An Attempt at a Decent Family Picture

Monday, July 18, 2011
Check out Andy's fun post on his start of this day....A Mile for Donuts

Today was a day spent at the pool and beach.  There were some obnoxious water gun fights that resulted in a panic over a soaked laptop and Bible-all turned out okay.  A couple of kids landed in the pool fully clothed.  I keep my cell phone in my pocket (even though our service here is touch and go) and my new watch on my wrist and use these things as deterrents to landing in the pool fully clothed.

Dad couldn't go a full two days without a run to Sam's, so he Jonathan and Danielle made the trip, and I got to hang with Regan.  We ended up napping together in the recliner...check my "A Few of my Favorite things" post.  Regan is a very good baby, but she can sure bring out the tears when her mean Aunt Tamara forbids her to chew on a battery.  You would have thought that they had become best friends in their three second relationship.

Andy grilled salmon on cedar planks for dinner, and we got that started a bit late.  I was still determined to try and take care of the family pictures early in the week rather than later, so we made our first attempt tonight.  Much to the chagrin of the kids, I am afraid that we will need to try again a little earlier in the evening and with less cloud cover.  I think I found one okay picture in this bunch.

This is the one that may be a keeper.  Of course Julia had to go all diva on us.

I did allow them to get silly.

Then we saw this huge pelican and had to turn the camera on it.

Logan had some fun running and jumping into the seaweed infested ocean.

We spent some time at the Pier Park shopping center.  Wyatt found some rocks that he just has to have.  Julia complained of sore feet. I bought a bracelet.  Joshua started feeling bad, so we left.  Our only true accomplishment was some Tums from Target and a new memory card for my camera because the old one has been acting up.

Then it was back to the house for Scattergories, TV, video games etc.

We have been doing these big family vacations for some 15 years now.  Some are better than others, but we generally have a good time.  This year it stinks that Tony and Mom aren't here.  It stinks that Jonathan is so limited in his mobility.  So far we haven't been to the E.R. (btdt on three vacations that I can remember- Joshua's blood sugar dropped dangerously low on the drive to one destination, Jonathan dislocated his finger one year, and Austin visited for toddler asthma one year). I plan to splurge some this year and return to some of the fun we used to have on vacation such as doing something touristy....hoping to accomplish that on Wednesday.

I almost forgot that Jonathan is on a mission to nickname everyone, this is what he has so far.
Jonathan- Hopalong
Danielle - BabyMama
Tiffany - Air Tide (actually she is typically called the laundry nazi because she keeps the washer and dryer running on vacation)
Dad - Sunshine
Tara- Chef (She gets up and cooks every morning.)
Tessa -One Hip Wonder
I am BenchWarmer
Andy-Cedar Plank
Savannah -Gingervitis (red hair)
Wyatt - Decibel (he's loud)
Julia - Junk Food Julia (I caught her eating two full size candy bars back to back yesterday ...ewww).