We've started a tradition of taking matching pictures with the Reeve family once a year. We try to mark each moment we get together since there are so few each year. Carter has been in awe of his cousins (especially the boys) these last few weeks and we are so sad to have to say goodbye so soon. I just wanted to share one of my favorites from this morning.

Today was the first official day of the reunion. I'm so tired but I couldn't help posting a few pictures. It has been so good to be with family. Tonight we met Dan's extended family at a local pool for swimming and dinner. Carter hasn't ever been fond of water... but has really started to love it the last couple of weeks. Note the photo below...

That's serious business for a 2 year old. He was cracking us up. He got in and out of the pool 4 times tonight.

With cousin Caleb in their matching swim trunks.

Papa helping him warm up after his final dip in the pool.

Dan flipping his cousin Sean in the air (that's probably the last time for that... Dan is currently icing his back). Sean is 15 and probably more like a brother to Dan than a cousin. We haven't seen Sean and his family for 4 years... so it was really great to see them and his 22 other cousins. Three cousins in the 3rd row ready for bed after a long day.

Wow! I think this has been my longest break from the blog in a long time. We are still traveling and have been without wireless for a while. Maybe I should start calling the blog... Where in the World are the Reeve's? Someone called from St. Louis today and said... where are you now? I think we've been in 3 different states since I last posted.

We are currently in the great state of Idaho with Dan's family. We are here for a family reunion that starts tomorrow. There will be 25 kids under the age of 8 attending. Should be lots of fun. I'm going to try and go back and update entries according to date instead of one big post... so be sure to scroll down.

We celebrated Carter's birthday this afternoon with his first party (last summer was a little crazy). He had a blast! We had family from both sides of Dan's family there. Dan's mom and dad went all out for the choo choo celebration. Thanks Carter and Paula!!

Carter's finished train table with his conductor hat.

"Tommy Choo Choo"

The favors.

This picture made me laugh because everyone is playing while Carter checks out the box.

Singing Happy Birthday.

It was great to be able to spend this special day with so much family!

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy. We can't believe he is 2!


He rang in his new year with an almost 103 degree temperature... but he still managed to blow out his candles all on his own.

I'll post his party pictures tomorrow.

Driving into beautiful Seattle as the sun was setting.

Catching Carter with the Space Needle.

We headed out of town on Tuesday to spend some time in Mt. Shasta. The weather was beautiful and so was the mountain.

One of our many stops at a gas station on the way out of town the next day.

In all of our driving Carter has not cried one single time. He has also not done much of this. He finally fell asleep so I had to take a picture.

Today we spent the day my high school youth pastor's family. It was sooo good to see them and meet little Noah. Phil wasn't able to come up... but it was great to spend the day talking to Nancy. Thanks for making the drive you guys!!!

It was awesome to actually be with my Dad on Father's Day. I have a great picture of my Dad with Dan and Carter... but that's on the missing roll. I'll find it later. We also celebrated Carter's birthday a little early with my folks. They got him his first tricycle. He LOVES it.
They also got him this little car....

He can never decide which one to ride.

After we had lunch with Michelle we headed back up to Chico for about 5 days. Just in time for some crazy fires. We were joking that you know it's summer in California when you follow the smoke home.

We spent our last 5 days home doing our favorite Chico things... that basically means hanging out a ton with Luke, Beth and Maia. Here are some pics from our last weekend in Chico...

Farmer's Market with my mom and dad...

A tired scooter ride home...

We got to spend a little bit of time with Dan's cousin Cassi...

It was so great to have so much with Luke and Beth (Beth, I can't believe I don't have a picture of us together!!). Here are Luke and Dan with the kiddos on Father's Day.

We spent a ton of time outside. We took Carter for his first ride behind a bike. We had to bribe him with a cookie so he would put the pink helmet on.

We wrapped up our time in San Francisco with my Aunt and Grandpa.

Carter eating at the counter where we always sat as kids while my Grandpa cooked us breakfast.

I have a great pic of us with my Grandpa before we left... but I can't find it even though I know it's here. I'll figure it out later. After we left my Grandpa's we met my friend Michelle for lunch (also one of the missing pics). Michelle and I sat next to each other in the news room when we worked at the CBS station in Northern California. She is one of my all time favorite co-workers... so it was really fun to catch up even though it was only for about 45 minutes. We'll have to do that again, Michelle!!!

We are sitting in the Bay Area right now watching bad late night TV because we're still on Hawaii time. I think it's always harder to go back to the later time zone. At least we'll have a good chunk of time to ease our way back into St. Louis time. We've really had a good couple of days besides:

a. having to fill out an accident report regarding Carter and the beverage cart on our flight into San Fran last night and...
b. having to call poison control tonight (everything is fine).

We left the house around 9am yesterday so we could make a few last minute stops before we headed to the airport in Kona...

Here is my mom and dad with Lexie and Carter right before we left.

At our open air gate in Kona. I was trying to document Carter's last free flight. If only kids flew for free based on weight and not age. I can't believe he'll be 2 in just a few days.

He passed the inspection with flying (get it) colors.

Watching a plane take off with Daddy and Nate.

It was so fun to be flying into San Francisco and not St. Louis (we love St. Louis... but we're just really loving vacation right now). After we got luggage and cars worked out... we headed to my Grandpa's across the Bay while everyone else drove home to Chico.

Today we spent an amazing day with my Grandpa and Aunt Gail. We spent the morning with my Grandpa and the afternoon with my Aunt (who got a sub for her 3rd grade class today on her 3rd to last day of school). My Aunt took us to lunch at a great deli in Berkley...

and then we headed up into the Berkley hills to Tilden Park. Here is a picture of the Bay from one of the lookouts.
We were hoping to take Carter on a little train ride but it doesn't open until next week. Instead we headed to the Little Farm in the park.

Car seat head from his 30 minute nap in the car.

Learning about a pigs nose from Aunt Gail.

From the farm we took a nice half mile walk around Jewel lake.

Trying to take off his shoes so he could get in the water. How do you explain that it's not ok when you've just spent the last week in tide pools?!We ended the afternoon with ice cream at a place that my grandparents and aunt used to take us to. It's so fun for Carter to get to experience the things that I used to.

For dinner we had amazing Mexican take out at home. It was great to sit and chat with everyone (we missed you Lisa -- and no worries!).

One last pic with Aunt Gail before she headed home for the night.
Thanks for a great day!!