...: Ghosts of Guests Past ~ Ode to Stewarts

As I went about finally cleaning the guest room after Dad's recent visit, I was reminded of all the guests we've had over the past year. Our friends, the Stewarts, came to visit back in March of this year. Also way back then, I promised to blog the visit. Clearly, this post is really stretching the whole better-late-then-never philosophy. Eeek!

Annnnyway...

Here's to you Stee-warts. Did you know that's how J had you entered into our phonebook on our phone? ;)

Get ready for some severe picture overload. I don't think I've posted this many photos to one post since last Fall when Chris and Nichole got married and took us all on their honeymoon (I love saying it like that, hehe; posts here, here, here, and here. Whew.)

With 3 munchkins in the house, you can bet there was tons of this:

Welcome to mid-March in MN little man. =)

Yes, we were blessed with new snow right before their visit. Thankfully, the sun-washed dessert-dwellers were actually excited for the change in climate. As I dreamt of Spring, I thought they were a bit bananas, but it worked out well. ;)

I think these poofy pants might have taken up their own suitcase. HA!

Princess, indeed. =) She is such a perfect mix of sassy of sweet...the kind that raises your eyebrow as it forces a smile across your face. Love miss Gabby!

Oops! I do not remember how Mason ended up in this position, but what a photo op, right?!

The dogs got in on the mix too. That's Ham-bone, formerly Moanie (more on him and his visit in another post), trying to keep up with Paisley. My girl got air, baby! ;)

This looks like a really dangerous proposition for Justin doesn't it? If memory serves, no one was injured, so it's all good.

Snow monster. ;) Check out Justin in the background, already stripped down to shorts.

Then the kiddos would come inside, warm up, and enjoy some time on the lounger.

We also journeyed to the twin cities, enjoying--errr, tolerating?--a super-crowded children's museum, and then on to the Mall of America, that iconic stop that everyone wants to make. =)

Here, Mason snacks as he watches for his Mom and sissie on one of the rides.

Gabby's face says it all after they were done. =)

Mason and Grady found this little stage; this was before one or the other of them took a break for it to try their entertainment skills. Hehe.

Mason and his Dad, Justin. Doesn't the little guy look so sweet here? That's how they get ya...

It was off to the lego tables next. Note Gabby's look of concentration here.

You knew those pesky boys weren't going to let that go.

Oh no! There it is. They did it now.

She's a trooper, she recovered. =)

Let's see, what could I have possibly not covered? Ahhh, well, this is how Gabby spent a good portion of that weekend:

She and Paisley had a bond that evoked truly dangerous thoughts, I tell you. Like the thought that Paisley needs a little girl in her life. ;)

Right up to the very end, Gabby lavished affection on Paisley and Pai soaked it up in a way that caught me by surprise.

Not that she doesn't soak up Bugga's love and attention too, just that she is often as likely to avoid it. ;) The girl likes her space, usually. With Gab though, she was quite content right where she was, it was so precious!

So THANK YOU Justin, Tara, Gabby, and Mason for trading your AZ sunshine for MN sunshine-with-snow!