Summer Photo Dump

We have been busy since school let out on June 27. I think the kids and I slept in about 8 different places over a 6-week period. In no particular order, we

-Visited Careen, Mark, and Dillon in St. Louis
-Spent some time at my parents' house in Keokuk, IA (near Nauvoo) with all my sisters, my mom, and my Aunt Cindi.
-Attended a family reunion for John's mother's side of the family.
-Attended a family reunion for John's immediate family.
-Attended a family reunion for John's father's side of the family.
-Spent a week with John's brother, his wife, and their 6 kids in Las Vegas.
-Saw six friends in 2.5 days in Salt Lake City.
-Survived a redeye flight home.

Since I'm not a shutterbug, I don't have nearly as many pictures as I'd like to memorialize all our travels. But, in no particular order, here are a few.

Taylor Family Reunion (John's Mom's side)

Potato sack race

Cheering on Sis

The serious racers

Diving for the finish

The flag and T-shirts have Carma's father's brand, the lazy T.

Evelyn and Hyrum with Aunt Janet.

Hanging out in the shade

Matching fans

Unintentional pregnancy profile shot. Why does 26.5 weeks with #3 look like 32 weeks with #2? Sad.

Temple Square

Church History Museum

Recreating a classic shot with Brigham

Visiting old stomping grounds with the next generation

BYU dinosaur museum with Beth, Lexie, and Steele

One of many airport scenes over the last few weeks

St. Louis temple in 104 degree heat

Playing with Careen and Dillon at the Magic House

Sisters, a portrait

Antiquing in Iowa

As an aside, It is incredibly difficult to take decent pictures on a cell phone in blindingly bright outdoor light when one subject insists on trying to run out of every frame.

Hyrum is now a tummy tickles addict.

Back home for Tasti D and bagels for Uncle Charles's birthday

Bored at a kids' concert in Madison Square Park

Playing Ring Around the Rosie with Belle at the beach in Fairfield, CT

Diary Queen!

Broadway at Bryant Park. We made it through 2 acts, so it was much more successful than last year, when the kids were ready to leave before the sound check was over.

Joseph and Violet Prete Reunion (John's dad's side of the family)

Self portrait

Evelyn with Aunt Becky and baby Ashley, the newest member of the Roy Prete clan.

Roy with one of his brothers and four of his sisters

Austin and Evelyn showing off their bottle rockets (Ev's was named Lemonade Snow White, 

in case you're wondering)

Travel Log: Barcelona

Sunday May 6

-Go to airport for flight to Barcelona. Ponder why naming a salad after New Jersey would increase its appeal while John sleeps with his head on the table.

-Check out La Rambla. Stop at Cafe Viena for Mark Bittman's favorite sandwich. Recommended.

-Museum of Xocolat

Any place that gives you a chocolate bar for a ticket is AOK with me.

Don Quixote

-Citadel Park

-Accidentally discover amazing gelato

-Wander around gothic quarter/La Rambla tasting snacks. End up at guidebook-recommended chocolate and churro destination that leaves a lot to be desired.

-Back to the hotel for a rest.

-Dinner at La Crema Canela (Good value, almost great food; John thought it was fantastic. I thought each dish fell just slightly short in a sort of hard to define way; I was then dubbed a food snob.)

-Stop by Placa D'Espanya to see the Magic Fountains. Two thumbs up.

Monday May 7

-Cathedral of Barcelona

-Lunch. Pinoxto at La Boqueria Market. Great food. You wait behind a seated patron while they eat (in our case, a family that ordered 4 or 5 courses. Come, on guys!). Then, when you get a spot, you eat whatever they're cooking, and you like it. In a good way.

-Sagrada Familia. When people asked me what my favorite thing about our trip was, I didn't even have to think. Sagrada Familia was definitely #1 for me. Gaudi's work is so fascinating, and nowhere is that more true than here.

-Parc Guell. A planned community ahead of its time.

-Enjoy more Gaudi on the walk back to the hotel.

-Dinner: Cafe de L'Academia. Excellent. Go there. But maybe stop by the gelato place for dessert. The dessert wasn't the best part of the meal.

Tuesday May 8

-Pick up treats at Fargas chocolate shop. Immediately wish we had started eating these chocolates sooner. Get the caramelized almonds covered in white chocolate and cocoa powder.

-Walk down the rest of La Rambla, wave to Christopher Columbus monument memorializing his 1492 departure from Spain for the New World. Head out to the beach at Barceloneta

-Lunch: paella at Can Majo. So-so. It was a little greasy for my tastes in a sort of way that made me feel like it hadn't been cooked long enough to really develop all the flavors. Not that this prevented me from eating a sizeable portion (or two). The salads, however, were incredible.

-Picasso Museum. This was worth visiting.

-More gelato at Cremeria Toscana. Since we were in the neighborhood.

-Watch the Avengers (in English, with Spanish subtitles)

-Dinner: Commerc24. Interesting. A couple things were amazing. A couple were just weird. Overall, glad we went. Although I don't think I'm firmly converted to molecular gastronomy.

Wednesday May 9

-Take a last look at some Gaudi.

-Wave goodbye to Christopher Columbus as I prepare to follow his footsteps (through a much faster, more efficient route, thankfully).