Summer

We just got home last night from three weeks at my parents' house in California.  I don't have time for a full recap.  Let's just say that my kids were in Cousin Heaven for the entire 3 weeks.  Swimming with cousins, a zip-line with cousins, sleeping in the tree house with cousins, the beach with cousins, San Francisco with cousins...the list could go on and on.  They seriously had so much fun.  They love their cousins.  I love that they love their cousins.  I remember loving my cousins.  Any amount of effort we went through was worth it.

Samuel holding the newest cousin:  Tanner Soren Call.  Samuel was so sweet.  He kept asking if he could hold the baby. 

Conner, Van, and Dean swimming.

Upside-down view of Calvin watching the action in the pool.

By some water falls in Gilroy Gardens: Van, Wesley, Dean, Miles, Julia, Calvin, Samuel, Lindsay.

Calvin, all asleep.

On a hike up to Look Out Point in Villa Montalvo.  These were all the cousins who gathered, plus  Aunt Leslie, who's holding Baby Zane.  It was fun to take the kids on a hike that we all grew up on.

Wesley enjoying two quintessential Call Family Reunion 2011 objects: the balcony on Granpda Call's 4-story Tree House and popsicles. 

Grandpa Call and Julia.  Grandpa was on his "throne" that overlooked the pool area and the swimming grandchildren.  He broke his leg on the second day of the reunion.  Sooo sad.  He was so great about it, though.  He really tried to still have a good attitude and enjoy himself and the grandchildren despite the disappointment of not being about to enjoy it the way he imagined, of course.  Notice the popsicle in Julia's hand.

Breakfast on the front porch

Lindsay and Mikaela at the piano.  Two basically opposite young ladies who despite all their seeming differences love each other devotedly.

We found a guitar for Matt to play for us.

This was on July 3rd, the day we gathered for Tanner Soren's Baby Blessing.  Awwww.

It was really hot July 3rd.  Poor Uncle Dan, he's too hot and tired to notice that cute niece just waiting for some attention.

How beautiful is my nephew, Clive?

This is such a great picture: tiny newborn innocently sleeping, proud grandparents contentedly looking on, kids and grandkids making mischief in the background.

The marble tracks were serious business: Van, Dean, and Samuel.

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Lindsay.  I am now officially the mother of a teenager, but let's be honest here.  She's basically had the temperament and the independent streak of a teenager for, uh, let's see...um, 13 years now.

He loves watermelon.

Wrestling on the front lawn: Conner and Wesley. I think they were both still smiling at this point.  That was a temporary situation.  

Dinner on the front lawn: Seth (Hulme), Tate, Dalton, Conner, Jacob (I think) and Miles.

Um, is that my precious little three year old way up there on that zip line?  

My heart still skips a beat even just looking at this picture.  I had to sort of block out the whole zip line thing.  It was a little too much for me.  Let's just say I was definitely relieved when Uncle Dan finally took it down last week.

the Annual Soccer Game on the front lawn: Shawn (Hulme), Seth (Hulme), Brandon, Clive, Uncle Matt, Conner, Uncle Dan, Miles, Hudson, Dalton 

Samuel and Clive

the front porch after the older boys slept out there

So those were from the first few days of the Reunion, but I can't find the other pictures.  And it's getting late.  I need to catch up on some sleep more than I need to catch up on this blog.  Good night.