Meetup #2, complete with kids

We went to visit my sister and brother-in-law this weekend. She just happens to live about 20 minutes from Laura. We had talked about meeting last time I was visiting but it didn't work out. This time, it did and we decided to meet at her house on Saturday morning.

I wasn't quite as nervous about meeting Laura as I was about meeting Steph. I knew a little more what to expect about meeting someone that I knew a lot about but had never actually talked to. And this meetup went just as well as the one with Steph, even if it was a bit different because all 4 of our kids were there!

As soon as we got there, we started chatting right away. The boys were excited to play together and Katie took turns going back and forth between the playroom and the kitchen. We sat down in her living room and continued talking, with a few interruptions over sharing toys and climbing babies.

We headed outside for a bit as it was a gorgeous day outside. The weather was just starting to warm up. The boys took turns playing with baseball, the sandbox and parachuting men from the deck. Katie just followed them around and sat with Laura and I for a while. Laura brought her camera out and snapped some pictures of the boys and Katie. She wasn't above giving them a few jelly beans to smile for the camera. I like that kind of incentive myself!

Laura was just as warm, entertaining and real as she is on her blog. She handled her boys with apparent confidence and ease. And for anyone who has an almost 4 year old, this isn't always easy. We talked, laughed and talked some more.

The time that we spent together went by so quickly. It seemed like we had only been there a short time when it was time to leave but it was actually over 3 hours! We talked about getting together again when we come back for another visit. Before we left, we took some pictures in front of her house. Trying to get 4 kids to sit together and pose for the camera wasn't quite successful. I got some candid shots and we had a good laugh while taking the pictures.

Laura, thanks for your hospitality and we look forward to meeting again soon! And what meetup wouldn't be complete without some pictures?