Mike’s sister Monica and her family moved into a new house last month. A new house that is only twenty minutes away from us!!! Our brother-in-law got a job here in LA, and that meant the whole brood relocated to our turf. We are thrilled to have them so close to us now.
Because they’re just a short drive away, it means we can now be there for important events like birthday parties. This past weekend our nephew Spencer turned six, and there was a large shenanigan in his backyard, complete with a bounce house, 87 tons of sugar, and a…presentation…by a company called Reptactular Animals.
Yes. Fifteen Kindergartners with every kind of reptile you can imagine.
It was so awesome how INTO it the little girls were. Even my 14 month old niece!
The little boys on the other hand (with the exception of Spencer), had NO attention span. At the end of the presentation, seven little girls and Spencer held a 30-foot snake. I was cracking up.
Annabel was kinda into it. We didn’t let her touch anything because girlfriend is NOT gentle. But she had definite opinions about the different animals.
After Spencer blew out his candles, the party ended.
And that meant that the bounce house was open to the rest of us.
Wheeeeee!
We also let the little girls into the bounce house, and they had a blast crawling around…
…and attacking Mike.
It is going to be so much fun having them here. I’m looking forward to many more pictures like this:
sae says:
Those SMILES!
Kate @ UpsideBackwards says:
I love the different expressions for the different animals!
Also, I want to play in a bounce house now. My kids have had a couple of bouncy-castle sessions recently, and it looks like amazing fun.
It’s fantastic having cousins so close
Jayne says:
Picture number 6:
Annabel: “Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I lick the toad?! He looks like he haz a taste…!”
Elle says:
Spot on!
Elle says:
Having family so close must be great. Your niece and Annabel are too cute for words! It looks like a good time was had by all. Go Mike! Go Mike!
That picture of him makes me think of this song: it’s peanut butter jelly time!!
Gemini-Girl says:
I love the pic of mike in the bouncehouse. you know he was waiting for the end of the part to get into that thing.
foni says:
only one is missing who would enjoy it the most. you have shown in other pictures how much Maddie adored her cousins and her missing is the most obvious. i hope you have the greatest time with all of your family so close
Sally says:
Great post! Love the pic of Mike. Too funny! I still think Annie and my son would cause SO much trouble together! They seem so alike in so many ways!
Lynn from For Love or Funny says:
Mike looks like he’s having just as much fun as the kids!
Jenn says:
I love your pictures!! My favourite…well, that was a tie. 1) Mike jumping in the bouncy tent. It was so nice to see so much joy on his face. I also love the picture of all the kids. It was so sweet!! Boy has Danny gotten big!!! I’m glad you had a great time.
Heather says:
Mike looked like he was having *way* too much fun in that bouncy castle.
Veronika says:
I hope the kids had as much fun as Mike obviously did! And I love the pic of Annie crawling on the bouncy house and sticking her tongue out at the bullfrog.
Mary Ann says:
I love the picture you took of your neice, the expression on her face is so sweet. Annie looked like she had a blast, kind of like she was thinking mmmmmm that looks like it tastes good looking at all those lizards. It looks like you had a great time, it’s so nice to have family close to experience those moments.
Sue says:
So happy for you, Heather, that you now have them close by to create lots of beautiful memories and fun times!!!
Jen L. says:
What gorgeous children! (Annie included) It’ll be so much fun to have family so close.
Kristen says:
My sister just moved back to Long Island, NY after 10 years in Floida. It is so nice to have her back, even if it is still a 2 hour drive…better than 22!! It is so exciting to be able to spend holidays and weekends together!
Deborah says:
Yay for family closeness! I love the children attacking Mike.
Lisa says:
That’s so awesome. I wish our brothers and their families lived closer. I love the idea of cousins growing up together.
Looks like Spencer had quite the birthday. How fun that you guys could be there too.
J+1 says:
That picture of Mike bouncing is cracking me up.
Lara says:
Love the pic of Mike in the bounce house! haha! That looks like fun!
My Livy was just like Annie… all cheeky and chunky and just PERFECT to hug and love on! Then she decided she needed to walk (damn it!) and then run (double damn it!) and like magic all of her cute chub melted off.
*Sigh* I had asked her not to grow up, and she didn’t listen…. we may have a long road ahead of us with that girl! ha!
toastgal says:
My son and my brother’s kids all grew up living in the same neighborhood their whole lives. As a result they are all very close like brothers and sisters which is what i wanted for my son since he is an only child. I’m very happy for you and your family!
cindy w says:
Oooh, I want to rent a bounce house just so I can jump in one. Every time we go to a birthday party at one of those indoor bounce house places, they always have a policy that grown-ups aren’t allowed in them (unless you’re, uh, retrieving your kid). Of course, I’m probably not even allowed in a bounce house while pregnant, but MAN that’d be fun.
Awesome pics – especially that last one of all the kids. That’s really cool that Annie’s cousins will be nearby as she grows up. I know I love having my cousin’s family just a few miles away.
Kim Wencl says:
It’s great to have family so close isn’t it? And great for the kids. Great pics – thanks for sharing!
Kate says:
Wow, Annie and her cousins look a lot alike. Those Spohr genes must be strong
Kelly says:
So exciting! Having cousins close by is so much fun, especially when close in age. Sleep overs and parties! Yay!
