ANOTHER BUSY WEEKEND

THIS MORNING FOUND US UP EARLY , AND IN SALINAS FOR A SWIM MEET.  A STOP AT THE SNACKBAR FOR A BREAKFAST BURRITO, AND WE WERE READY FOR A DAY OF WATCHING GORDAN SWIM.  SINCE IT WAS SO CLOSE TO HOME, AUNT BETTY JOINED US FOR THE DAY.

AFTER HIS POWER BREAKFAST,

HE WAS READY FOR A DAY FULL OF SWIMMING.

I CAUGHT HIM HERE ANTICIPATING HIS BACK STROKE EVENT.

LOOKING GOOD GORDAN!

AFTER HIS THREE EVENTS IN THE MORNING, HE QUALIFIED FOR THE FINALS.  SINCE IT WOULD BE, AT LEAST, ANOTHER FIVE HOURS BEFORE THE FINALS TOOK PLACE, WE TOOK OFF FOR MONTEREY AND A LUNCH BREAK. 

WE ENDED UP AT EL TORITO, AND ASIDE FROM THE FACT THEY DIDN'T HAVE CLAM CHOWDER FOR GORDAN, WE HAD A GREAT LUNCH.

GORDAN, IN THE BLACK SWIM CAP, WAITS FOR HIS RACE IN THE FINALS.

HE'S READY (in the middle lane)

AND HE'S OFF, 

FOR A GREAT SWIM  CUTTING TWO SECONDS OFF HIS TIME.
GREAT JOB GORDAN!

THIS WEEKEND STEVE AND DORIAN VENTURED UP THE COAST FOR A VISIT, 

AND TO CELEBRATE BRITTNEY'S BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY.

THE KIDS HAD LOTS OF FUN WITH COUSINS AND FRIENDS.  ROXANNE WORE HER HELMET, READY FOR WHATEVER SHE FELT LIKE DOING.  SOPHIA JUMPS ON THE POGO STICK, WHILE THE OLDER GROUP HAVE FUN PLAYING CORN HOLE.

 OF COURSE THERE WAS LOTS OF FOOD AND DESSERT,

AND FROM THE LOOKS OF THIS FAMILY PHOTO, LOTS OF DRINK TOO.
(Emily was out of town, and who knows where Gordan was)

COUSINS HAVING FUN.
THE LATER IT GOT, THE SILLIER THEY GOT.
A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY B!
(I seemed to have missed the birthday girl in my random picture taking)

GUESS WHO IS NOW AN OFFICIAL DRIVER?

 ELISE!

CONGRATS ELISE

WE KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!!!

THE YOUNGEST GRANDAUGHTER THREE

 IN CONCERT

LAST NIGHT WAS LIV'S SPRING CONCERT.

HER THIRD GRADE CLASS PERFORMED
"I WON'T GROW UP".
THE THEME OF THEIR COSTUMES  WAS LOST BOYS.  MUCH TO HER MOM'S CHAGRIN, SHE DID HER OWN HAIR AND MAKEUP.  THE REST OF US THOUGHT IT LOOKED PERFECT! 

SING ON OLIVIA!

ANTIQUING RIGHT HERE AT HOME

BETWEEN YESTERDAY'S CLUB GOLF AND TOMORROW'S GOLF TOURNAMENT, WE TOOK TODAY TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF BROWSING IN THE DARLING CITY OF NILES.   AFTER HITTING ALL THE ANTIQUE STORES, WE STOPPED AT THE VINE FOR LUNCH.

YOU CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO EAT INSIDE, OR LIKE US, YOU CAN VENTURE  OUTSIDE TO ENJOY THIS CUTE LITTLE PATIO.

LOOK AT THE INTERESTING BAR.  THE BAR TOP ACTUALLY IS MADE OUT OF SEATING FROM THE OLD CAL FOOTBALL STADIUM.

AND THEN THERE'S THE FOOD!

DARYL HAD THE FAVORITE CORN BEEF,
WHILE I TRIED SOMETHING NEW.

HAM WITH BRIE AND MARMALADE.
DELICIOUS!!!

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RACE!

SOMEWHERE IN THESE HILLS, BETWEEN MISSION PEAK IN FREMONT AND LAKE DEL VALLE IN LIVERMORE, ARE ABOUT 200 PARTICIPANTS, IN VERY GOOD SHAPE, DOING A 50K.  I THINK THAT EQUALS ABOUT 32 MILES.

