So, a few months ago, I got the most exciting phone call from my brother-in-law – he was going to send my sister, Holly, to visit me!  He surprised her with the trip as a Valentine gift, and on Saturday night she arrived :).  She brought the youngest of her 3 boys with her, "Baby Luke" – as Lily likes to call him, and we had an amazing time!!

I can't begin to express how much fun we had and how much I loved having her here.  She is not just my sister, but my best friend.  (How spoiled have I been – visits with 2 of my sisters within a few weeks.)  Some highlights of her visit were:

*Having her be at church with us, and come hang out with me in Primary :).  She was also able to watch the kids while I had to run and set up for Primary, since Kevin was speaking in Sacrament meeting and couldn't.

*Having someone in the kitchen, not only to help me cook, but to keep me company while I was cooking.  (She also helped clean up a lot, even though I tried to let her relax and be the guest, but that is just how wonderful she is.)

*Watching the boys interact – they are 7 months apart, and it was pretty interesting to watch them, since they are still at the age where they don't share at all.  We also had quite a few people ask us if they were twins while we were out and about – he he!  I tried to get a good picture of them together, but they are both too active to get in the same picture, so this was the best I could do:

 *Watching Lily play with Luke, which was pretty hilarious.  Here he is riding her like a horse :).  She loved making him laugh out loud, and they had a few screaming contests – which I could have done without, but they thought were hilarious.

*Going to Fort Pulaski – this cool Civil War fort with a moat, drawbridge, cannons, and these cool tunnels.  We took turns putting one of the boys on the harness and one in the stroller.

*Playing at the beach on Tybee Island.  The kids had so much fun playing in the sand, chasing the seagulls, and playing in the water.  Actually, the boys didn't like the water very much, but Lily was her normal self, playing in the waves.  It was also pretty hilarious after we were done, since we had to strip the kids down one by one, and hose them off before we put them back in the car.  The sand seemed to be ingrained in their skin :).

*Making a yummy apple pie together, another thing that is so much more fun with help.

*Having a delicious breakfast at the Waffle House – the best waffles in the world!  Yum!

*Shopping together at the mall, so Holly could find cute new summer clothes.  Then letting the kids run wild at the soft playground there.

*Playing on River Street.  We ate candy, rode the ferry, and shopped in all the little fun shops.  Lily especially loved this dolphin statue she found.  Holly and I were quite the site to behold, as we had to run as fast as we could pushing our strollers so we could catch the ferry in time, and Lily was quite the trooper, running along side us.  It was about 90 degrees that day, and so we got pretty worn out, but timed it perfectly, so that all three kids were sound asleep on the way home. 

*Watching Pride and Prejudice (the old A&E version) together.  It is my favorite, and I have wanted Holly to watch it with me for 11 years, but she finally did since she loved the newest version :).

*Taking a walk on a gorgeous "summer" evening, to get take-out chineese food for dinner on our last night.

*Staying up late talking and having fun.  Planning our family reunion for this summer.  And eating lots of yummy ice-cream :).

It was such a wonderful five days, and I will miss her so much!!  It was very sad to get up this morning and find them gone, since Kevin took them to the airport very early.  Lily was especially sad, as she has always been pretty close to Holly.  And even though I am sad to see her go, I am so grateful that I am so blessed to have such awesome sisters!!