Summer fun!

I can't believe June is almost over! Happy belated birthday to Aunt Jane! This month was spent visiting family in Louisville, watching Gabriel graduate from pre-k (oh it's a much bigger deal than one might think!) and buying a new car, well new to us anyway. We were trying to hold out until Gabe made it to kindergarten, but the good news is the car payment is less than half of the daycare payment.

Now I'm busy trying to plan Gabriel's fifth birthday party. I want to share a bunch of photos, so I'll keep this entry limited to just one anecdote from the past month. I am so anti-TV that I was surprised at how little arm-twisting Tim had to do to talk me into buying a portable DVD player with headphones for the 10-hour trip to Louisville. I don't often admit when I'm wrong, so Tim should really print out this blog entry. Holy smokes, we could road-trip anywhere with a DVD player and headphones. The kids were so entranced that when one of them answered a question Dora posed (Sofia might holler "BOOTS!"), I'd jump out of my skin. The car was actually TOO quiet. I still asked Tim to disconnect the darn thing when we got home, and I have solidly informed the kids that the DVD player is only for LONG car trips. So far, so good. :)

THE PRE-K GRADUATE! haha!

The only picture I have of my brother Ryan from our trip to Louisville! (He was on-call most of the time we were visiting -- poor sap!) :) That's my adorable nephew Aden getting ready to feed some goats.
Aden giving his cousin Sofia a giant hug!
Aden & Sofia are only a month apart and get along really well. My nephew Abram is ridiculously adorable. Just wanted to eat both my nephews up!
My baby sister Rachel with her baby boy and me with mine. :)
Adorable shot of Tim and Sopapilla.

Uncle Jake, aka Uncle Jungle Gym - World's Most Patient Man
Gabe riding a pony at a family farm in Louisville
My teenage brother Eli hanging out with Gabe (Eli is 14 and now 6'1" --maybe 6'3" with the mohawk!)
My sister Rachel and me with our darling kids
My Mom -- the ultimate Bubbe with all her grandkids Aden, Sofia, Abram, and Gabe

My mom attempting to frenchbraid Sofia's hair...
Cutest cousins on the planet! Wish we all lived closer...
Look at that face! SO adorable!
My sister Rachel holding Sofia and Aden who are both apparently interested in scoping out their own faces. :)
Gabriel must've given his Aunt Vicki a million and one hugs that weekend. Vicki was a saint, a super hostess, and fabulous breakfast burrito-maker ....mmmm, I miss those!