Team Alley's last visit and Memorial Day

Team Alley had their final monthly visit to our house over Memorial Day weekend. We have had so much fun having them close by and getting to see them frequently. The kids have loved getting to know their cousins and we always have a crazy fun time when they are around!

Since it was the last visit, we decided to hang out at the lake on Saturday. The kids loved it and the parents loved it because they were worn out by bedtime! Woo-Hoo! 

the crazy bunch getting ready to storm the beach!

building "castles in the sand"

Since it was memorial day weekend, we decided to visit the "memorial Gardens" at Clemson. Clemson is a historical military college, so they did a fabulous job honoring our military present and gone. 

you can't have a McAlley weekend without photo bombing going on;)

Will doing a HS senior portrait session….

Afterwards, we had the kids run wild on Bowman field and play with bubbles…they.love.bubbles.

I am freeeeeeee, let it go, let it go….

wild bunch doing who knows what...

 I did get a picture of the kids at the Clemson sign, but some refused to be in the photo, others were moving around too much and still others were trying to hug others way too tightly….so, that picture was tossed…oh well! They were here. We had fun. We must do it again.

On Memorial Day, our family pledged to run/walk 10 miles for Wear Blue: Run to Remember organization. This organization is in place so that we will never forget our military service men and women who have died for our freedom. The motto is, for the fallen, for the fighting and for the families. May we never forget the ultimate sacrifice made for us! 

Legoland

Our girls looooove legos. For Alley's 6th birthday, she got her first box of legos and life has not been the same since. For Christmas, "Santa" gave all three girls a huge horse farm lego set that has kept the girls entertained for hours and they each have gotten a small set for themselves since then. So, I would say, the McPherson family is officially lego-obsessed. When Jess asked us if we wanted to go to Legoland together (the families), we couldn't pass it up! We had such a great time see, building, riding and playing with legos!

The McPherson girls all excited and ready to go in:)

all the kiddos ready to break down the doors to get inside;)

a huge lego wizard

the kids (and Andy…who is a big kid himself!) building lego race cars to race each other

Kendall saw a better ride!

"she came in like a wrecking ball…."

the twins building something, anything and everything!

MC becoming friends with "that gurl"….

Kendall rocking it out to whatever was playing…she didn't care if she didn't know the song, she belted out words like a champ:)

serious builders

while waiting to get in to the theatre to see a little lego movie, the "babies" got to play with legos…they were too cute!

Alley and I went on a spinning ride…yeah for selfless;)

after we got home, the girls sat and played with their little $4 lego sets for a long time…so cute and quiet!

Visit to G-ma's

We were very excited to be able to make a trip out to Arkansas this year. As always, we have great food and lots of fun meeting up with most of Andy's family. The girls loved playing outside in G'ma's back yard, playing with dolls inside and just goofing around with everyone. It was such a nice visit.

the girls lining up in front of Jim's chair…choo-choo!

G'ma teaching MC the fine art of linking monkey's together:)

this is one excited McPherson!

We absolutely love that Brad and the girls can visit when we come out there (we missed you Todd and Joy…and of course, Titus!). The girls thoroughly enjoyed playing with Katie and Avery! What sweet older cousins they have!!

the girls learning some games on the iPad

Brad helping MC with a puzzle

Andy and Avery

This year, our trip was over Mother's Day. I was so happy Andy was able to be with his mom on Mother's Day! We had a great day celebrating with church, dinner out and family. You can't ask for anything better than that!

me and my girls…they are getting too big!!

G'ma and the girls

the sweet and sassy girls…don't let this picture fool you;)

Andy and his mom

I snagged this girl for a quick photo…man I love this chick!

We went out to visit Andy's dad, Opa, and bring him flowers. It never fails, Alley always asks to do this as soon as we arrive. The girls, especially Alley and Kendall, have been asking a lot of questions about Opa. They want to know everything about him and what he was like when Andy was young. You will frequently hear them say they miss Opa. So sweet!

putting their special flowers on the grave

taking a picture "with" Opa

Right as we were getting int he car, Alley said she wanted to "have a moment" with Opa. Andy and I looked at each other and shrugged, sure. She knelt in front of his grave, put her hands on the tombstone and looked up in the sky saying, "Opa, come back, please come back. I miss you!". OH.MY.HEART.
Then Kendall came over with a few rocks she had collected and placed them "for Opa" at his grave. She wanted him to have pretty rocks (for those of you who don't know, Kendall is a rock collector. She loves rocks!).

my sweet girls loving on their Opa

It was a quick trip, but an enjoyable one! Happy Mother's Day to everyone!!