Family Recreation- always unpredictable!

The kid's cousin, Austin Phillips, has been staying at our house for the past week, and I'm sure he'd agree when we say that it's been an eventful week. We went to Wild Water Adventure Park for a day (and brought Kelsey's friend Stacie) and also Blackbeard's to go minigolfing during the evening.

The family after minigolf.

Austin with his game face -utter defeat- on.

Haley, unhappy with a shot.


Noah barely missing the hole.

Cade -what NOW?- and Noah.

Cade, the monkey boy.

Cade and Ken under the mushroom.

Stacie, Kelsey, and Austin.

Haley going down the pirate slide.

Cade, swimming like a fish.

Family Vacation at San Clemente

Our yearly family vacation at the coast was a lot of fun, despite the sense that we were employing ourselves in a type of comedy of errors. Brinn spent Saturday through Tuesday at the Fiagles' house (thanks so much!) and rode a Greyhound bus down to San Diego. Ruth and Rick's car was towed on the same day that we had a communication problem between the two groups our family split up into, and we all joined in a rousing conversation about the judicial system and car lots. We ate at McDonald's more often in one week than most of us have eaten in our whole lives (ugh!) and our campsite was overrun by viscous and brazen squirrels, but all in all, it was a success. Later, we'll all have a good laugh about this.

Doesn't Ken look like he's having fun packing up the car?

Kelsey, so awake at 11 in the a.m.

At the campsite, Cade wrestles with Monster Log.

Triumph!

Lici colors while the boring old people chat.

Cole, Haley, and Clark Kent-er, um, Matt studiously examine their menus.

Austin pauses for a photo op.

Austin and his dad take a break from the waves.
Cole gets the hang of boogie boarding.

Cade, quite the little surfer, waits to charge into the ocean. He suddenly began using phrases like "Catch some waves" and "surfer dudes" as soon as we set foot on the sand. Who knew where he'd heard those before.

Austin and Kelsey, as a rule, complete a sand castle every year together.

A sand covered Matt seeks refuge from the sun as he naps.
Matt braves being away from the indoor refuge of the condo to hang out at the campsite.

Aunt Christy and Cade pose by the fire.

Haley and Kelsey examine Sea World's sea life.

A very fried group; Cade, Kelsey, Haley, and Austin take a rest from Sea World.

Ken looks at some big fish.

Wildlife:

The genus Squirrellus rabidus in its natural habitat, eating its natural food: ours.
Lizard/snake thing. Actually, we're still not sure what that was.

Shamu: killer of the deep. Obviously, he's about to attack that trainer.

The 4th of July- Block Party

Our neighborhood organized a block party for Independence Day, which was a lot of fun. We invited some friends from church and around town to come over. We enjoyed a potluck dinner, an inflatable Slip-'N-Slide, water balloons, and some amazing fireworks. It's been a few years since we've done it, so we're glad everyone could come.

Taylor and Zach were studiously examining the effects of sparklers on empty Mountain Dew cans, much to the concern of Stevie and Brinn.
Our new neighbors are very nice people, and we're glad to have them be the ones to live in the Cardoza's old house.

Logan Hepworth jumps over some spent fireworks on his skateboard while his parents look on in a concerned manner.

Ken reacts to either the fireworks display, the camera flash, or a bout of indigestion. It's hard to say which.

Julie and Gloria begin to relax after a long day. These beautiful ladies helped us all out a lot.

Joseph Chilton stacks empty fireworks tubes.