Park City - Gardner style

There is a family picture that looks almost identical to this one hanging above Roger's parents fireplace. Problem is, the Gardner family has exploded since that picture was taken almost 10 years ago. So over Fathers Day weekend we headed up to Park City for a big family reunion and took this same picture again with every single one of the 39 Gardners. We owe the photographer big time.

Many thanks to Gary and Susan for paying for this fun filled weekend!

We played hard. And ate lots of good food. Sleep was an afterthought for sure.

Our activities included touring the Olympic Park, swimming, playing softball, riding the alpine slide and the coaster, and shopping the outlets. Did I mention eating?

Trips are just funner with family around. And the Gardner family sure knows how to have a good time!

The rest is pictures of our fun...another long post. :)

Meet some of the cousins. The smiley baby is Abby. I could eat her she's so cute. I almost had Rachel and Rod convinced to let me take her home with us. Baby hunger here we come!

I don't have a copy of the whole family picture yet, but that will hopefully happen this week. I'll post it and let you see what an incredible family I married into. And how big we are!

Brooklyn loves her cousins. She was happiest with them around. I don't have a picture of the newest Gardner baby, Benson, but he sure is a cute little peanut! He was too busy being passed around the family to take time for a picture. But this trip was to celebrate his birth as well - Adam blessed him on Fathers Day. Congrats Liz and Adam, he's perfect.

Thanks again to my in laws for a perfect vacation!

Happy Fathers Day

We're a few days late, but I can't let this monumental day pass without wishing the men in our lives a very happy Fathers Day.

To Roger:
How our little Rogerette loves you. So does her mom. We love you more than words can express. You fulfill the title of 'dad' with so much goodness and patience. Thank you for all you do.

To our own Dad's:

Thank you for just being you - we wouldn't have either of you any other way! You two are the greatest examples we could follow, and your granddaughter loves her grandpas!

(Whitney and Davis wedding dinner - missing Devin. Sorry.)

From our family to yours, Happy Fathers Day!

Sleepin', Playin', Growin'

Aaah, sweet sleep.

Can I say that the picture below NEVER happens.

Brooklyn hasn't let me hold her while she sleeps for months and months and months...probably last summer. Wow she's a lot bigger than she was back then. The little miss is a long child, she doesn't quite fit on my lap anymore.

Summer days and nights are just the best. We hang out, that sweet baby and me. But boy is she a daddy's girl, she luffs him lots...

Ummm, can we say 'Rogerette'?

Despite her lack of hair and her round little head and cheeks, yes she is a female. Why can't people get that?! Despite my constant efforts to dress her in pink, she still gets called a boy. Lame people.

We've had some quiet nights at home this week, trying to get this sweet girl to sleep in her crib again. It's time for us to get her out of our bed. She's just too big.

But she's still my little buddy.

Don't mind our pale faces and sweaty hair. Brooklyn was minutes awake from her latest nap and I'm sweating to death in our hot house (nope, the air conditioner isn't on yet).

Happy Summer Days!

Eastern Caribbean

Holy cow, where to start? Thank you to my mom and dad for paying our way to a week of total fun!! Same with the aunts and uncles...the majority of my cousins came as well. Rasmussen clan, you were missed! Next time!

My awesome, generous parents - thanks mom and dad!

It's overwhelming to look at the pictures and pick which ones you want to post. Good luck being able to reach the bottom of this post, I'm surprised blogger didn't cap it.

I arranged the pictures to represent days...5 of them in fact...

1. CocoCay - the private island

2. St. Thomas

3. St. Maarten

4. Eating - because it deserves its own post!

5. Playing - a 24/7 activity (minus when we crashed every night from the kind of tiredness that only the sun can give you)

...because that about sums up our week!

Day 1: CocoCay

Day 2: St. Thomas

Day 3: St. Maarten

Day 4: Eating

Day 5: Playing

John rounded out the trip with a proposal to Abbi - congrats to you both!

Anyone else exhausted from reading all of that?! I've been working on getting these pictures uploaded for two weeks people! I think I'm tired. And I didn't include all of my favorite pictures either, otherwise you'd be here until next week. Seriously.

Brooklyn was a superstar, even with a brand stinkin new ear infection - her first ever. The family passed around a cold to each other, it worked me over. Two weeks later and my sense of taste and smell are very muted - I think I ruined my sinus cavities.

Mom and Dad, you're the best. We owe you big time. What a dream vacation, one we've been counting down to for a year. Thank you for paying full price for Brooklyn and allowing her paranoid mom some peace of mind for letting her come.

If you want to see more pics and better explanations, go visit Meg's blog - cause I know you are wanting to see more right?! :)