What's that you say????

We had a 

VISITOR 

shout

HOORAY!!!!!!

It's true!  It's true! We had our very first Australian visitor.  Jared had to go to Thailand for a doTERRA incentive trip.  Jared invited me to go with him on this trip.  I felt like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I really should try to make it possible.  

We weighed out our options...

1. Take the kids with us and try and figure out what to do with them once we got there?

2.  Hire someone here in Australia to watch the kids?

or my fav option

3.  Bring a family member here to be with the kids!

We decided on option numero 3!  

We booked Ashlie's ticket in November and boy did January feel like light years away.  

Luckily, time passed and the day circled in RED on our calendar finally came!

January 17th!

I can't even explain to you how excited we all were.  It was just the best feeling in the world to know that we were going to see a familiar face!  It had been a long time!  My kids were on cloud 9 and they told everyone that their Auntie was coming to visit! 

Anyway, we took the kids to my friend Emma's house while we went to the airport to get Ash.  The kids thought we were going to a work meeting.  We told the kids that she was coming the next day and so they had no clue who we were bringing home!

Jared dropped Ashlie and me off at the house and he went and got the kids from Emma's.  We hid Ashlie outside and when the doorbell rang....

Pretty dang precious, right?  I loved this video because on the way home from the airport Ashlie was nervous that Paxton wouldn't remember her and wouldn't want to stay with her.  But, as you can see in the video....he was PUMPED!

Love this picture!  Not a dry eye!

We only had four and a half days with Ashlie until we left for Thailand 

and so we packed a lot in the first few days!

First thing we did was head down the peninsula to a touristy spot, Phillip Island.  Once we got there we headed to the beach!  Ashlie's favorite thing in the whole wide world!

Life can't get better than days like this!!!!

Love my boys!

This was the first time we have been at a "surf" beach.  All the beaches by us are "bay" beaches so my kids were in heaven with all the waves!!

I caught you, Jared!!!!

Loved this picture Ashlie captured of us playing games on the beach!  

After the beach we went out to find us some dinner!  The worst part about Australia to me is that they literally have NO good Mexican food.  I think I have ranted about this before.  We try every single one that we come across.  We were driving down the road and found one and so we braved it!  

Fortunately, for us, it was actually really yummy!  

SCORE!

Oh wait!  It is like 2 hours away!

Oh well!  It was still yummy!

After dinner we walked the streets, hit up some souvenir shops, and stopped for some gelato.  

Then, we went and got in line to see the baby penguins.  It is actually a pretty amazing thing.  The penguins have these little homes built along the ocean on the beach.  They go out fishing for days and weeks at a time and they set landmarks and then come back when they are done eating!

We were freezing waiting for the little penguins to come out.  It was a little chilly but we could have also been a little cold from our sunburn we got earlier that day! ;)  

Keeping entertained!

Teaching him the duck face!! PS..Ash are you cold?

Brrrrrr!

Out they came!!!  Like thousands of them!!!

Sunday after church our friends Deb and Hutch took us to feed the birds!  It was super fun but the number of birds was a little intimidating!!!!

The following pictures don't need captions!!!  

Enjoy!

Okay, maybe they do!! Poor Deb was just holding the bag of food and they could smell it a mile away!

Pax was beyond scared!  And maybe Jared a little!! :)

Ashlie felt like the bird lady on Home Alone! 

Hutch trying to warm Pax up to the idea of feeding the birds!

Awwww, so handsome is he! 

I love this picture more than anything in the whole world!  

This is Boston's real, honest, genuine, heartfelt smile!  

He was not scared one bit!

I was a little scared!!!  Ready to punch one if landed on my face! Ha!

Keep trying Hutch!  I think it is working!!!

Lillie and Em getting a little brave!

Lillie only liked the little red ones!!!

INTERMISSION

{enter 6 days of us being gone to Thailand..}

Ashlie was a champ while we were gone.  She refused to learn how to drive while she was here.  I can't say that I blame her.  It is a little daunting for me still and I have been here for 4 months.  (Did you catch that people...20 more fast Sundays!!!)  Luckily, we live about a block and a half away from a grocery store.  They all walked up to it everyday to get out of the house.  I set up two play dates for her with some of my friends so that she could get out of the house.  A seriously huge thank you to Stephanie and Kerri!  You were complete lifesavers and Ashlie enjoyed her time with you.  She also had phone calls, texts, and surprise visitors who checked in on her.  She had people call who were going to the grocery store, banana bread dropped off to her, and the list could go on.  I felt a little how our families must feel back in Utah.  I was so grateful for the generosity and thoughtfulness that Ashlie received while we were away.  Thank you, you sweet people you!

After being gone we came home to one very attached little boy to his Auntie!!

He loves her!

She loves him!

He is so content to be with just her!

That's a big deal for Pax!!

While we were away Paxton got used to sleeping with Ashlie.  

{Naughty}

So our first night back home he snuck down the stairs and fell asleep right here.

I think he wanted to hear her voice and make sure she wasn't going anywhere!

The next morning Jared drove us down to the city to have a full 24 hours to ourselves.  He dropped us off at our hotel.  Well kinda our hotel.  Let's just say he dropped us off on a one way street!

We did lots of things in that 24 hours!!!

Ashlie is easy to please!

Anything in the sun will suffice!!

Chillin at the Wharf!

Umm...I'm not lost!! I promise!!!

Spent the day just shopping, talking, walking, and just relaxing.  

Went to the movie

"The Impossible"

Ya, glad I waited to see that until I got home from Thailand.

It is a great movie though!  2 thumbs up!

Our Yummy dessert!

Got back to the hotel and just laughed our little buns off!  

Laughed and laughed and laughed.  

It never felt so good to just giggle.  

That's the best thing about sisters.  You don't have to worry if they are ever going to disappear, or judge you for your quirks.  You're sisters!  They aren't going anywhere.  

We are definitely different from each other.

I'm loud - She's quiet

I'm sensitive - She's more sensitive

I like to be the life of the party - She's happy to sit back and watch

But in the end we are so much a like and love each other to the moon and back!  That's how I feel about all my siblings.  We were all raised in the same house.  With the same crazy parents! :)

We got brave and took the train home.   It was so much fun and so relaxing.  

I can't wait to take the train again!

Sadly, the end was near!  

We did her favorite thing that day and headed to the beach for a couple hours!

And then after much hesitation, she packed her bags!!!

Sad face!!!

Thursday came whether we liked it or not.  Thursday also happened to be our kids first day of school.  They have been on summer/holiday break since December 22nd.  

We took some pictures.

And said goodbye!

I feel like we waited months and months and months for Auntie Ashlie to come.  

And just like that it was over!  We are so happy that she was able to come and stay.

As sad as we were to see her leave 

I was excited that her kids were going to get their Mom back!

They missed her! 

As did her hubby!

The minute she walked away in the airport my heart hurt.

The only way I can explain it is..my heart felt out of rhythm.

I may or may not have gone into a little depression for 48 hrs.

However, life goes on!  Funny how that happens.  

She is home preparing for her missionary to leave in a month.

I'm here raising my kids, supporting the husband, and trying to find my place in all of this.

Love you Ash!  Thanks for the best couple weeks!

xoxoxoxo

Stay tuned for our Thailand post!

Oh and we have some great news!!!!

...

...

We have more visitors coming in March!

}}}Mark and Erin{{{

}}}Grandma Lil and Grandpa Terry{{{

Pretty pumped about that news!