get all their shyness out of the way before the family picnic on Saturday. The kids ran, rode, laughed, climbed, swung, found sticks to make as imaginary guns, and just played....hard. Hunter, Asher and Delaney decided to have a sleepover at Grandma Cousino's house, staying up until 1am watching Polar Express (that movie never gets old even after watching it 1000x).

Good thing the kids were able to get some energy out at the park on Friday night because our much anticipated, extensively planned family picnic got totally rained out. Saturday, we woke up to rain that was supposed to clear up by 1pm with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Well, the thunderstorms never made their way to us but the rain didn't leave us either. Christie graciously offered up her beautiful, spacious house for all of us to cram into, afterall we didn't want all of the food we prepared to go to waste. The kids still had fun running around up and down and all around the house and when the rain finally decided to stop in the evening out came the water guns and the water fight began.

Highlights from the Cousino-McFarland Reunion

Mary, Ryan and Sarah (Ryan's very pretty and sweet new gal pal) made the long trek north from North Carolina
Hunter, Zander and I ventrued south for the weekend
It rained all day on Saturday, the only day it rained and the day of the picnic, cancelled the park and ended up at Christies
Lots of delicious food
Food fights broke out between Dennis and Kevin with Dennis smearing a cupcake in Kevins face

Kevin enlisted Diane to get back at Dennis by smushing an entire cupcake in Dennis's face, only to have Dennis tackle Diane in a food frosted hug that had Diane with more of the frosting on her than either Dennis or Kevin

Water fights with water guns between all the kids
Dennis and Dar getting into a big water fight with Dar attempting to dump the whole water filled bucket on Dennis

Do you notice the common demoninator with the food fights and water fights? Anyone, anyone? answer: Dennis

Yummy Food
Happy Birthday to Dennis and Big Greg
Did I mention lots of yummy food?
Afterwards a Bob Jo's visit for some frozen custard

Sunday we took a step back in time and took the kids to Greenfield Village. Hunter had been there only once before when he was only a year old so we wanted to take him back and let me tell you this kid is like a history nut. He loved going in all the old buildings and houses and hearing about how the people worked, lived and played in the olden days. He especially loved the trains and the train ride. We spent 5 hours there and still didn't get through the entire park, woowee were we ever tired. Then we made our way to Chads house and my lovely, fairy Godmother Renee's house so she could see the kids.

It was fun but our time is done! Were already counting down the days until we go back to visit, which is kind of hard since we don't exactly know when we'll get back downstate.