I may not know how to fit 4 boys in 1 bedroom, but . . .

. . . . I do know how to fit them into a vehicle--
Buy a big box on wheels!. A little over a week ago, we bid a tearful adieu to our minivan and committed ourselves fully to the business of serious-sized family hauling. This isn't a picture of our actual van, but it looks very much like it. I had to borrow a picture because when I tried to get one of the van in our garage, this is the best I could do:

But that isn't all we've been up to. In fact, on the very day we made the purchase, we made a morning trip to the Clovis Botanical Garden with all the kids from Ian on down (Rheanna was enjoying herself in Yosemite with Grandma and cousin Taylor and Carter). Anyway, it was in the morning, but it was still way too hot. Nonetheless, we captured the following precious moments:


Mitchell, holding still just long enough for a picture.















Meriel, who begged to have a picture of herself taken in front of the pretty flowers. She was right to insist.

And Ian and Keller, who also requested that I take their picture (not the other way around) and struck this pose spontaneously. May it ever be thus.

For all the heat and bother, I was also rewarded with the knowledge that a particular plant in our front yard whose name had heretofore been unknown, was, in fact, a Chinese Pistachio. With that invaluable knowledge now tucked away in my brain, I'm happy to report that I've slept so much easier since.

The botanical garden also happens to be right next to a public park which has a very interesting jungle gym made of thick cables. The kids attacked it right away. You can even see parts of the park's climbing wall area in the background of this picture.



Here's Keller in the front with Ian lurking like Spider Man in the background.















Mitchell refuses to be left behind when it comes to climbing.


Meriel momentarily refreshes herself by regally perching in the shade of a canopy. Truth be told, I had just left that spot to take the previous picture of Mitchell, and she swooped in and stole it. Her face may initially give the impression of serenity, but if you look deep into her steely gaze you'll run up against the hard, granite slab of her determination which was prepared to defy all my attempts to reclaim my seat.

She very quickly grew bored with sitting and relinquished the seat voluntarily.