NIECE KELLY AND HER FRIEND MARSHA, AND OUR FRIEND MATTHEW WERE AMONG THE FIT, BUT CRAZY PEOPLE STARTING OUT EARLY IN THE FOG TO DO THIS RACE.  WE MET CAROL AND DENNIS IN THE DEL VALLE CAMPGROUNDS, SO WE COULD CHEER THEM ON AT THE FINISH LINE.  MATTHEW, WHO RAN THE RACE, CAME IN AT 5 HOURS AND 51 MINUTES.  WAY TO GO MATTHEW!!!
WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE CAMPGROUNDS, SINCE KELLY AND MARSHA BEING POWER WALKERS, WOULD TAKE A FEW MORE HOURS.  ALONG THE WAY WE SPOTTED ROBERT WITH KELLY AND MARSHA IN TOW.  IT SEEMS THEY PLAYED THE GOOD SAMARITAN, AND SAVED A MAN WHO HAD GOTTEN LOST AND FELL DOWN A RAVINE.  HE WAS STUCK, FEET FIRST IN DEEP MUD.  AS OTHER RUNNERS PASSED THEM BY, THEY WORKED UNTIL THEY GOT HIM OUT.  THEY WERE ONLY ABLE TO RETRIEVE ONE OF HIS SHOES.  MAKING HIM PROMISE NOT TO MOVE UNTIL HELP CAME, AND, SINCE HE COMPLAINED ABOUT BEING COLD, LEAVING HIM WITH ONE OF KELLY'S SHIRTS AND MARSHA'S WINDBREAKER, THEY CONTINUED ON THE RACE.  NOT MAKING IT IN THE ALLOWED TIME AT ABOUT THE HALFWAY MARK, THEY HAD TO QUIT THE RACE.   

KELLY DOING A LITTLE HYDRATING AFTER THEIR FRUSTRATING DAY.  EVEN THOUGH NOT MANY OF US WILL EVER DO A RACE WITH THE AMOUNT OF MILES THEY DID TODAY, THEY LOOKED AS THOUGH THEY HAD BEEN  ON A SUNDAY STROLL.  

KNITTING, AND A LITTLE BIT OF WINE, CALMED THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT.
I'M SURE THE GREAT DINNER CAROL AND DENNIS SERVED US, CHEERED THEM AS WELL.
YOU DID GOOD LADIES!
YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE FINISHER'S SHIRT, BUT I'M SURE THAT MAN WITH YOUR SHIRT AND WINDBREAKER IS VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU WERE THERE TO HELP HIM.
THREE CHEERS FOR A JOB WELL DONE!!!

HAPPENINGS OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS

LAST SATURDAY ABBEY DID HER FIRST HALF MARATHON.  SHE LOOKED STRONG AS SHE PASSED US AT MILE SEVEN.

ROXANNE WAS A REAL CHEERLEADER, RUNNING A WHILE WITH HER,

AND CHEERING EVERYONE ON.  SHE , MUCH TO SYDNEY'S EMBARRASSMENT , USED A TIN CAN AND MY POTATO MASHER TO MAKE LOTS OF NOISE.  SYD, SWEARS SHE WILL NOT EAT MASHED POTATOES NEXT THANKSGIVING IF I USE THAT TO MASH THEM.  

OLIVIA EARNED THAT BAGEL,AND SOME KRISPY KREME DONUTS TOO.  THERE WAS ALSO A 10K GOING ON AT THE  PARK AND HER AND PATTI RAN IT.  

ABBEY GIVES PAPA A HIGH FIVE AS SHE COMES IN ON THE FINAL STRETCH.

ONCE AGAIN OUR CHEERLEADER RUNS WITH ABBEY, ENCOURAGING HER ALONG, AS SHE APPROACHES THE FINISH LINE.

ABBEY'S ALL SMILES WITH HER FIRST HALF MARATHON UNDER HER BELT.
GREAT JOB ABBEY!!!
NOW START TRAINING FOR THAT FIRST MARATHON :)


TODAY WAS THE ANNUAL GIRLS ON THE RUN.

SEE IF YOU CAN FIND OLIVIA AND ABBEY AT THE START, I CAN'T AND I WAS THERE.
OLIVIA, ONCE AGAIN, WENT BY SO FAST IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A PICTURE.  I HAVE A GREAT ONE OF THE GIRL THAT WAS A FEW YARDS BEHIND HER.

CELEBRATE

HOW CUTE ARE THESE COUSINS?

LIV AND A FRIEND DISCUSS THE RACE WHILE RE HYDRATING.

PAPA AND ONE OF HIS EIGHT FAVORITE GRANDAUGHTERS.

PATTI  DOES THESE RACES LIKE THEY'RE A PIECE OF CAKE.
GREAT JOB GIRLS!

AFTER THE RACE, WE TRAVELED DOWN THE FREEWAY TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION FOR ALYSSA'S 24TH BIRTHDAY.

IT WAS HELD IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK.

THEIR WERE ALL KINDS OF FUN THINGS TO DO, INCLUDING THESE FUN BUBBLE WANDS.

AFTER LOTS OF PRACTICE, ALYSSA (on the right), GINA, AND A FRIEND, GOT TO BE QUITE SUCCESSFUL.  I EVEN ACCOMPLISHED A BUBBLE OR TWO.

LOTS OF FOOD,

GAMES,

AND KITE FLYING!
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO CELEBRATE A BIRTHDAY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALYSSA,
HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR!!!