The reunion "officially" started on Thursday night. Since the Colorado Hamiltons (as we are referred to with the Hamilton family) found the best flight times on Wednesday, we arrived a day early. It was also to our advantage since our boys like to take in a new situation at their own pace and adjust to the potential craziness (as in SUPER busy and Wall-to-Wall people) slowly.
To our delight, the Wyoming Hamiltons arrived early as well. They pulled into town late Wednesday night with enough time for us to hug hello and send everyone to bed.
To Oliver and Kellan's delight their cousins were here and ready to PLAY!
Do you think anyone is excited?
Uncle Keith scooped up Mis Hailey in .7 seconds, flat. He has a HUGE soft spot for this little lady.
I used to tell Lauren that there are huge advantages of being the only girl in the family. She now shares that spotlight with her little sister, but I don't think she minds.
Aunt Carrie got a Miss Hailey snuggle too and there were plenty of oooh and aaahs for her cute little pink dress since there aren't many of those around the Colorado Hamilton house.
Uncle Brian
Uncle Brian
Uncle Brian
Yes, Uncle Brian found the first squirmy wormy. A creature that I could have lived all weekend without seeing. Even more than that, MY first born son was the first to request a cuddle with the squirmy wormy.
UGH!
ICK!
EWWW!!!
... he loved it.
Then, they carefully let him go live back in the land of Arkansas.
It was time to clean-up and head across the street to Aunt Carol and Uncle Bill's condo.
The Colorado Hamiltons kid-knapped Miss Hailey and stole her away to our suite.
The boys may be smitten with her as well.
Someday, her Aunt Carrie will tell her how many advantages there are to being the youngest girl in the family and then we will go shopping for a new pink dress and get matching pedicures. Hopefully her sister Lauren will join us as well.
Until then... we will ooh and ahh over her.
... and give her special snuggles (with a random bird feather?? BOYS!!)
Even through the "getting ready" process, the boys had to sit extra close and give soft snuggles.
Oliver may possibly be one of the sweetest most tender boys ever.
(remember this when you see the wrestling posts)
As we ventured across the street to Aunt Carol and Uncle Bill's condo we headed down to the lake in search of turtles. The turtles had been on this board but when we appeared they dove into the depths of the lake. It didn't stop Lauren and Kaden from looking photogenic on the dock.
Kellan was a BIG fan of walking on the board walk and the fascinations of turtles and fish that swam in the water below.
I don't think I'll ever get enough of seeing my boys walking and talking with their Dad's. Especially when they are two peas in a pod with plaid shorts.
Turtle #1 (out of MANY).
Lauren is doing the honors of placing the brave and unwilling turtle in the hands of small boys.
Meanwhile, while the big kids were on a turtle hunt, Nana was in her happy place snuggling a baby. Miss Hailey was in her happy place on Nana's lap.
As the first arrivals, we got the first boat ride from Uncle Bill.
Brian, Carrie, Keith, Kellan, Uncle Bill
Stephanie, Oliver, Kaden, Lauren
Stephanie, Oliver, Lauren, Kaden, Brian, Carrie, Kellan and Keith
Daddy and Kellan ready for the ride
Heading out. WAHOO!!!
Kaden, Stephanie, Oliver and Carrie
Daddy and Kellan on the water.
Miss Lauren loving the ride.
A couple of cool dudes living the good life.
Our fearless captain, Uncle Bill.
Picking up some speed.
Kaden, Stephanie, Carrie and Oliver
Mr Hollywood
Such a Smooth Operator.
"Oh yes Mama, I've got my eye on you lady."
Kellan LOVED riding on the boat!
Oliver LOVED riding on the boat as well.
The sun was shining, the wind was blowing in his hair and the boat was FAST!
Does it really get any better than this?
The boys checking out some houses on the shore. They were quite the site.
Lauren experiencing the spray of the water on her hand.
HOORAY for GOOD DAYS!
HOORAY for CRAZY HAIR!
Some guys just have natural style.
The Fisherman's Warf is a place we had our eye on for lunch later that day.
