Steenbakkers~ The adopted cousins

After we spent time with Ashley in Flower Mound (see previous post), we drove to Mansfield to stay with some friends.  Shauna is another one of my good friends that I met 14 years ago in College.  They have moved around the last few years but one special move was when they moved from Colorado to Utah for 6 months.  They moved for her husband's job but I think that the Lord wanted them there to help me through a difficult time in my life.  Shauna's husband's mother passed away from cancer a couple years prior to my mom's passing from cancer.  They had been through it all and knew exactly how to help someone dealing with this.  It was so nice to be able to have someone to talk to that knew what I was feeling.  They moved to Dallas about a month after my mom passed away.  And we moved to Houston 3 months later.  We try to see each other a couple times a year.  My kids actually think that her kids are their cousins. 

We swam and swam.  Madelyn jumping off the diving board.

Cannon ball
Surfing
1,2,3 jump!
Garrett loves their dog.  He wanted to bring Bruiser home.  
The girls!  Shauna didn't want a picture taken with a hat on.  Don't worry Shauna, I'll only put it on my blog!  
Bowling!  Alycia was so happy to beat the boys!

Alycia (7), Carter (9), Christopher (8), Easton (5), Garrett (7) and Madelyn (4)
The kids boys had their own home run derby in the back yard.  We tried a sno-cone with pickle flavor juice (GROSS) and stayed up late watching chick flicks. (her husband was out of town and we left Matt at home to hold down the fort).  We had a great visit.  We put the car on cruise control and headed home (Madelyn slept the whole 3 1/2 hrs). We were grateful that Hurricane Dolly's rain did not hit us until we got home.