fourth fun!

we survived! 20ish hours in the car with a toddler... i'd say surviving was quite the accomplishment!

wish i could say he was happy like this the entire way...

this past week, we hit the road to minnesota to visit my family for the fourth! the main purpose of the trip is my dad's side of the family has their annual fam reunion. my dad has 13 brothers & sisters (all biological & no multiples!), so getting the abbott family together one a year is no small task! 

12 of the 14 siblings. my dad is number 12!

i cherish this time w family each year. it's the one time we get together, play games & catch up for the year unless there's a wedding or funeral!

we set up a mini pool & sprinkler for the littles to play in! there was a high of 89 that day, so keeping them cool was key! oh, and water balloons added a fun twist, too. did i mention abbott's like to prank one another?? :)

playing in the grassy water (yuck...). the water was freezing and he never actually made it in the pool!

we had a great time watching fireworks on the fourth, too! this boy sure loves his grandpa!

there was plenty of down time this trip, which is unusual, but more than great! 

the relaxing view from my parents' house. such sweet memories from this house growing up!

we played yard games, chased the doggies, ate ice cream, went for "tractor" rides... 

my dad is so good with holden! anytime holden saw grandpa, he immediately started saying tractor and wanted to play with the dozens of tractors my brothers had growing up!

and, thankfully, holden adjusted perfectly to sleeping at my parents' house! that's always a concern... although it's really never been an issue (clearly!).

on our last day there, we blew up a little pool for holden & went out to eat. our last dinner as a fam was at one of our favs! side note: i'm loving holden in rompers right now! 

again, he wouldn't get in...

he slept longer on the way home than on the way there. we may have run tolls, though, to ensure he didn't wake up!! oops. 

all in all, it was a great trip! good family time, fun stella & dot party for my mom & a great time enjoying the freedom we have here in america!