March 31, 2014 by Tesi Klipsch

Final Mexico post-Cousins!

When Trysten was about 6-months-old we had my mother-in-law sew on a onsie, “I need a cousin!” We strategically put it on him when Jake and Leslie were visiting from Chicago. A few months later they called us with the happy news that they were expecting. 🙂

Since that time I’ve so enjoyed watching my kids play with their kids. Now it expands to other cousins that have come along as well and it’s just increased my joy. There’s just something about cousins. I got to spend time with some of mine this past weekend too and I loved every minute. I’m so thankful my kids still think of their cousins as their best friends not because they have to but because they genuinely love each other.

Especially Dailah and Eli. Loved every one of the pictures of the two of them together.

March 28, 2014 by Tesi Klipsch

Mexico Trip-Siblings and Parents!

A little time spent with my family in the morning and then THE REST OF THE DAY with some of my other favorite people in all of the earth. I’ve not laughed that hard for that many straight days perhaps ever. I will not mention which brother wore only a Speedo all week. I will not mention how competitive we got at family water volleyball. I will not mention the dance party to “Happy” on the pool deck or the last night just how great Jake’s toast was.

But I will mention that I love these people so, so, so much. Oh you guys. Love them. If you see me in the next month and would really like to see me cry just mention these people and how I’m moving away from them. Just be prepared for the ugly cry and maybe some light puking.

What a lucky, lucky lady I am to have these siblings (in-law) and parents (in-law).

March 27, 2014 by Tesi Klipsch

Mexico-I am obsessed with my nephews/nieces

I’m sure I’ll get some push back from this but I want you to know that I love my nephews and nieces more than you love yours. 🙂

No but seriously.

Zach and I were talking about one of our absolute favorite parts of the vacation was getting to spend so much time with our nephews and niece. Oliver, Elihu, Sinta, Cassius and Julius made the whole trip so much sweeter for me. As with my own children, I felt like I really got to know these (other) babes of mine in a whole new way. I genuinely could watch Sinta swim or Dailah and Eli play for days upon days without stopping. And Julius baby snuggles? Fuggetaboutit. I simply delight in everything about them.

Obviously I thought a lot about the fact that we are prepping to move 4 hours from these remarkable young people. It tore me up inside to think about not seeing them for weeks. How did I get so lucky to get the smartest, funniest, sweetest most adorable people to call me “Aunt Tesi”? What an extravagant blessing.

March 26, 2014 by Tesi Klipsch

Mexico 2014-Family time!

My generous parents-in-law told us at Christmas our present this year would be a spring break trip…to Mexico…all 19 Klipschs. Obviously it was exciting then but the Sunday before we left NO ONE SLEPT because of all of the excitement.

And I have to tell you, it was better than I expected. I’ve said it here many, many, many times but I’m so lucky to have my in-laws double as my best friends. So 6 days with my best friends-no work, no school, no cooking or cleaning-it was bliss!

I’m currently trying to figure out how to blog about this trip of a lifetime but I thought I would start with arguably my favorite part.

Time spent with my immediate family. We are all early risers (except for Zach and Dailah, obviously) and so we were awake long before any other Klipschs. From about 7-8:30am we got to hang by ourselves having breakfast and swimming in the pool/ocean. Though we had our various phones/ipods in the hotel room they were only played for about 30 minutes at night so there were no distractions! I felt a little bit like I rediscovered each of my kids! One of my sweet cherubs, cough Binyam, cough, had been frustrating me for various reasons leading up to the vacation and on the last day Zach and I turned to each other at the same time and uttered, “I re-fell in love with Binyam today.” Yeah, because there was nothing else competing for our attention. We could just sit and watch our kids have the time of their lives with their cousins while we hung with our siblings. It simply doesn’t get any better than that.