Storms

In 2008, the last time all the brothers were together,  we were gathering  in  Dupont, WA. for Christmas.

The day everyone  was flying in there was a major snow storm in  Seattle.  Roads were shutting down,  chains were the best option to get anywhere.  City buses were delayed and reduced to just skeleton routes. It was a stressful mess trying to everyone from the Seattle airport to Kyles.

The next time the boys all gathered 5+ years later once again there is a major storm.  The night they are all flying into Dallas there was rain, hail and tornado warnings.  Flights were delayed.   Regular TV programing was preempted for continual storm coverage.  Baseball sized hail hit in nearby areas,  a tornado touched down close by and we could hear the tornado sirens going off at Jeff's house.  Thankfully the storm passed quickly and after a two hour delay  we were once again  thankful to have all our boys safely under one roof.

Makes me wonder what the weather will be next time we try to get all the boys together.

The start of some something great!

 The gathering of the Tobler brothers.  It's been over five years since they have all been together in one place at the same time. So this is Historic!!!

The gathering will start tonight as they start to flying into Dallas from different parts of the country.    I've come to witness this event and photo document it.   And because I am their mother.

I also came a couple days early to play with this cute little person.  I can never get too much play time with Little Miss P.

We started with breakfast.  Buzz, Woody and Jessie were all there, plus baby Anna.

 Then we put on our make up to get ready for the day.

 Yep,  I think we look pretty good.

Cookie making for all the uncles and daddy.

 Taste testing.

Warming up for Easter...

 Life is good.
Let the adventure begin!

It's all quiet now.

Too quiet.
Our little people have gone home.
But here are a few more happy memories from Chad and Janet's visit.

 Help cooking breakfast.

Eggs sprinkled with love.

 

 Ethnie's orange peeling and eating technique.

Peelings MUST be put on a napkin

...she's related to her mother.

 Story time

 Reading a new book found at Savers

Bill Peet...Author of some childhood favorites.

Great find!

 

 Violet's turn to read.

 

 Somebody is  hiding :)

 Puzzle time.

 

 

 

 Park Time

 

 

 

 Double Stacked.

Triple Stacked!

The Fairy Garden

While Violet and Lucia were here 

we found  a fairy garden tucked in amongst the ivy.   

 Watching over this special garden are four little gnomes. 

 Friends of the fairies.

  During the night these little guys move around the yard.  

 But one gnomes always stays close to guard the magical door.

 One cardinal rule of fairies, gnomes and all things magical is  

You can not touch them...or the magical will leave.

Violet and Lucia brought a tiny little bicycle for the fairy garden.   So right before bedtime with the fairy lights twinkling we placed the bike in the garden and sprinkled it with glittering fairy dust.

    The next morning one of the gnomes was riding it

...so we know the fairies liked their new little bike.

Hope you have something magical happening in your life right now too.

A Princess comes to Visit

 It's Cinderella!

The girls were so excited.

And this princess didn't look at all like Steph.

Right before the princess arrived Violet commented that Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel both had Steph's eyes and she was kind of wondering if this princess might  really be Steph.

BUT IT WASN'T!

It must really be Cinderella.

 Cinderella brought a Princess balloons for Violet and Lucia

An Elmo Balloon for Ethnie.

 

 There as dancing.

Ethnie was a bit timid with Cinderella and clung on to her mom.

 There was the Hoky Poky.

 And the Freeze Dance.

Cinderella really got on her Groove.

 Practicing the Princess wave

...very important for royal duties.

 There was face painting

(by Steph)

 Violet admiring the Sleeping Beauty on her cheek.

 Then there was more dancing. 

 It was a favorite.

 A few final photos

And saying their good-byes.

What a fun visit with Cinderella.

I wonder what princess will come next time?

Sleeping Beauty's Visit

Rapunzel's Visit