We love when our Florida family comes to visit! My brother Chad, Sis in law, Lauren & my nephews, Brayden & Colby came to visit for almost a week. They have changed SO much since last time, when they were itty bitty crawling babies!!!!!!!!!
We had so much fun with them, it’s always that much harder to say good-bye though. Wish we could convince them to move to the Mid-west already! 🙂
Anyhow, here are the photos from their visit.
Due to lack of space at my house, Chad & Lauren moved into mom’s side of the duplex. She moved over to Grandma’s side. God is so good to have worked out my mom and Grandmas “neighbor” status. He knew they needed each other close by!
We hung at Mom’s some nights, but were over here at our house most of the time.
Mom and Great Grandma were brave and kept all 6 kids between the duplex sides OVER NIGHT, so we could have a date night with Chad & Lauren! HOW AWESOME!
It’s State Fair time, so we went and walked around and ate yummy food. I didn’t take my camera because I wanted to hold hands with my man, but we got this shot before we left. My favorite part of the night was watching Lauren peel herself off the floor of our “boat” during the ride Ye Old Mill. Lest you think I wasn’t fazed by this ride, I will tell you my throat was sore from all the screaming I did.
Saturday morning I was privileged to be asked to do a food demonstration at an awesome kitchen store downtown, Apron Strings. They asked for me to make a seasonal food, so right away I said BBQ Chicken Pie. It always reminds me of Back to School!
Mom and Lauren were GREAT helpers and I wouldn’t have gotten my prep done in time without them. Next time, I will go earlier until I know my way around that kitchen a little better.
And yes, there will be a next time! They asked me to come back in January. I am thinking Settlers Beans and Cornbread, what do you think?
The rest of the time we just hung out. Honestly, with 6 kids in the house, and 4 extra adults with mom and Grandma coming over for supper, it was a loud, full house and there was always something going on. I LOVE that part! There is nothing better than being elbow to elbow with your loved ones talking loudly over each other. 
We also made sure we had the extended family over for Sunday Night Snack Supper. Food, fellowship and some outside duck & chicken feeding fun.
You break it, you buy it BUDDY!
The 2nd Cousins
Monday was no school, so we headed to the Fair with the whole crew!
With 3 strollers, 6 kids, 5 adults and an Electric Scooter, we soon had to divide up, but it was still a great day. 100* hot, but great!
Because it was dollar day, we were able to do a lot of the rides. Pax pretty much hated all of them! Here he is on the Carousel, it was all fun and games until his hat flew off, then he sobbed and sobbed. I think he thought HE was flying off next. It broke my heart, and I almost jumped the fence to rescue him, mid-ride, but he did fine inspite of the sobs.
The big kids thought Chad & Lauren were the COOLEST Uncle & Aunt EVER after they did the White Water Ride with them.
Destiny met up with one of her friends from school and got to go with her and her mom the rest of the afternoon. I knew they would take good care of her, and she’d be able to do more big kid rides, but I missed her too! Just another step in the process of her growing up and away from me. Pax hated these rides too, every turn he would hollar, “I DON’T WIKE DIS WIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
All except the truck. That one was the most slow, boring one ever, but he loved it! Is my adventuresome one finally taming?!?!?!?!
One day Aunt Gena brought over a 32 pound Watermelon she grew in her garden. We had it for after school snack, and would you believe most of it was gone in 20 minutes?! It was goooood!
I almost cried when I packed back up the baby toys and put away the cribs. We miss the Bontrager Family already! The good news is, we MIGHT get to see them again over Thanksgiving!!!!
Tomorrow, I will share their family photo session that I took their last night here. Busy, don’t hold me back, 1 year olds are always a challenge, but we did our best! 🙂
~T
4 little Fergusons 
Thank you daughter dearest for capturing this incredibly wonderful time we had together!! I couldn’t agree more about missing them so much and wishing they lived here so would could have the joy of watching the cousins grow up together!! Love all my kids and the beautiful spouses my kids married and the delightful 6 grands. I am so richly blessed…thank you Heavenly Father!!!
Looks like you had a GREAT time!!! It is so nice to have family visit. We are looking forward to having my sister come for a visit in Nov. I LOVE having her here! I miss her sooo!:(
I SO wish I could have come for your demo!!! I wish I could have a kitchen like that too!! Wow! What a place!!!!!:) Looks like you had fun. Do they video them? That would be fun to be able to watch.;)
Poor Pax! He looks so scared.:( I am sure it did break your heart to m=not be able to help him. I know I would have felt the same way!
Thanks for sharing your family with us. It is so fun to see what goes on at the Ferguson house.
❤ and {{hugs}}
I always enjoy the pictures you share. I have to comment on the fact that the family genes are certainly strong on your side. Those twins look incredibly like your own children. It’s those eyes. What a blessed week for you all.
Oh what sweet photos of a sweet bunch of folks! Looks like you had a rip roarin’ time together…how wonderful. *-* Can’t believe how big the twins have gotten…WOW! And Kudos to getting another invite to do a demo at that lovely high end kitchen store. Oh how fun!!!!! You’re such a pro at everything you do Miss Tonya! Thanks for sharing.
So much Fun I sure do see Pax and those twins have the same eyes!