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10:52 AM

All five Backstreet Boys were still chasing and playing with their kids when Kristin walked out onto the patio, boots on her shoes and her arms wrapped up in her winter coat. She smiled as she saw Kevin scoop up Max into his arms and trample through the snow with Mason.

“Excuse me, Aunt Kristin!”

Holden came running behind her, back in his snow gear, so she stepped to the side to let him pass and he ran back to join the rest of the children.
“Guys, I’m baaaacck! Wait for me!”

Kristin stifled a laugh and followed behind the boy.

“Let’s get some pictures!” Nick called out to everyone. Spying Kristin coming around behind him to her husband and sons, he waved to them. “Kristin, Kev! You first with the boys!”

Mason stood beside his mother, his head resting on her belly, while Kevin crouched beside them with his arm around Max.

“Mind if we join in?”

Leighanne, Lauren, Leigh, and Rochelle had appeared while the Richardson’s photo was being taken and unified with their kids and husbands.

“You guys go ahead; we had our family photo earlier anyways.” Lauren explained.

“Probably later for us; Sasha’s still napping,” Rochelle said, looking over at A.J. watching Ava in the snowbank. “Besides, I don’t think they’re going to stand still anytime soon!"

So the photo session continued down the line with the Littrell’s and the Dorough’s with Kristin taking over the camera, while Nick went off for a walk with his wife.

“I know we’ve only been up here for less than a day,” Howie said aloud, “but I’m pretty sure this is going to be the boys' favorite vacation.”

“I bet,” A.J. nodded. “I mean Florida doesn’t get this kind of weather anyway!”

Ava tugged at her father’s sleeve. She had grabbed one of the sleds and was holding it up with James’s and Holden’s help.

“Let’s go sled again!” she said excitedly. “Daddy, take us please?”

“We wanna go too!” James cheered.

Without another word Howie and A.J. followed their children back to the sledding slope near the end of the yard.


11:03 A.M. to 12 noon


Later, back at the cabin, all the wives were busy preparing the day’s lunch – soup, chili, and hot sandwiches; the perfect meal to warm anyone up after a fun-filled snow day.

Broths came to a boil, vegetables were chopped and seasoned, beef and poultry seared and cooked through. All the sandwich fixing were arranged on the counter buffet-style next to the panini press.
Leighanne even began preparing a small pot of macaroni and cheese for her husband, since it was one of his favorites!

Half an hour to twelve saw Baylee and Brian being the first back inside, sitting themselves in the dining room with a deck of Uno cards. Not long after, Odin and Sasha woke from their naps, pulling their mothers away from stove duty to bring them in the living room with their toys.

Nick came in shortly after with A.J. and Ava and took over with the little ones, while Lauren and Rochelle went to set up some beverages for everyone.

After them came Kevin, Mason, and Max, then Howie, James and Holden. Immediately their mothers had them change into dry clothes and sit by the fireplace until they were ready to serve lunch.

When everything was ready, bowls were distributed, and plates for those who also wanted the sandwiches; chicken pesto, BLTs, and grilled cheese for the kids.
From there, everyone scattered when it came to finding a place to sit. Some went to the coffee table by the fire, or stuck to the kitchen counter or dining room table. It turned out for soup and sandwiches to be the perfect idea for lunch; everyone kept coming back for seconds and thirds, having a little of everything.


12:22 P.M.


Things got pretty mellow after all the kids were finished with lunch. Instead of racing back into her snow clothes, Ava hopped onto one of the couches and snuggled into a soft throw blanket. It set into a chain reaction, and after a few seconds James and Holden joined her, then Max.

“Whoa, what’s this all about?” Howie asked with a teasing smile. “What happened to going back outside?”

“It’s too cold!” Ava answered. “I’m not ready yet!”

“Me neither!” James shook his head, then dove back under the blanket with his brother.

“Let’s give them some time,” A.J. cut in. “It is pretty nice getting to have a moment outside of chaos.” He chuckled.
Defeated, Howie flipped on the TV and selected a Warner Brothers cartoon DVD before joining the kids on the sofa.

“Mason, let me show you how to make a house of cards!” Baylee waved his cousin over to the dining room table, where he was beginning to set up a structure. Taking a quick glance at the boys to make sure they were fine on their own, Brian retreated to one of the other two couches with a book he had brought.

Kevin had joined Kristin and Leighanne in washing dishes, and Rochelle was busy putting them away with Nick and Lauren. That is, until A.J. snuck up behind her and pulled her into the front hall.

“Alex!” she squealed as he wrapped his arms around her, peppering kisses all over her face and neck.

“What? We got some time to kill,” he said nonchalantly. “Might as well make it useful!”

He embraced his wife again, and she slid her hands over his broad shoulders. Moving his own hands down and around her legs, he hoisted her up and pressed her up against the wall, never once breaking the kiss.

“Wanna take this upstairs?” A.J. hissed into her ear, brushing his lips back to her neck.

“Oh, sweetie,” Rochelle sighed. “You know I…oh my God!” she suddenly yelled.

“What? What happened?” Her husband set her down and followed her eyes, gaping towards the stair’s banister.

“Holy shit!”