Jeff recently finished two weeks on night float. (Working 15 hour nights and sleeping during the day.) At first I was excited to have a reason to watch all of those chick movies that he doesn't like and reading without guilt. One can only watch so much Masterpiece Theater before one just doesn't care who is going to inherit the family fortune. I developed a bit of insomnia out of sheer boredom. Harrison and Chloe were so sick and tired of each other that the slightest provocation would set them off (which would set me off). They were dark days. Then on Monday, my friend Kim and her daughters came to visit and saved us from ourselves.
Catherine, Kim, and Miriam in St. Louis.
Tuesday morning Miriam asked me, "Miss Stephanie, may we please go on an adventure today?" Absolutely we can.
Chloe (Don't worry. She's wearing a swimsuit.), Miriam, Harrison, and Catherine jump for joy at the Gateway Arch.
After the arch, I took them to Citygarden. Best. Adventure. Ever.
Catherine, Chloe, and Miriam take a dip.
Miles and Harrison make sweet city music jumping on the chimes.
So Kim tells me that she and her husband recently bought a new camera and she asked if I wanted their old DSLR. I said, "You're selling it?" She said, "No, we would just give it to you." What? Huh? Who? What? I spent the rest of the week thinking, "I can't take it. No, I have to take it. No, I can't. It's too much. But it would be awesome. But I can't, etc." Kim said she just wanted to make me happy. Who am I to deprive Kim of happiness? That would be wrong. Right? I resisted the urge to do backflips as I loaded it up for a test drive at the Missouri Botanical Gardens the next day.
Not food!
Miriam and Catherine. "Rose gardens are our FAVORITE!"
Chloe was pretending to be Harrison's arms. "Now scratch my nose, Chloe." This was a good week for them. I think Harrison realized that one sister is way better than three.
It's going to take me a while to get used to my new toy, but I was happy to see that not all of my pictures that day were blurry.
SOMEBODY needed a nap, so our garden adventure didn't last long. (This picture is dedicated to my sister, Nicole.)
I kept thinking eventually Kim and I would run out of things to talk about, but that never happened. Boy, were we starved for some adult conversation! It's always so nice to catch up and play with old friends. Chloe especially loved having two playmates all week. (Triple the 5-year-olds, triple the fun!) Thanks so much for making the crazy long drive out here and bringing a little joy into our humdrum lives. You're the best!
10 Wisecracks:
Where's the sign-up list for guests who bring you DSLR cameras? Nice pictures!
Ahhh. Thanks, man. It's 5:30 in the morning and I just fed someone who has already been up once before in the middle of the night AND he pooped his pants. I needed a crybaby photo.
You are about to do GREAT THINGS with that camera. Kim couldn't have picked a better friend to make happy with that gift. :)
Sweeeeeeet!! She's the best! I still need to really learn how to use mine to its full potential. Quite the monster to tackle. St. Louis is such a fun place! City chimes? raleigh wants some.
So did they call you Miss Stephanie the whole visit? Hope so, that's my favorite. When we were in the Raleigh 1st ward we used to sub for KoKo's CTR class and for some reason all the kids called us Bro & Sis Cucumber. And I pretty much loved it.
Man, I miss you.
you are the luckiest. every picture crystal clear.
do you cut miles' hair. it looks so salon. i am pretty sure that chance has inherited the same crazy hair that banks inherited from who knows who. 4 beautiful boys, 4 unnecessarily crazy heads of hair.
glad you had a good time with the ladies.
Jealous! Of the visit....not the camera. I know nothing about cameras and the pictures on my blog prove it. So glad you and Kim had fun. All your posts make me want to come visit.
Great pics with the new camera Miss Stephanie!
I, too, heart that they call you Miss Stephanie. Also, I feel like Miriam and Catherine look more alike then they use to. Is that just me? Maybe it's the haircuts...or the fabulous coordinating hats. Next time we go to St. Louis, we'll have to stop by, too!
Didn't realize you guys lived in St Louis ... we just spent a few hours there on our way back from Nauvoo. We visited your famous arch ... and waited for 4 hours to get to go up!! We'll try something else "fun" in St Louis next time we stop. Our 1 year old was not impressed! We totally should have visited you instead.
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