Family ties

We've had some great visits with family recently and I haven't been up to speed with blogging about it. Here's a summary for family time over the last few weeks!

We weren't able to spend Father's Day with my Dad (aka Granddad Stokes) so we had a make-up dinner a few weeks later. He came over with Shanghai, his youngest daughter, and we got to spend time together and have a good meal.

Granddad Stokes introducing the boys to a delicious appetizer (don't worry, they didn't try it!)

The app he brought -  grilled teriyaki bacon wrapped shrimp on skewers. YUMMMMM

The aftermath of our dinner - rice, corn on the cob and grilled kabobs (chicken, tomatoes, onion, green pepper)

Edamame salad side dish

Stokes, Ryan and Shanghai

Shanghai, William and Thomas

Namesake! Granddad Stokes and Little Stokes

Granddad and William



Shanghai playing with General

William and me

Our next visit was with MaSha over the 4th of July weekend. I did blog about it (here), but here's a picture of the boys with their MaSha. They sure do love their sweet grandmother!

After MaSha left that Sunday, we had a quick overnight visit with 2 of Thomas's aunts, Mag and Fifi. I unfortunately did not take any pictures with these 2 ladies! Sorry, Fifi and Mag!!!! Next time! We had a fun visit with them and they got some baby snuggles (and diaper changes hahaha) in with the triplets.

Last week, 2 of my aunts, Mary Nell and Wanda, came to stay and help out. If you read this blog a lot, you may remember them as the Nanas. They also brought my beautiful, 6 year old niece, Kaitlyn with them. I loved having them here! They do a wonderful job taking care of the boys and me. Kaitlyn is such a cutie pie and a sweet, sweet little girl. She wanted to help out as much as possible with the babies. She especially loved feeding them their solid foods and brushing their hair. Two of the days while my aunts were here, Lisa came over to visit. Lisa is one of my mom's friends and we've stayed in touch. Over the years, she and my aunts have really bonded and become friends and now they stay at her house when they come to Greenville if our house is full. She is a dear friend and has come over several times to help me with the babies and bring dinner for Thomas and me.

I strategically had the Nanas come on this week instead of another one because Thomas was out of town on business Wed. - Fri. It's so helpful and appreciated when I have other people here while he's gone. It's just so hard to do it all by myself 24 hours a day for more than 1 day! Kudos to the moms that do!

Mary Nell, aka Nana #1, with William

Wanda, aka Nana #2, aka Nana Wanda, with Stokes and Ryan

Lisa, William and Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn feeding William

Mary Nell, William and Kaitlyn

Ryan and Wanda

Stokes and Lisa

Mary Nell, William, Kaitlyn and me

Wanda, Ryan, Mary Nell, William, Kaitlyn, Lisa and Stokes

Wanda, Ryan, Mary Nell, William, Kaitlyn, me and Stokes

Kaitlyn giving William a bottle

We'll have some more family visits in the near future and I'll try to do a better job with taking pictures of everyone and posting about it when it actually happens, vs. lumping them all together a few weeks later. :)