Friends!

Our good friend Jessica came "home" for a week with her daughter, Sophie. They came over to play on their first free morning, and we somehow ended up with an impromptu morning party.

The story goes like this: My mom has been best friends with Kathy since junior high. My dad has been best friends with Dan since elementary school. Kathy and Dan married and had Jessica and Charity. My parents married and had me, Alyx and Sam. We all lived in the same duplex when we were really little, so we grew up pretty close. Clearly. We are all still good friends, though Jessica lives on the east coast now.

A couple of summers ago, Jess and Sophie came to visit, and we took some really cute photos of Nora, Dana, Sophie and Ayla, our friend Tara's little girl, on the stairs at Kathy's house. As everyone was getting ready to leave the other morning, the girls were sitting on the stairs and we all had the same thought: An updated stairway photo! Unfortunately, Alyx and Keenan had already left.

So on the top step we have Nora and Ayla. Below them, Dana and Sophie. Charity's daughter, Josie, is on the bottom step.

Another attempt. I actually took about ten pictures and not one came out with everyone looking happily at the camera. But you know what? It isn't easy to coordinate five little girls, particularly when the word of choice during the photo session was "poop!"

A couple of days later, our friend Jodi had a gingerbread man decorating party. The kids took a snack break on her couch and were kind enough to sort of pose for this photo. From left, Ayla, Dana, Sophie, Josie, Miles (Jodi's son) and Nora.

Jess and Sophie left today, which is pretty sad since Dana has decided Sophie is her best friend. She cried when they hugged good bye this morning. They were born nine days apart and are both obsessed with Scooby Doo, so they hit it off pretty well.