Suzy-In-Law

 This is the sister of Joe.

Suzy has gorgeous skin, a die hard love of Zumba, five spunky beloved kiddos, a primary to run, a killer mashed potato recipe, and a tale of woe involving being shot in the back with a b.b. gun by a tyrannical older brother. 

She is a great sister. 

I snapped her family last month for Christmas, and can't post the family pic yet, but here is the rest of 'em. She's pretty neat. I love these kids! 

Gavin is hilarious. 

Kenzie was two when Joe and I started dating and she used to rub her face on our feet when she got tired. 

Megan is a little spitfire (and Joe's verbally oathed favorite niece)

Laney is impossibly beautiful and sweet

and Ryder knocks your socks off with his cutey pie chubalub! 

I hope they grow up thinking Aunt Melanie's pretty cool.

I'll bribe 'em good, so of course they will.

Sweet Laney. SO CUTE!!

My boys love their cousin so much! I love this boy! Keeps me laughing with his wit. Stand up comedy is definitely in his future!

Gosh Freak girl, you're going to break about a million hearts!

RYDER!!!!!!!!!!

Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters......

Beautiful Yaneli

 How do I describe Art and Yaneli?

Well, when they were little, they smiled so much that their mothers warned them that if they didn't stop smiling so much, their faces would freeze like that. 

Clearly they were disobedient children. 

Yaneli glows so freaking much as a pregnant lady that I could have used her as an additional flash. 

She is beautiful. 

She got up at dawn for me, but while I live in the land of clear desert sunrises,

Colton holds the mystical ozone layer. 

So we did what we could. 

Fortunately for me, she's so freaking lovely that it was easy.
I love these folks. 

 I just love this framed pic of their little peanut so much! I can't wait to see him!

I bet he comes out grinning, just like his parentals. 

 Just like his dad!