Ms. Moon says:
I think we should all have reptiles and bounce houses in our backyards all the time. ALL THE TIME!
Great pictures.
Mindi says:
What a wonderful post…I am so happy for yiu and Mike and your extended family to be so close. I have mentioned before that 8 have 8 nieces and nephews and how much I adore them. Well we all love right on top of each others. Seriously, I live two blocks from my mommy. My “kids”, the cousins are so close, spread in gar range from 13-23, they genuinely love each other. Three of the eight are girls, the only girls in each of their families. They are like sisters and this is what tickles me most about your new family geography. I can only imagine how bald you want Annabel to have a sister and for my girls cousins are just that. I love that my kiddos are so close, so connected even when separated by thousands of miles as three are off to college (they Skype all the time). And I love this for your family. Have a wonderful holiday and Chrismas season with your darling girl and precious family down the street.
Elizabeth says:
I think I want a bouncy house at my next birthday, they’re so much fun!!!
The pictures are great and Annie’s expressions are hysterical.
Happy Birthday Spencer!!
susan says:
yay for cousins getting to live & grow up so closely to each other! looks like mike was able to burn off some of that sugar in the bounce house? that picture should be your wallpaper for awhile!
Lora says:
Yay for family!!!
I think the picture of Mike in the bounce house might be one of my new favs, lol!
i am so happy for you guys!
LisaJ says:
Heather, I live across the street from my sister, and I can tell you it is just SO awesome to know I can holler across and invite her for a glass of wine. I am so excited for your family.
heather@tripleblessing says:
wow! Annie and your niece look like they could be twins! We moved all the way across the country just to be closer to family. I don’t regret a minute of it. Ok, maybe like fifteen minutes of it, but for the most part, it’s been fantastic!
MBKimmy says:
OHMeGOOSH … I love the pictures! Love them! WOW! Lose dimples did you see all of them! OhMeGOOSH!
Rebecca says:
Annie looks like she is all….what are you doing in MY house girl! On the bounce house photo.
michelle in MO says:
In the second pic of Annie with the frog, it looks like she’s thinking “I’m gonna eatcha!” Also, Annie looks just like a mini Mike in girl’s clothing!
Angie M. says:
LOL!!! mike in the bounce house…oh god!! hilarious!!
also..what a bunch of good looking kids. so cute!
Darcie says:
I L.O.V.E. the pic of Mike in the bounce house! What a cheesy grin!
Aisha says:
Great pics!!!! You are brave to allow Annie so close to the reptile- Annie? She’s an intrepid one you can already tell!
eva says:
This looks like a BLAST – my baby g/f aint gentle either hahah Love the one with Annie’s tounge out – tres cute!
It is great that they are so close to you now..
Now is it just me or did Mike have more fun than the kids?
jenny says:
Love the photo of Mike jumping and of Annie with her tongue out at the lizard with tongue out.
Awesome to have family and cousins so close!
Carrie P. says:
Awww, great pics!! I especially love the one of Mike jumping in the bounce house! Too funny! It’ll be so great for Annie to grow up with her cousins. I’ll bet they’ll all be the best of friends.
Eric's Mommy says:
We have tons of pets, Reptiles, Amphibians, Dogs, Guinea Pigs, Fish. I love the picture of Annie and the Bearded Dragon, I have one and he loves to be held, I’m sure Annie would love him too!
Paula says:
I totally think she wanted to eat that frog/toad/whateverreptileitis. You can totally see the hunger on her face.
I am glad family moved close to you.
MyBabyBeluga says:
That looks like so much fun! Exceptionally the reptiles…how cool
amanda says:
OK, that pic of Mike is the BEST.
eliza says:
Beautiful catch lights in Michaela’s eyes in the little picture where she is looking up in her pink hoodie!
Alison says:
Love the Mike pic! He looks the biggest kid of them all. The babies attack photo is one for the scrapbook, I say.
I am glad more of your family is close to you guys. Annie will have so much fun with her cousins just a short drive away.
xoxo
amourningmom says:
How great to have family so close! Annabel is going to have so much with her cousins. Take care.
Jenny says:
Kicking the kids out and grown ups (when are we ever really “grown”??) taking over the bounce house after the big party is the best reason to rent the bounce house.
Great pictures!
Glenda says:
Great pictures = Priceless. So happy for you, Mike and Annie that family moved closer.
Amanda says:
I always took the relationships I have with my cousins, aunts, and uncles for granted until I met my husband. I thought it was perfectly normal that the 20+ of us all got together about once a month the entire time I was growing up. My husband barely knows his because they lived a plane ride apart and it was a miracle if they were all together once a year. Relationships with cousins, aunts, and uncles are different in every family but good ones are such a blessing.
Marianne says:
A whole lot of adorable in those pictures… and those big dark eyes in that family! My word!
Anna says:
That’s funny – I was at a kids’ birthday party last weekend where they did an animal presentation, and the girls were sitting there totally focused and listening while the little boys crawled around on the floor. Now, granted, they were only two years old, but it was a great illustration of why young girls, as a whole, are so much easier to teach.
amy says:
OH MY does that couch shot take me back… Used to regularily be placed on Nana’s couch with the cousins. Love it.