IT TAKES A VILLAGE

TO GET US MOTIVATED 

TO WORK IN THE GARDEN.

WELL MAYBE NOT A VILLAGE,

BUT JUST ONE GREAT BROTHER IN LAW,
WHO TRIMMED HIS DYMONDIA
SO WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH
TO PLANT OUR DRIVEWAY STRIP.

PROJECT COMPLETE
WITH LEFTOVERS
TO FILL IN THOSE SPOTS
I SEE WE MISSED.

THANKS DENNIS AND CAROL!
NOW LETS HOPE THE PLANTS
GROW AS WELL IN OUR YARD,
AS IT DOES IN YOURS.

WEEKENDS ARE FOR FAMILY AND FUN!

OUR WEEKDAYS ARE PRETTY BASIC WITH GOLF, WALKING, SHOPPING AND MORE GOLF.  THE WEEKENDS ARE KEPT FOR FUN WITH FAMILY.  THIS WEEKEND WAS FULL  OF IT.  IT STARTED OUT WITH US HEADING TO STEVE AND DORIAN'S FOR A PARTY WITH HER FAMILY, SO THEY COULD MEET RAE AND NORA, AND WE COULD VISIT WITH THEM.

WHOEVER SAID KING CITY 
DOESN'T HAVE CLASS, 
OBVIOUSLY HASN'T STOPPED
AT THEIR LOCAL MC DONALD'S.
I WAS BLOWN AWAY WHEN 
WE STOPPED FOR A SODA BREAK
AND FOUND
FRESH,
 NOT PLASTIC OR SILK,
BUT REAL DAFFODILS
ON EVERY TABLE.
I HAVE A WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION
FOR KING CITY,
AND MC DONALD'S.

NEXT STOP,
APPLE FARM FOR DINNER,
AND A LITTLE SHOPPING
IN THEIR FUN GIFT SHOPS.
ONE DAY, I WILL STAY IN THE HOTEL.

SATURDAY, WITH NO RAIN,
YEAH,
FOUND US LADIES HANGING OUT
AT THE APPETIZER TABLE.

(LOOKS LIKE KURT JOINED US.)
RAE,
AND NORA
(HIDDEN BEHIND RAE)
WERE DEFINITELY
THE BIGGEST ATTRACTION
OF THE DAY.. 

THE MEN HUNG OUT IN THE SUN
WITH A LITTLE LIQUID REFRESHMENT,
WHILE STEVE BBQ'D DINNER.

IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE
PAPA'S 76TH BIRTHDAY,
AND DESSERT JUST HAPPENED TO BE
THIS BEAUTIFUL, AND DELICIOUS
BIRTHDAY CAKE.

 SUNDAY WAS FOR SPORTS.

AND THE DAY STARTED WITH
ROXY'S WATER POLO.

I LOVE HER DEFENSE.

LOOK HOW SHE KEEPS HER HAND
ON HER OPPONENT.

HER OFFENSE IS PRETTY GREAT TOO!
GO AHEAD AND TRY TO DROWN HER

SHE STILL ENDS UP WITH THE BALL.

SHE'S READY 

AND NO MATTER WHAT THE CHALLENGE,
SHE GOT THE BALL,

AND SCORED,
AND SCORED,
AND SCORED AGAIN!
GREAT JOB ROXY!!!

 THIS AFTERNOON,

AND ACROSS TOWN,

IT WAS TIME FOR SYD'S GAME.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO WATCH SYDNEY

HER AGGRESSION WHEN SHE HITS THE WATER
IS SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH.

JUST LOOK

AT HOW FAR SHE COMES OUT OF THE WATER
TO GUARD AGAINST THIS SHOT.

I LOVE HER DETERMINATION,
YOU CAN SEE IT IN EVERY PLAY.

AGGRESSION AND DETERMINATION,
THAT PRETTY MUCH DESCRIBES HER GAME.
GREAT JOB SYD!

OLIVIA ALSO HAD WATER POLO TODAY,
BUT HERS WAS OVER AN HOUR AWAY,
AND AFTER THE BUSY WEEKEND WE HAD,
WE CHOSE THE GAMES CLOSER TO HOME.
KNOWING YOU, OLIVIA,
I'M SURE
CONGRATULATIONS
FOR A GREAT GAME ARE IN ORDER.

