Fanny & The Hendersons!

Last week was awesome!! I got to spend time with my brother/sister-in-law and of course their three sweet children - our nieces and nephew. I was so excited to see them. It was the first time I had seen them since our wedding two years ago, and only the second time I have met them. My in law family consists of Kyle's mom Barbara, Kyle's brother Kacy, his wife Fanny, Javier, Elena, and Tatiana. We are all one big melting pot! Of course, I am Caucasian/American Indian, Kyle is African American/American Indian<--(I think), Kacy...duh, the same as Kyle, and Fanny is Panamanian/Mexican/Chinese (Fanny - correct me if I am wrong). How awesome is that! So, I have to brag that they make one beautiful family.

**Kacy/Barbara/Kyle**

I am known to them as Aunt Melissa (Or as Elena spells it - Ant Melissa - so precious). I don't think they completely understand how special they make me feel. I am one of two sisters, and as of yet she has no children. I am sure one day she will, but so far Kyle's are my only nieces and nephew. They make you feel important just to be called Aunt Melissa. It makes my heart melt. Just ask Kacy and Fanny how much those babies had me wrapped around their fingers. I couldn't put them down or stop hugging on them. They are the three sweetest kids ever. I took off last week, all but Monday, to spend time with them. I am so glad that I did. I don't think I mentioned yet that they live in Killeen, Texas, where Kacy is stationed, so it has been few and far between that they have been to visit. I have been with Kyle for 5 years in April, and like I said this is only the second time I have seen them. After this past week though, we promise to try to get together more often.

We all met up in Montevallo on the Sunday after xmas for Kyle and Kacy's granddaddy's 90th birthday! **Happy Birthday Granddaddy!**

He is one man you can learn a lot from. He is full of advice and funny sayings. We celebrated with him, the family, and many of his church members and friends at Shiloh church. Anyone who wanted could get up and tell how they felt about granddaddy aka Mr. Acie/Mr. Brantley. It was wonderful to hear all the great things about him. I learned a lot that I didn't know about Kyle's family. They almost brought tears to my eyes. They even read his life story to everyone. I never knew granddaddy had accomplished all of those things. He has definitely lived a fulfilled 90 years. After that shindig was over, we all went back to Aunt Freddy's house to finish up the fellowship. We finally left around almost 7 to head back home to Huntsville/Athens. I had to work the following Monday morning, so I didn't last long.

**Pictures drawn on the ride home - Tati**

**Elena - Reads: To: Ant Mlissa From: Elena


Dear Ant Mlissa, I love you your the best. Thank you for invite us over. Love, Elena


OMG - Melt my heart!

**Javy got a NDS Spiderman game**

**Elena got Snap and Pop Polly Pocket**

**Tati got Bratz Lil' Angelz Bath Time**



Monday - Kacy and Kyle got up with me for work, except they went fishing on his NEW BOAT from Kacy. After work, I met up with Kyle to head to his mom's house to open gifts with her. The kids were already playing with their gifts from Grandma Barbara.

Tuesday - Of course Kyle and Kacy went fishing again while Fanny, the kids, and I went to CHUCK-E-CHEESE!!! I swear I believe I was more excited than they were. I had a few left over tickets that I had found in my purse after Tripp's 5th birthday party. Tati and Elena kept riding the tricycle thing that goes up high and back down. Of course, those don't give you any tickets. They loved it though. Javy was playing other games all over. After ordering pizza for lunch, Fanny and I decided we had better win the kids some tickets. We played the game that you try to stop the light on the certain spot to hit the jackpot of tickets. Well, we never hit the jackpot, but we won a good bit of tickets. We then both won 60 tickets a piece by rolling a token straight up and down through one little bitty slot on this one game. We are pros! We turned the tickets in for an amount of 700 something. All 3 kiddies got a handful of fun toys to take home. It was great. I treated them to ice cream cones at Marble Slab Creamery. It was something they never had. They really wanted Dairy Queen, but we pushed them to try something new. I want to say Javy got Cotton Candy, Elena & Tati - I forget their flavors, but I remember it had gum on top!! Fanny got cheesecake and coffee with some sprinkles I think. I got cheesecake with lots of chocolate syrup and sprinkles. Yummy!! Are you hungry yet??

Wednesday - Fanny and I took the kids to Sci-Quest in Huntsville. They had a blast. There was so much stuff there that I can't even explain it all. I was most amazed at the magnetic sand. It was literally sand that was magnetic. You could sculpt the sand in the section between the two magnets. They kept drifting back to it after a while. We were in a simulated earthquake, and Javy/Elena were in a tornado. We got to play the floor piano like on the movie Big. It was so cool! Of course, Wednesday was also NYE. You probably have already read that blog. I left Fanny and the kids around 3 to get to the salon by 4 or so.

^v^v^EARTHQUAKE^v^v^

~~TORNADO~~

*Life size Operation - how cool - bbbzzzzz, bbbzzzzzzz*

*Can you hear me now?*

*The coolest black magnetic sand*

Thursday - In my last blog, you saw where we stopped by his mom's to visit them all. The whole family went up to the mall to eat in the food court where everyone had a choice. The kids can't go to the mall and leave without getting a Great American Cookie!!! Then, we went bowling!! You would think that would be extra hard for a hung over person after NYE and little sleep, but we actually had a lot of fun. The kiddies had their own lane with bumpers, and Kyle, Kacy, Barbara, Fanny, and I all had the other. The girls needed help most of the time rolling the ball. I think they may have all gotten a strike at least once, but I am not sure. Elena's ball would go .0000005 miles per hour and finally make it to the pins. It was so cute. Kacy won our first game, and I won the second. Whoop! Whoop! I think we came home and crashed after that.

Friday - We spent the majority of our day in the bank getting the loan for the boat. It took FOREVER! Fanny, Kacy, Kyle, and I all had lunch at Casa Blanca afterwords. They took the kids some McDonald's and Fanny stayed with them. Kacy came back home with us for the Alabama vs. Utah game at our house...Roll Tide - except we sucked badly that night!

Saturday - This was the day they were supposed to drive back to Killeen. They stopped by to let the kids tell us good bye, and they just couldn't leave Alabama. They decided it was too late to leave and stayed another day. Kyle and I took them to my parent's house to experience where I grew up. They got to walk through cow poop filled pastures, dig for worms, try to fish for brim, run around the screened in porch, and of course play Guitar Hero! Ok, so I didn't have that growing up, but we bought that for mom this xmas. I know that sounds stupid, but my mom really does play PS2. She loves music, so I thought what better than that. I beat my song on Medium without getting booed completely off the stage. Kacy was booed off and so was Javy. I win again! haha

Sunday - They really did leave, and I missed them already. I went to bed thinking of those sweet kids and how I wish we lived closer to Fanny and Kacy.

It was an action packed week. We got a taste of what is it like to have 3 kids running around. They are old enough though that they were very well behaved. It is something though to go from nothing - to two sisters arguing in the back seat because the other one touched her. I just kept laughing because it was funny to me. I loved every second of it to see each of their little personalities come out.