Saturday was not only when Brooklyn turned 5 months old, it was also the day of the Dvorak family reunion with Travis’s mom’s family. Every year (usually in July), we hang out at Joe Wheeler for the day, play games, and eat lots of good food. It’s always fun!
This year was a little different for us since it was our first time to bring Brooklyn. (Well, technically, I guess she came last year too…but with fewer accessories!). This time, it almost felt like we were packing for a trip again because we had to make sure to bring all of the stuff she might need for the day. Boppy pillow, toys, diapers, wipes, extra clothes, hat, Bumbo, stroller, etc. Whew!
Brooklyn was a big hit at the reunion. It was funny to just see people standing around and watching her. She loved being around everyone too!
We had really great weather all day! It wasn’t nearly as hot as it is sometimes in the middle of July. We were all a little sweaty by the end of the day though, even Brooklyn. She got a bath first thing when we got home!
It was really great to hang out with Travis’s cousins that we don’t get to see very often. That was the reason that they started having the reunions several years ago…because a lot of the cousins don’t live close by anymore. We’re all spread out!
We hadn’t seen David and Lauren since we went down to Orlando last December for our 5 year anniversary trip, so this was their first time to meet Brooklyn.
I didn’t get a picture of them, but Cheryl made Brooklyn the cutest “barefoot sandals”! She’d never worn shoes before, so I wonder if that was what made her notice her feet for the first time. Who knows, but she was definitely trying to get those toes in her mouth!
Brooklyn did great all day! She really only took a couple of cat naps while we were there…I think she didn’t want to miss out on anything. She was definitely ready for bed by the time we got home though!
It wouldn’t be a proper reunion without homemade ice cream, and this year we tried something a little different. We made Piña Colada sorbet! It was perfect for a hot day outside…not too sweet or heavy. Here’s the recipe for anyone interested. It makes just over a gallon, which worked out perfectly in our 6 qt. freezer.
Piña Colada Sorbet
- 3 1/2 cups white sugar
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 3 (20 oz) cans crushed pineapple, drained (*I used pineapple chunks b/c that’s what I had, and it worked fine)
- 3 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk
- 3/4 cup lime juice
Directions: Make a syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir and boil until the liquid becomes clear, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool. Blend the drained pineapple in a blender or food processor until very smooth and frothy. In a large bowl, whisk together the syrup, pineapple puree, coconut milk, and lime juice. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. Freeze in the freezer canister of an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com.
We ended the reunion with a game of Ultimate Frisbee before heading back home. We had a great day!
