Twelve seats!

So, ever since we got our new van back in June (just before leaving for CO), we have had the back seat out, which means that there has been a maximum of 8 passengers possible.  Today, I had a total of NINE kids that I needed to transport, so Hoffbeast and I undertook the quite difficult task of carrying the seat out of the house and putting it in the van.  Not easy.  And not a task that I will be doing again unless it is an emergency.  I consider myself to be pretty strong for my size and build....I will try to carry anything!  I tried.  And I'm not that strong.

Anyway, once the seat was in, it was great!  Here was the view from inside the van....

Rex and his buddies, Z and U, got to sit in the VERY BACK seat.  That's cuz they're the oldest, you know?

Then came Neil and his friends, I and A.  Neil was mad that he wasn't allowed to sit in the extra seat in the VERY BACK (emphasis Neil's), but I insisted that he actually sit with, well, his friends.  I know--horribly mean mother, I am.

Then, right behind me, were Rex's other 2 friends, L and L.  The girls didn't seem to mind being in the very front with the toddler.  Hmm...I wonder why that could be??!  Perhaps because Tom is such a cute and fun little guy?  Or perhaps because they were over the big boys and needed some girl time?

The reason for the big crowd?  Today, the boys were allowed to ask some friends over for an end-of-the-summer gathering.  Pizza and games (board games and imagination games, including the favorite "Haunted Hotel" where the kids pretend that our big old house is creepy and scary and they run around screaming their heads off...pretty fun!) were the only things on the schedule, and they all had a great time together, ending with the bus--er, van--ride home. 

I have more pictures from the rest of the day, but this will have to suffice for now...