Half of the kids- Cameron and Kathy- are coming over today.

Cameron called a couple of days ago asking if they could come spend time with us this weekend. This is always a welcome call from any of my kiddos. Well, as long as we don't have plans (and boy, do we have plans for the next few weekends- arrrgh!)

I called Casey shortly after that to let him know that we're getting together with the other half of our kids this weekend, but I wasn't going to invite he and his little family unit over.

Why, you wonder?

I just.can't. do it! Trying to split my time between the two sets of kids is completely impossible for me. It's way worse than it was when they were little. Hmmmm, could it be that my 'kids' just doubled in size?

The personality between the two sets is like night and day. Cameron and Kathy are not at all shy by any stretch of the imagination. They are funny and very random. Both of them are. You'd better be on your toes when you're around those two.

Casey and Jessica, on the other hand, are more quiet and reserved, and I enjoy that just as much! And when Riley is with them, I can't help myself- I just want to get on the floor and play with him and ignore everyone else in the room.

I am someone who likes to spend quality time with the people I'm with, and when it's just the four (or five) of them, it's difficult impossible to do that.

When we have large family gatherings such as holidays and birthdays when we invite lots of people, it's much easier because there's always someone for everybody to hang with.

Am I weird and over-thinking this too much? Probably.

I think that my first clue was that Casey calls his brother and sweetheart the "show stealers". It's a big joke between all of us, and even Cameron admits it's true.

So, this weekend we'll be with the 'show stealers' and then we'll schedule a weekend with the 'other' show stealers. Because really, when either set of 'kids' are around, I want to soak up every minute I can with them. All of them steal the show in my heart.

I thought this would get easier as my kids grew up, but I thought wrong. Annie or anyone else that reads my blog in this situation- how on earth do you do this?

I want to spend time with each one of them- all four of them. I just hope I don't get to the point where they have to come over individually for me to feel that I've had enough time with them. "OK, Jessica, leave Casey home and come spend time with me."

Hmmmm, now that I think about it- a day alone with the girls one-on-one would be a heck of a lot of fun.

I was thinking the other day (OK, I think about this a lot) that I couldn't have hand-picked anyone better for them than my 'boys' did. They've found their perfect match, as far as I'm concerned, and I love them and am as proud of them as if they were my own daughters.

How lucky I am that I adore every member of my family so much. I've heard way too many stories of people who don't get along with the people their kids chose to be their partners in life.

Me? I like them so much that I want to spend 100% of my time with each one of them.

I guess that's a good thing, huh? Impossible, but good.