Summer Trip

I recently read an article about taking a trip versus taking a vacation.  When you travel with children, I think it is likely more of a continuum: KCOTR (kid care on the road) to TRIP (fun with a heavy dose of reality) to VACAY (woo-hoo, a break from the every day)!  

This year's summer travel was a jaunt to northern Minnesota for our family reunion, which happens every 5 years.  It was a great week with 139 other fun-loving family members and a wonderful time to reflect on just how far we've come in the last 5 years.  Though there were some rocky moments during the 5 days in the car, it was dramatically easier than the travel 5 years ago.  And the reunion itself was infinitely more relaxing than the KCOTR of 5 years ago.  I would venture to even say it was a TRIP.  In 5 more years, I expect that the next reunion will feel like a VACAY! 

144 people in attendance at the 2015 reunion

We had fun with cousins



Doing anything and nothing

Jackson struggled to get up on the board, but LOVED it once he did

Matthew with cousin Ashley were too cute!

Jackson enjoyed talking Pokémon with cousin Kyle

At the turtle races, Matthew was telling his turtle she was going the wrong way

We have this picture (no Matthew and smaller Hoy kids) from 5 years ago

We had fun playing softball, volleyball and ...
 

playing on the beach

We celebrated Jackson's 8th birthday with cake...

and the Minions movie.

And we made it home safe and sound.