One of the amazing houses. It's hard to tell, but there is a pool out front with a fountain pouring down into the lake. I imagine this is an infiniti pool.
There is just something relaxing about a boat ride. All you want to do is lay back in a comfy place and ponder where life has taken you. Even if it's only been 22 months. It feels like a life time.
It seems that all of the Colorado Hamiltons have a natural style about them.
Some guys get all the luck with the cool do.
Lauren and her Mama Stephanie.
One of the new houses being built. We debated on if this was a house or a resort. Really, it could be either. CRAZY!
ICE COLD BEER, show us the way home!
(Big presence of our brands, which is always GREAT to see!)
After our great boat ride, we headed to lunch at the Fisherman's Warf where they had a great deck for us to enjoy our surroundings and the boys could cool down in little boy style.
Or... maybe just boy style.
Almost all of the Hamiltons.
Carrie, Kellan, Keith, Oliver (Colorado) Brian, Hailey (Wyoming), Bill, Jacquie (Wyoming and Texas), Kaden, Stephanie and Lauren (the other half of the Wyoming Hamiltons)
Stephanie and Lauren showing off their catch of the day.
Oliver, a bit confuses as to why I would want a picture of him with his first Tilapia.
Then, wondering why we keep talking about "when in Rome". Aren't we at Lake Hamilton, Arkansas?
The kids discovered a large school of fish (some were HUGE catfish!) below the deck.
They also discovered that the fish and one turtle loved saltine crackers but were not fond of the french fry.
Back at our hotel suite, the Texas Hamiltons had arrived and we had a full house!
Finally, not-so-little Isaac arrived for some Aunt Carrie snuggles.
He definitely has missed me. (or not... but lets not bust my bubble)
Kellan and William were very happy to bond over a bowl of gold fish crackers.
Don't forget... these two cutie pies have the exact same birthday within an hour of each other.
Oliver has such a soft spot for the babies and he was anxious to hold his new cousin Isaac for the first time.
Isaac was very happy hanging out with his cousin Oliver.
For dinner. we headed back to the condo on the lake. Nearly everyone was there, including Keith's uncle Shawn and his son Drew with their wave runner. (I kept calling it a jet ski but they always said wave runner. Am I old school, clueless, or what?)
Oliver was glowing with happiness.
The guys watched as Keith rode off on the wave runner into the sunset.
There he is, my Wyoming cowboy riding the waves.
You can't help but smile ear to ear while riding the wave runner. We were told we wouldn't get wet. I think Keith took that as a challenge and he came back less than dry.
Aunt Stephanie loves to give Kellan a squeeze when she can get him to stand still.
Then... the Hamilton boys showed their true colors as the sprinkler system sprung into life. We found Oliver and William cooling off in the spray.
It felt SO good (so their screams and squeals would say)!
Kellan was a bit more cautious, but he too was curious and before he knew it, he was stripped down to freedom to run and play in the water.
It was a belly slapping good time!
With all of these good time, Kellan was sure to show his hand-on-hips disapproval of the big kids running laps in the yard instead of playing in the water.
How can this pose with Elmo smiling back not make you smile?
As the sun set on our first day, we had an amazing time!
But we weren't done yet!!
Kellan was still playing in the water and squealing with delight. There was more fun to have!
"Hey look William, you can get really close to the water and it will spray your hand."
"Hey Kellan look, you can completely cover up the sprinkler so no water comes out. Then, when you let go it squirts EVERYWHERE!"
It was so much fun that William could hardly contain his squeals.
It doesn't take much to entertain these boys, just a few sprinklers and a hot summer day.
Kellan: "I'm not sure that they should be touching that."
Kaden: "Look William, I can make it spray you."
Oliver: "This is Crazy!"
William:" Whoa Dude! Do it again!"
As the kids were happily playing in sprinklers, Mama took a spin on the wave runner.
It was SO FUN!!!
It's been years and I loved it!!
Papa was happy to get some time in with his youngest grand baby, Isaac.
..and Kellan finally braved the sprinklers and showed it who was boss to close our the streaking sprinkler system play and the amazing first day.
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