Pennsylvania

In April, we took a trip to Pennsylvania to see my parents, grandparents, my sister & her 3 kids, and my sister-in-law & her two kids.  It was a great trip and we loved being with everyone! (& we really missed my youngest sister & her fiance, and my brother, who couldn't make it).

The girls with my dad.

Hamilton, my nephew.  Oh man, this kid is so cute.  Born just a few weeks after Ellie, he is quiet and very deliberate in everything he does (pretty much the opposite of Ellie in every way, it seems).

Hamilton's brother, Carter (left), and cousin Chris.

Crepe night!

Dad and baby John.

The kids just loved playing with my parents - we had such a great time.

Abby and cousin Marian.

Hamilton & Carter, and the coats.  These coats once belonged to my Dad and his younger brother, Mike, who passed away from cancer when he was 5 years old.  My grandma has been saving them for over 50 years now, and while we were there she gave them to Shauna and my brother Mike (for the boys).  Such a special gift that I'm sure will be treasured for years to come! (The boys tried them on, but we didn't zip them up because they seemed pretty fragile).  Don't you just love family history and things getting passed down like that?  I love it.

Dad giving whipped cream to baby John.

I remember when my dad used to throw me up in the air.

I also remember my dad teaching me not to play with knives: case in point, his missing finger.

(it's not really missing) 

Dad also poured cereal onto the floor so the kids could clean up with the central vac.

Marian, Mom, John

Garrett & Ellie Bean

Ellie, Mom, Marian, Abby, Dad

Of course, that's only a fraction of the pictures we took while we were there.... I'll share more later this week.

Thanks, Mom & Dad, for a wonderful week together!  And thanks, Grandma & Grandpa, for having such a great big house for us to stay in!