Full House

I'm certainly no poker player... but I do know that a three of a kind is always trumped by a full house! And that exact metaphor could not have been any more true this summer, when Allen, Jeilene and I had the pleasure of housing Michele and her four kids... which definitely made our house a very full one, but it also made it a super happy one too! Of course when they arrived, the two biggest smiles belonged to these two characters!

It had certainly been a long time coming... but the wait was finally over, and we could not have been happier to have our favorite family from south of the border here with us and spend some good quality time together. 

Unfortunately, the visiting family wasn't complete. Jorge couldn't make the trip and had to stay back home to run the family restaurant. He was definitely missed, but we made sure to keep in contact with him via Skype.  

It didn't take very long before we all stopped chit-chatting, threw on our bathing suits, and ran for the pool. Our family was finally here and we were all in the pool having fun... I don't think we could have been any happier! 

Ever since seeing the first pictures, the kids have been dying to get in and swim in our pool. And judging by the smiles on their faces and the pure joy they had, it was worth the long wait and totally met their expectations. 

Leo sure does love him some soccer... but come pool time, the only football that was played was the American kind! Besides, kind of hard to kick a ball off the waterfall.

"Seriously Mom? You're embarrassing me!

Let me go so I can throw the football with the guys!"

Allen got in on the action too...

and that right arm of his sure does have potential!

Happy to be with family, happy to be in the pool, happy to... well, 

just plain genuine happiness from two very pretty ladies!

Leo being Leo. 

(The top of the waterfall was definitely his stage!)

Allen took a break from the pool for a while to play with his rocks... and to watch his cousin Leo act silly on top of the waterfall.

Catalina definitely didn't let her injured right arm bring her spirits down. I'm sure the yummy fruity drink and playing in the pool had a little something to do with it!

Believe it or not, we weren't in the water the entire day. We took a break from the pool and the heat to grab some lunch and a few yummy snacks. 

I also took some time from playing in the pool... to playing actual pool, and of course showing the young'ins just who the king of the table was!

And while some of us played pool, others got

sucked into the television screen playing video games. 

But it didn't take long before the kids

were out playing by/in the pool again!

Not sure what Allen promised him... but he somehow got Leo to take him for a ride around the backyard.

"Hmmm... not real big on the color, but they sure are comfy!"

They might be older and bigger... but Willy & Leo proved to be no match for Allen and his intense video game playing skills!

Playing outside by the pool or inside playing video games... it didn't much matter. Allen was just thrilled to have his Mexico City family here and playing with his four new best friends! But Allen wasn't the only one... Jei & I were just as happy and glad it was just the beginning!