#summerselfieseries

2016

Last year Koen and I set aside a moment each day of the cousin time to take a picture together. We hash-tagged it #summerselfieseries on Instagram, which we use all year to keep in touch. I was thrilled when he was up for it again this summer.

                                                                             2015

Family Reunion

 Each summer this crew makes their way from Calgary, Alberta to southern Idaho. Kelly and Kirsten and their 6-pack make the 18+ hour journey happen and we celebrate with junk food and swimming pool hangs and photo opps.

Camel Back Park, the Boise Greenbelt, Settlers Park, Tropical Sno, movies at Grandma Ellen's, and feeding the cows at Grandpa Mitch's.

Basketball games, the Canadian kiddos had their first United States Independence Day, too many selfies, sprinkler runs, making "Worms n' Dirt," and a dance party or two.

Obviously it's all a little too much for one post. But it sure is fun to look back at all the sweet photos and cousin connections that happen two weeks every summer. Love you, Archuletas up north!

Cousin Meet Up

The month of August started off with a bang. The Canadian Archuletas made the 16 hour trip down to states for a two week summer vacation. Kelly and Kirsten brought home their Haitian daughters, Kloe and Kinna, in January. We were all anxious to meet them as well as Konnor, born in October. They have six kids!

The cousins all get along remarkably. We did activities everyday. Play-doh, Legos, Hot Wheels, and marble towers were a few things we tried. I had anticipated a need for tactile activities due to a huge language divide  but the girls now speak English fluently. I am so proud of all they have learned!

Koen and Kace had a fun big kid sleepover at our house. Sno cones, movies, dance party, and a campfire made for good times.

Konnor was just a joy for all of us. He is the perfect baby, squishy and sweet. He was a trooper and let everyone love on him.

Pool fun every day. The girls particularly loved swimming and improved greatly over their time here.

I loved having nieces to color with, paint nails, or rock out with in the car. They kept requesting a "girl sing," only wanting to listen to songs sung by females :) 

Not bad for trying to get all 10 kids in a photo!

Finding appropriate entertainment was challenging. We watched Inside Out in the theater together, that worked well. Megamind and watching American Ninja Warrior were two other screen time successes.

Parker, now taller than Kelly! (we checked under all that hair)

We were sad to watch them pull away. So many new memories made, too many things to list here. But I have been treasuring them over the last couple weeks. My boys all said it was the highlight of their summer.