This past weekend we drove to Houston to attend a good friend's wedding (Aunt Marie). We had a great time visiting and the wedding was beautiful, but getting there was a different story!
After three stops within the first hour and a half, we were finally making good time with full tummies, empty bladders and three little minds engrossed in a library video, when we realized the large cloud of smoke behind us, was in fact our own. This realization occurred seconds before red transmission fluid began splattering everyone near us and we lost power from the engine.
After three hours of firm negotiations with the transmission company who "fixed" our transmission two months ago, our van was waiting to be towed and we were back on the road in a nice rental Four Runner.
Unfortunately, the compensation Jeremiah's male ego received from our new set of wheels was grossly outweighed by the loss of space and mind numbing movie watching options.
We have a whole new appreciation for our minivan. In fact, for the first time ever, Jeremiah actually talked with joy about a future purchase of a fifteen passenger van, one row per child!
But the wedding went beautifully, and our flower girl and ring bearer were of course, adorable. And Doodle Dan dutifully slept through almost all of the mass, making us very proud parents.
At lunch today, while eying the large uneaten pizza in front of Peter, Ganpa said, "Peter, has anyone told you, your eyes are bigger than your stomach." 
