In late July we headed to Oregon to visit Mama's family and help Grandma celebrate a very special birthday. I won't say how old she turned but let's just say she's still very, very young. We met up with Tia Liz, Tio Amit, Zev and Hayden, who came all the way from Israel for the event; with Tio Eddie, Tia Stacy and their new baby, Alyssa; with Motorcycle Grandpa who came all the way from Washington State; and Grandma and Opa of course who came down from the Central Oregon Coast. We spent 4 nights at a yoga retreat, which my cousin Zev ingeniously labeled "The Hippie House!" Photos of (most) of the gang are below.
The Elusive Opa
The proud grandparents (and parents) with their first granddaughter
The boy cousins, from right to left: Yours Truly, Hayden, Zev and Joaquin
Joaquin, skinny dipping in the river
Tio Eddie, Tia Stacy and Alyssa
Tia Elizabeth with Alyssa
Daddy and me in the hot tub...too hot in the hot tub
Alyssa thinks that Joaquin is hysterical...just wait until he starts stealing her toys!
Daddy with his Michael Chiklis car...he thought that he was on the set of The Shield all week long!
After we departed from the hippie house, we headed on over to my great granddad's house...known to all as Grandad. Yes, we know it's spelled wrong but one can do such things with proper names. All of Mama's cousins...the maternal line that is...obliged by converging on Grandad's house for the weekend. It was hot, hot, hot...over 100 degrees each day...so we mostly just swam in the pool and lounged in the shade...very appropriate for the following cast of shady characters:
Cousin Jude...he was selling watermelon slices for $1 million bucks a piece....nobody was buying.
Tio Ben and his cool hat
Great-Grandma Rita holding her first great granddaughter...after nine great grandsons!
Tia Danielle and Tio Tyler...they are as cool as they look.
Tia Bernadette, Tio Jerrod, Noah and Micah
Two of these kids are not like the others.
Can you believe that only two people are missing from this shot?
Saying goodbye to Grandad's kitten, Earle...even Joaquin learned to say his name!
Micah and Joaquin...they were born only four days apart!
Noah and Hayden
Noah, Hayden and Yours Truly...we were all born within 6 months of each other!
Six of the nine boys in our generation..yeah, we're a good looking bunch.
We even were able to squeeze in a visit with Roy and Donna. You've heard of the term "home away from home." Well, they are like Mama's "parents away from parents."
And that concludes the first installment of Summer Shenanigans. Check back soon for Part Deux.
We even were able to squeeze in a visit with Roy and Donna. You've heard of the term "home away from home." Well, they are like Mama's "parents away from parents." And that concludes the first installment of Summer Shenanigans. Check back soon for Part Deux.
