Rita and Joe win a prize!

Rita and Joe have visited us in every place we've lived.  I think that deserves a prize!  They visited us in Calgary, Oxford, Manhattan, and now here in Houston.  We were so excited then Rita let us know they were planning to come because we hadn't seen them since our brief visit to Vancouver in the summer of '08.  On that trip, we had met their eldest daughter, Siena, and they met Leighton, but we both had added a little sister to our families since that time.  We were really excited to have all the kids meet and play together!

They arrived on Thursday in the late afternoon/early evening, and the kids all had fun swimming before dinner.

Friday we spent the morning at the Children's Museum and then went out for lunch before coming back to swim and play and have dinner by the pool.

Riley actually let the young teenager hold her hand and help her when she fell!

Saturday we had lunch at a place I had heard a lot about because it has lots of outside seating and a sand box for the kids.  After getting hot sitting outside, we went to Discovery Green for some splashing.  In the afternoon, Rita and I went grocery shopping (I love friends who enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do!) and there was more swimming and playing and eating outside.

Sunday morning, Roy and Joe set up some play stations in the driveway.  It was super cute.  We all played outside … and Rita and I snuck away for a little retail therapy … and then lunch and swimming before they had to head to the airport.

The kids LOVED having Siena and Alyssa here.  They all got along amazingly well.  It went as perfectly as it could have (minus Rita not feeling well at the end), and we can't wait to have another visit with them - here in Houston, in Vancouver, or maybe on a cruise ship sailing to Belize :)  The kids still ask when we will see them next and wish they were here visiting again.