Crazy Days of Summer

We have been on the road for the past three weekends. Lots of driving and lots of fun. The first weekend in August we went to Naches to visit some friends who moved there three years ago. It was a great weekend just hanging out with them, going to the park to watch a Veggie Tales movie with the kids, and swimming in their community pool. We also got to see all of the work they have done to their house which is actually an old grange. They have done an amazing job making into a home.

The next weekend, Dean was in a golf tournament for Reser's. While he was in Portland all day Saturday, the boys and I headed out to Dean's parents house at the beach for a Sharer family reunion. It was good to see some family that we hadn't seen in awhile. Later that night I also got to catch up with a life long friend who came over to my parents house where we got to spend a few hours talking without kiddo interruptions.

This past weekend we headed back to the beach for the Rice Family Reunion. This annual get together is a fun-filled weekend that is also filled with good food!

Each year we all bring wrapped gifts that are then auctioned to raise money for the next years reunion. It can be a little risky because, although most of the gifts are good, there could be a few "white elephant" gifts too. This year we ended up getting a hand painted vase and some tools. Not bad considering one year we got a singing fish. Ha! We watched the kids play, ate, played some cards, ate, helped the kids tie-dye shirts, ate, and did I mention we ate.

We also spent some time down at the ocean. The kids, of course, got soaking wet and had a great time digging in the sand.

And being buried in the sand too. We also fire off some rockets there. It was a great place to launch as aiming them into the wind (out toward the ocean) meant that they all came back toward us. The kids, and Dean and Jason, did have to chase some of them down but I don't think we lost any this year.

It was a great weekend with family and we are already looking forward to next year.

When we got home on Sunday, my parents meet us and we were able to go out to dinner to celebrate their 40th anniversary. I am so glad that they drove all this way to celebrate with us. it had felt like we hadn't seen them in so long as they have been busy going to Wenatchee and Coulee Dam to help get my grandma settled in her new home and getting her old one packed and cleaned.

Although we have had fun on our trips, I am looking forward to a weekend at home as I am sure our house is too since it needs some TLC. School starts in just a couple of weeks and I need to get organized to be ready for three school kiddos and all of their stuff.