melted smoosh

 {parts one and two } we arrived back to my parents' house from Canada on Sunday afternoon and discovered all of the kids out back playing on the giant slip'n'slide my dad set up for them! they had so much fun. we had to break up the party eventually so our girls could change into church clothes and attend the Sunday evening mass at the local parish. this church is full of young families and even though the liturgical and musical style is more contemporary than our preference, they are so welcoming and kind.  Kira's car was one of the first to arrive back at the house and she wasted no time in changing into her swimsuit to join the kids playing disc golf with her uncles (both of whom play competitively!) on Monday, we spent a relaxing morning and afternoon at home; various family members started to depart so we said our goodbyes. then finally, around 5 PM, we rallied our girls to go to Pine Lake. I spent many summer hours here as a kid and it's always a highlight o...

stunning Hope, BC read part 1 here this year's family reunion was strategically planned around my cousin's wedding! we were so happy to be a part of their wedding weekend. they live in Washington state but chose to get married in beautiful Hope, British Columbia, a three-hour drive north from my parents' house.  the wedding weekend was adults-only, so we planned for all seven of the kids to stay back at my parents' house while my brother-in-law Colin's parents flew up from California to watch my three nephews, and my superhero Auntie Kris would fly out from Boston to watch my four girls. unfortunately, Auntie Kris got horribly sick on her way to the airport and after several conversations we decided to have her stay home (both for her own sake, and also because we didn't want to take a chance of sickness spreading throughout the house!). Nick and I both were discussing which one of us should stay home with the kids, when my mom graciously offered to stay with th...