Santa Barbara September 2017

We got to spend time with Alice and Jimmy while Rosie and Jay had their Spanish adventure. Calvin stayed for a few days and I took pictures, but after he left I was busy wrangling kids and didn't grab the camera as often. 

One of our first adventures was to the park by their house. Alice made a colorful model.

Jimmy was a pretty good model too

We followed up with lunch at Carl's Junior

Another day we went to the pier in Santa Barbara to look at boats and have some ice cream

We went to Alice's first soccer practice

and had a day at the beach

but most of the time we just had fun being at home

I loved getting to spend time with them on their turf.  They are just delightful children and it was really nice to split grandparenting time with Tim and Ann.  It took all four of us to keep up with them! 

The Discovery Museum

It is October and I still have some pictures from July that I wanted to share. Butch and his family spent one more night at our house after their Oregon trip and because they had a late afternoon flight we went to the Discovery Museum in Reno to fill in the morning hours.  Peter joined us with Sylvan and I was amazed that Sylvan and Lucy enjoyed the Museum as much as Zach and Austin.

The first attraction in the museum is climbing in the cloud maze. Cousin twins.

Zach and Austin soon found the construction area.

Zach designed a house and a bridge

Austin designed a ball drop course and experimented with the catapult

Lucy liked the art section and the pinwheels

Sylvan liked the slide

And even the big boys got involved designing paper airplanes and testing them in the wind tunnel.

And on the way out a quick ride in the airplane

It is a great place to spend a morning.

Hanging out in the deep grass

We had a week of in and out family gatherings. While Butch and his family traveled to Oregon, Rosie's Santa Barbara roommate Allison and her family visited from Utah for a few days. I liked the times when we were just all hanging out in the deep grass.

Popsicles

And Hugs

This is Sarah bracing with a lap full of boys bracing for a flying hug from Clare (sorry Sarah)

A selfie

A flying baby

Cousins

Roommates 10 years later

Good times 

Descendants

While the family was all gathered we took some posed pictures.  It was so fun having everyone together in Reno.  The only person missing was Calvin and we did miss him a lot.

Being and avid genealogist I know the clear distinction between ancestors and descendants.  These are my descendants.  I love them all.

All of the grandkids, mostly smiling..at least no is screaming.

A handsome group of grandsons.  Garrett pointed out that I wasn't looking at the camera, but he was smiling his beautiful smile so I chose this version.

And my three beautiful granddaughters.

I am one lucky Grandma.

Saturday July 22, 2017

All of our kids and grandkids were in Reno for weekend in July.  On Saturday toenails were polished, bikes were ridden, food was eaten and we finished off the day on the beach at Lake Tahoe.  Delightful!

Our crowd can really fill up a restaurant these days. 

We also fill up a beach pretty well

with lots of digging 

a little swimming

a little relaxing on the beach

 and lots of hugs.

My favorite kind of day