May Meanderings

May started off with a wonderful trip to California to see my oldest and dearest friends.  Tammy is having her first baby, so Jessica and I flew out for her baby shower and a weekend of wonderfulness.  I love these girls, and I am so grateful for their longstanding friendship.  They are amazing examples/inspirations to me on so many levels.

Aside from that, we always have the best time together and do all of my favorite things.  Hiking in beautiful scenery,

 dining on delicious food, and then shopping and a rendez-vous with Paige.

 Tammy's baby shower was in Tracy, where I grew up, so we drove by my old house - and it was crazy to see it -

And a Jennifer - a very dear friend that I haven't seen in FOREVER - also made it out.  

Seriously great weekend.

Lucas is already a veteran traveller - having gone to Palm Springs for the weekend with Mario and I to see the tennis match, then flying with me to New Jersey for 36 hours so I could attend a work meeting and then this trip to Cali - all before 2 months old!

 In May we also played outside a lot before it got too hot - sometimes in the rain,

but most of the time in the sun.  And on lazy Sunday mornings, in our pijamas.

I love this pic of them totally lounging in their play house.

Gabe's complete obsession with horses and making ranches continues.

 They also love to help with anything and everything - here helping their dad plant new flowers.

 They also LOVE pancakes, and ask for them daily, and I don't really love making them or eating them so I resist as often as possible.  However, when I do cave I try to make it fun by making shapes...

 I need better tools to create better shapes!

 Gabe had both his end-of-year program at preschool and his preschool graduation.

I love to watch him singing the songs - he LOVES the music!

 Lucas and I spent most of the program in the foyer while he fussed.  Overall, he's a pretty calm baby, but they always decide not to be at the most inconvenient times...

 All the kids were animals on Noah's Ark.  Gabe and Kirsten were horses - how fitting!

 Lucas busting out with his first smiles.

 Lucas at 2 months old - not cooperating for photos!!

 Mario and friends during a bocci tournament.

 Mario looks all pro, but apparently her "lets" the others win.

 The group.

 All the kids joining in for bath time.

 Cute baby in his carseat.  I don't know why his arm is like that, I swear I don't put him in the car like that!

 How Lucia spent Gabe's "Moving Up" ceremony.

 The school info said "Sunday Best" for the kids.  Apparently mine is the only one who wears a tie on Sundays!

 I was so cute to hear him say the pledge of allegiance and sing America the Beautiful.

 Gabe LOVED his teacher - Miss Yvette and I think she might have loved him even more.  He will miss her so much!

 Apparently this is the best backdrop we could find for a family pic???

 Gabe spent the first two weeks after preschool ended behaving HORRIBLE, and crying about leaving preschool and saying he did NOT want to go to kindergarten.  Poor sensitive kid has such a hard time with changes.  Hopefully that will get better as he ages???

April Adventures

Time flies too fast and I'm not recording all the things I want to remember about life with three little kids...  April brought the much anticipated visit of Esteban and Estela.  We all LOVE our annual visits with them.  Mario got to work and spent MANY hours finishing up the bocci court in the back yard before their arrival.

 

Matt and Lindsay came to help, and Lucia and Olive decided watching movies was preferable to working in the yard.

Mario is obsessed with spends significant time trying to make it completely level. Unfortunately, it seems to be a task beyond the tools he has available to him.  In spite of being less-than-regulation quality, Mario has hosted several bocci tournaments already and all agree it's the most fun ever. 

With took our visiting family to Sedona for the day and stopped at Montezuma's castle on the way.  Lots of people feel the need to comment on Gabe dressed like a cowboy because they think it is so cute, as if he had on a superman cape or something.  He is mostly confused as to why it is noteworthy, since to him it is not a costume, but just how any cowboy would dress...

We had absolutely beautiful weather in Arizona that weekend and the red rocks were as impressive as always.

This is sweet baby Lucas after daddy shaved his head.  I think he looks pretty handsome no matter his hair.

Estela is one of my most favorite people ever.  She is funny and easy going and helpful and we wish we could see them more often. Lucas was pretty fond of her as well!

As an Easter surprise, Misty decided to create havoc in my house by gifting my children a live duckling.  She told me she didn't think we would like it, but thought it would be fun anyway.

Mario was livid, the kids were in love, and I was caught in the middle.  Fun times for everyone, right!  We were looking for a nice home for it when a neighborhood cat got to it first a few nights later.  Gabe still thinks it went to the pond and is waiting for him...

The weather had been beautiful, so I set the tables up outside.  And then it was 100 degrees, but it was too late to move everything and mess up my plan, and because looks come before comfort for me, we ate in the heat.

Aunt Alli didn't disappoint this year with a bunch of eggs with cash in them - Lucia found the $20 egg!

Tio Esteban helping Gabe find more eggs.

My dad and brother carving the ham.

Esteban enjoying his raspberry parfait for dessert.

A little family bocci.

After Easter lunch we all went to the church and Lucas Deo Resek was given a name and a blessing by his father.  It was wonderful to have Esteban and Estela and all my family there.d

Several friends also came.

I think Gabe is actually angry and pouting in this picture, but he looks like he's posing and I love it!

My matchy matchy boys.

And this is the result of trying to get Easter pictures of your kids at 5:00 in the afternoon on a day that they've eaten a ton of candy and had no naps...

It was a lovely Easter and fabulous visit with Esteban and Estela - we're already planning for next year!!