Webb family visit

The Webb family (minus Kelsi, who was at EFY in Idaho) came to visit us when they had a couple weeks to kill in-between jobs.  They left Texas on the 21st of last month and stayed with us for a week before heading out to Utah.  They are hoping Brett has a position with a company in Utah, but they are currently living in limbo.  They have much more patience than me, because I would be an absolute wreck.  One day after swimming at the pool, we were driving separate vehicles back to our house when I got a phone call saying their van had broken down.  In this picture below, they are writing a note for the car repairmen because the shop was already closed when they arrived.  I felt so badly for them, but they laughed at the absurdity of the situation and kept a positive attitude.  After having them spend a week with us, my perspective on life changed quite a bit.  They are dealing with some pretty major chaos but still have hope that things will work out great.  I needed to witness their faith in action because it has reminded me that we all fight tough battles. 

Ryan was on a business trip for the first few days the Webbs were in Missouri.  Keri and Brett jumped right into action helping me paint, clean, stain and repair the rental house every morning.  They were SUCH a huge help, while all the kids played happily back at our house.  I can't thank them enough for the love they showed through their service. 

Logan celebrated his birthday while the Webbs were in town.  I gave him the option of having a "friend" party, but he wanted to celebrate with his cousins instead.  It made for a very easy, low-key party!  We took all the kids to Amazing Play and let them get worn out on all the attractions.  I convinced the whole group (adults included) to play laser-tag together.  We had a blast and got a workout running around the arena!

First, the little boys entertained themselves in the laser maze.  Logan and Brayden shared their coins so they could battle the lasers together.

The girls spent some time in the air on the "Cloud Jumper" and the blurry picture shows Carson on a slide with the cute 7-year-olds.

This play area puts McDonald's to shame.  If you look closely, you can see two little boys peeking out the top of the structure.

The final score of the two laser-tag teams:  RED team (Brett, Keri, Tyler, Carson, Brayden and Logan) beat the BLUE team (Ryan, me, Brevan, Brynlie and Lindsey) by just a couple hundred points.  

On Saturday morning, Keri and I took the girls to get pedicures and frozen yogurt.  I think we do this every time company comes in town now.  It's become a tradition!

One whole day was spent on the lake.  Since Ryan's PICC line had just been removed, he could get in the water for the first time since last summer.  

Brevan has become quite the wakeboarder!  He is convinced his wake boarding skills will help him get a woman someday, because he can take ladies to the lake on dates.  Sounds legit to me.

Lindsey tried skiing for the first time, but it was a pretty big disaster because we forgot to bring the kid-sized skis.  She was a trooper, but got frustrated when the skis kept falling off.

Me and Keri loving on our "babies."  Brynlie couldn't believe I would take a selfie when I looked this horrible.  I told her it's my lake hair, and my posterity is going to have to deal with it.

Hahaha, Carson's facial expression in this picture cracks me up!  Other people don't understand our obsession with this puppy.  We've become pathetic dog people.

Tyler tried skiing for about an hour, and managed to get up several times!

Ryan's first dive into the water after having his PICC line removed!  Take that, Cancer!

It's adorable when we put Bella in the water and she thinks she's going to die.

All of a sudden, the sky darkened and rain started falling.  Logan didn't let the rain spoil his fun.  He opened his mouth and drank up the rain!  Tyler (and most of the rest of us) huddled under towels until the rain slowed.  We didn't get off the water because there wasn't any lightning.  Most other boats left the lake during the short-lived storm, so we found ourselves enjoying a wide-open lake when the rain stopped!

Haha, Ryan, Brett and Keri kept the rain away by huddling under the tube.

Let the fun begin!  Ryan was more than ready for a water adventure!

Enjoying my newly-painted toes while I played photographer at the back of the boat.  Keri, Brayden and Carson were next up on the tube.

After he cried for much of the previous hour, we finally bribed Logan to get on the tube.  What do you know - he smiled the whole time and had a blast.  If only he would listen to us more often!

Look Ma - no hands!

Keri is a master wakeboarder!

Go Brett!

On another day, we visited the Independence Visitors Center with the Webbs. 

Afterward, we drove to an old-fashioned ice cream shop where President Truman worked as a teenager.  

During Sacrament meeting on Sunday, Logan fell sound asleep on Ryan's lap.  We thought it was hilarious so I took a picture.  Then I looked back a couple rows to where the Webbs were sitting and realized Brayden had also fallen asleep!  These crazy boys must have worn themselves out with all their video game playing! 

On Monday, I tagged along with Keri, Brett, Christine and Josh to Kansas so we could enjoy the world-famous Oklahoma Joe's BBQ to get some burnt ends.  Um, the Food Network wasn't kidding - they are to die for.  I didn't let anyone take a picture of me this day because my eyes had become incredible swollen from being around all the dog hair at the rental house.  I was miserable for several days and finally got relief after calling my allergist and begging for a steroid.

After getting back from Oklahoma Joes, I started driving to the hardware store in the Sequoia when I remembered the gas tank had been empty the day before.  That means we had driven an hour-and-a-half into Kansas on an empty tank!  The SUV suddenly died before I was anywhere near a gas station.  Luckily, it was an absolutely gorgeous day outside so I put my feet out the window and chilled until Ryan rescued me.

We bid a sad farewell to Keri and Brett after they spent 8 days with us.  We have been spoiled this year with so many visitors, but I still get sad every time our family leaves.