My big brother and his family live in Greenville, and though we see them on a pretty regular basis here in Atlanta, we have not actually been UP to visit them since Ryan was born at 33 weeks and was in the NICU. Ryan's five now, so shame on us for taking so long to come back.
When we arrived, Ashley and Abby Jane got right to work in the kitchen.
They weren't the only ones working in kitchens. New granite countertops were just being finished that afternoon, and Joy was fascinated.
We got to celebrate turning three one more time!
My brother's a great dad.
Saturday was a gorgeous, perfect day, and we went to the zoo in the morning. This was Blythey's moment. She was bubbling over with excitement the whole time. Before this visit, her only animal sound was the elephant. While we were there, she did elephant, monkey, alligator, lion, and chicken. So all she needed was motivation, apparently!
"Mom, did you see that?"
Joy's reaction was to be content until an animal moved. 
Then, at every exhibit, as soon as an animal moved, she would say, "All done! Bye bye!" repeatedly, rounding it out with hand signals.
While Blythe just waved and giggled away.
Two sets of big girl pigtails on Abby Jane and Ashley...
How cute are the orangoutangs kissing? The baby's name is Bob.
All six kids...
Then we went to the Greenville Riverplace, which I was officially obsessed with. If we lived in Greenville, this would be where I would hang a LOT. There was so, so much to do, and all of it OUTSIDE!
Joy refused to be contained in the stroller or anyone's arms and preferred to do her current walk/amble/perpetual forward fall the whole way.
After naps in the afternoon, we hit the neighborhood park, and the twins loved the slides!
Joy's hair is hilarious on end.
During naps and after the kids went to bed, the adults played Wii- it's humbling when you don't play games like that often- but pretty hilarious, too.
We left after church on Sunday. Thank you, Elliott fam, for a perfect getaway and refreshing, fabulous family time! We surely love y'all!!
Check Joy's flying hair.
Betsy had a brilliant plan to let the kids let a huge bunch of balloons go for entertainment.
All the kids loved it.
They called me out of the house to see how Blythe was loving driving Abby Jane. That is, until she saw mama, then it was a different story...
Happy big brother of the birthday boy.
Precious family.
Morning of Day 2- I'm better, she's a little improved, but still listless. Feels up to Memory, but with emergency bowl on the side.
While the Cat rested, the Mice played... with her leggings.
Afternoon of Day 2- she woke up from her afternoon nap with color, and we fled to the beauty of outside!
All was right. And yes, she's in the front yard in her PJ's. 
Then Daddy came home and we had Valentine's one day late.
These lemon butter cookies were my personal obsession. I LOVE sweet and tart. I stole the recipe from Katie Kelley's 1st bday, and I could have inhaled unhealthy quantities as I made them.
Abby Jane hardly left her seat here the whole time- she was a BIG fan of free reign of glitter, paint, glue, stickers, crayons, the works.
The party was a total success. By that I mean, it went exactly how I thought it might. Total chaos- but the kind that's normal when there is more than one child around. A few near disasters, basically a craft explosion, some child or another (of the 10 or so) crying at some point off and on most of the time- people came, did their craft, had some treats, and felt freedom to go when their child was on the verge of a meltdown or too close to lunch/naps... because that is the beauty of an open house- no pressure. It was perfect.
Reagan re-fueling mid-valentine...
You practice cutting with big girl scissors.
You go visit Daddy's office, where Miss Judy gives you a birthday crown.
You eat traditional family birthday lunch there in Daddy's office.
You find out Joy looks like a mob boss sometimes.
Daddy gives you a special ride in a university golf cart.
You blow out the candle on your last birthday cupcake.
which is most fun to ride when you're wearing your new big girl backpack!