from Boston beauty to desert beauty…we love cousins

 These girls were crazy and took the “polar plunge” not once, but a few times while they were here:

 They took some funny pictures of each other…

Claire sweet-talked me into missing a little school to hang with her and I got her to myself for a little bit too.

Nothing like one-on-one time with cousins.  Never let schooling interfere with that 🙂

Then Saydi and the rest of the family arrived with their two cars packed to the hilt with everything they were moving across the country for their six month adventure in California (more about that wonder over HERE).

We made a visit to my brother’s school where he teaches…

…and soaked in his amazing classroom with so many cool things to keep the kids mesmerized and loving learning…

We took them to visit the beauty of the desert on a hike.

Such a contrast to the beauty they’re used to that we got to bask in with them back in Boston the month before (back HERE).

 I love that there are so many different kinds of beauty in this world of ours.

(That’s my favorite desert cactus up there, especially when the light hits it just so.)

Loved soaking it in with a sister who goes as wild about it all as I do.

Along with these sweeties we love.

I love that my favorite cactus up there on the left kind of mimics Peter’s hair down below it:

We made it up to the Wind Caves with all these troopers:

…and ordered pizza sitting in parkas in lounge chairs talking about everything under the sun.

Took more “polar plunges” under cotton candy skies:

Had sleep-over parties every night:

Saydi conducted “cousin-races” of all sorts on the sidelines of Claire’s soccer game which Lucy was over-the-moon about:

 And Claire’s eyes shone with glory to have her own personal fan club cheer her on:

We cooked together, stayed up late talking, ate Jeff’s favorite Chicken and Waffles with just the adults (Josh too), and just wished for even longer.

Thank goodness I get to go visit soon.