the rest of the visit

Jessie and her girls left today. I have a lot of conflicting emotions right now. I knew I couldn't really afford to spend any more time just hanging out when I have so much to do to get ready to leave the country. Lucas's birthday is tomorrow and I need to spend some time focusing on him. Eva's sick and is therefore even more demanding than usual. I am feeling sick myself and totally sleep-deprived.

But oh how I hate to see my sister leave and go back to her home which is so very far away...

And so, some pictures celebrating the rest of her stay.

Who wouldn't want to play under the table? (in jammies, no less)

Bella and Eva were both invited to Mya's birthday party and had a blast playing in the water. You wouldn't know it from this picture, but Eva (in true Eva fashion) would run down the slip n slide and then stop and fall to her knees at the end.

Darling Fiona loved the tire swing (in Hannah's mom's backyard).

Quality coloring time (a shared passion).

Max made his wonderful cream puffs. Jessie succumbed and ate one, but then felt sick. I suffered no such repercussions.

In true best-for-last style, we had an awesome day of reduced child responsibilities yesterday. Jill took the older girls and Lucas to her house for the whole day -- despite Eva being under the weather and crankier than usual -- while Jessie, Hannah and I spent the day working on a quilt, chatting, eating, listening to music, and laughing. It was good for the soul.

Jessie made a whole lap quilt, start to finish, in two days! It made me want to quilt again.

Hannah and I made camera strap covers, which are oh so pleasing to me. I made invitations for Lucas's party. And we helped Jess with her quilt. (Jill even brought her sewing machine over so we could do tandem sewing!)

Cafe Rio salads for lunch.

Hannah went home and put her kids to bed. We put our kids to bed. Marc and Max went out to eat and to a movie, and we stayed home and made popcorn and watched Stick It (a guilty pleasure) on DVR. When the guys got home, we made Italian sodas and had this:

Max made chocolate cheesecake and took great pleasure in plating it and creating a customized presentation for each person.

Last summer when Jessie came to visit, it seemed like we had more days like this one. But then, she didn't have a baby. And Marc was in Paris for his annual trip, so we were definitely more footloose and fancy free. I was so glad we at least had one day of working on projects, my favorite.

Jessie with Max & Lucas just prior to leaving for the airport. We realized that we hadn't really taken any pictures of them together. Seriously, I don't know what happened. She was here for 3 weeks and we didn't have time to take all the pictures we wanted to take, or do all the things we wanted to do.

This little goofball was cracking us up by wearing Mr. Potato Head's glasses. She is apparently feeling much better now and is back to her smiling, happy self. (I hope that was the case during the trip home!)

We only took two self-portraits this time. Two. What the? This one was taken at the airport, right before she left. Good grief.

Sigh. And now begins the long wait until we see each other again.