WE ALL KNOW SUNDAY IS FOR SOCCER,
AND SOPHIA'S GAME WAS
OUR FINAL SPORT OF THE DAY.
AGGRESSION IS ALSO ONE OF HER STRONG POINTS,
AND WATCHING HER FIGHT FOR THAT BALL
NEVER GETS OLD.
NO PICTURES, BUT
GREAT GAME SOPHIA!

I KNOW YOU WANT TO TELL ME,"GET A LIFE."
BUT THIS IS OUR LIFE,
AND WE LOVE IT!

AND THE CELEBRATING GOES ON!!!

IT'S ALWAYS TIME TO CELEBRATE

WHEN ONE OF THE GRANDKIDS

COMES HOME FROM COLLEGE.

IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS NOW
SINCE ELISE HAS BEEN HOME,

SO WE WERE ALL HAPPY TO SEE HER LAST NIGHT
WHEN SHE FLEW IN FOR SPRING BREAK.

WHERE DO WE HEAD
WHEN ELISE COMES TO TOWN?

TO IN AND OUT BURGER
THAT'S WHERE!
NO IN AND OUT BURGERS
IN HER LITTLE COLLEGE TOWN.

ABOUT SIX HOURS SLEEP

AND WE WERE ALL HEADED FOR THE FERRY
TO SAN FRANCISCO,
TO DO A LITTLE MORE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATING
WITH SYDNEY.

OK,
WHAT'S THE BIG ATTRACTION?

IT'S NORA ALL DRESSED UP FOR THE OCCASION,
AND RARING TO GO!

THE KIDS ALWAYS LIKE
THE TOP, OUTDOOR LEVEL
OF THE FERRY,

AND NORA THOUGHT IT SOUNDED LIKE FUN TOO.

AT THE FERRY BUILDING
ALICE INTRODUCED US TO THE ITALIAN DOUGHNUT.
SHE DIDN'T THINK THEY
WERE QUITE THE SAME AS IN ITALY,
BUT I'M HERE TO SAY
THAT THEY WERE PRETTY DARN GOOD.

WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT
A DOUGHNUT FILLED WITH
REAL CUSTARD!

WE SPENT MOST OF THE DAY
AT THE EXPLORATORIUM,
AND CAN YOU BELIEVE,
THESE ARE THE ONLY PICTURES I TOOK.

THERE WAS SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO,
LIKE THIS FUN BUBBLE BLOWING.

JUST LOOK AT THIS ONE!

DOESN'T THIS LOOKS LIKE
THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT BUBBLE.
DON'T LET IT POP!

AFTER A GREAT DAY INSIDE
IT WAS TIME TO GET OUTSIDE
AND SOAK UP SOME OF
THAT CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE.

ELISE IS DETERMINED
TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL
WITH A CALIFORNIA TAN.

HOWS THIS FOR A HAPPY BABY,
AND THIS IS HOW SHE WAS ALL DAY!
SHE LOVED THE EXPLORATORIUM,
AND ALL THE FAMILY THAT WENT WITH IT.

 TIME FOR DINNER

AND IT TOOK TWO TABLES
AT OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT

TO SEAT THIS LARGE FAMILY,
AND A FEW FRIENDS.

AND FROM  ANOTHER ANGLE- - - 

 HEADING BACK HOME,

AND WHO'S THE BIG ATTRACTION ONCE AGAIN,

ASIDE FROM THE BIRTHDAY GIRL THAT IS,

WHY IT'S NORA OF COURSE!
STILL JUST AS CONTENT, AND ADORABLE,
 AS SHE WAS
WHEN THIS WHOLE DAY STARTED.

ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF A LARGE FAMILY,
THERE'S ALWAYS REASON
FOR CELEBRATION!!!

ANOTHER GRANDCHILD HAS TURNED 18

AND THAT WAS REASON TO CELEBRATE!

SYDNEY, WITH HER SPECIAL GRIN,

CELEBRATED HER 18TH BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING,
ROXY, WITH KNIFE IN HAND,
 IS GETTING READY TO CUT THE CAKE,
NOT STAB HER SISTERS.

ALICE IS ALWAYS READY FOR A CELEBRATION,

AND SO IS NORA,
EVEN IF SHE COULDN'T HAVE ANY CAKE.
RAE HAVING AN EARLIER BEDTIME THAN NORA,
HAD TO LEAVE AFTER DINNER,
BUT YOU CAN BE SURE,
IF SHE HAD STAYED,
SHE WOULD HAVE HAD A TASTE OF THAT CAKE.