Alright, so it’s not too often that I blog about my personal life on here, but this week, more than half of MY family came down to visit me and my husband, Bobby.

I know, I know… “You didn’t finish your blog marathon!” Well, I had a very good excuse. I was playing “Auntie Melissa” while I hosted my out-of-town family members.

Here is one adjective I use to describe myself when someone asks: Aunt. Strange to some, yes… but for me? I l-o-v-e it. I am Aunt “Buhlissa” to my 8 nieces and nephews (soon-to-be 10!) and I would have it no other way. I love each and every one of them. As they grow older (the oldest will be 10 years old this week!), it’s been so fun to experience their different personalities and develop the relationship they have with their Aunt and Uncle. Each one is SO different and so special and so adorable in his or her own way. I cannot wait to see what they’ll be like when they are adults. But for now, we’re enjoying childhood all over again.

I am the youngest of five children. Did you know that? Bobby (my husband) is the oldest of three children. Somehow, I feel that works best for our marriage. Don’t ask me why, it just does.

Anyway, one of my older sisters came to visit us for an overnight with her three kiddos. What does one with no children do with three kids? Feed them. And did we feed them. There are no toys to be found in our contemporary apartment (which is half packed in anticipation for our move), so the kids were satisfied with pizza and ice cream cones. They seemed pretty happy! So, on Saturday morning, in an attempt to wear them out, Bobby told the youngest, “N,” that he has a Jeep. Well, for the rest of the morning, we heard nothing except Jeep talk. “N” patiently (or impatiently) waited by the door until Uncle Bobby was finished with breakfast. “N,” was promised a ride in the bright yellow Jeep.

Over the Solomons bridge we go… two kids in the back seat, squealing with excitement that there was no roof and no windows on their vehicle to the other side of the bridge. Even a little kitty Beanie Baby was strapped in tight to ensure it wouldn’t fall out. After we made it safely over the bridge, we stopped at Kim’s Key Lime Pie’s to get an ice cream cone. It was 10:00 a.m. The woman serving us our double-dips asked the kids if we were having ice cream for breakfast. Wide-eyed, the kids answered “YES!” even though their Aunt “Buhlissa” made them a cowboy casserole for breakfast and they knew that full-well. Silly Kiddos. It was no matter…ice cream was caked onto their faces in a matter of minutes.

I love my kiddos. I love it when they visit and I especially love it when they call me Aunt “Buhlissa” because they can’t say Aunt MElissa properly. I hope they never grow out of that and I hope they always come and visit me and Uncle Bobby and take a ride in our Jeep. I hope that one day, they’ll have cousins with whom they’ll make up plays and run lemonade stands. I hope they’ll all grow up together and continue to love unconditionally, even if one “borrowed” the others’ battery-operated car or ONLY wanted to play the cat in the “Littlest Pet Shop” game.

Oh, how I love all my kiddos. Are they not the silliest things??

“N” giving me a thumbs up when asked if he was having fun. It only took him 2 minutes to figure out which fingers were his thumbs, but that’s ok.

Miss “P,” the oldest.  This photo is SOOC (Straight-out-of-camera). Can you believe those eyes?!

Sweet “C” with all her curls. She was thoroughly enjoying her Green Ice Cream.

Oh my, how I love children when they enjoy ice cream so much that they wear it. He is so happy here!

My kiddos are the best…but of course, I’m a little biased  🙂