The Sun has Arrived!

No blog posts lately because there really hasn't been that much going on in our lives.


NOT.


We've actually been having so much fun!

We had my lovely friend Katie and her three girls come visit.  What a fun time.  My kids love her kids.  I didn't see the older kids for a week, except for mealtimes.  We showed off all the best things to do in Fort Bragg, and luckily for us the weather cooperated.

We went tidepooling

To the beach (forgot the camera...dang it!)

Went swimming twice (sorry, no swimsuit pictures!!)

And enjoyed the botanical gardens together

Not to mention, helping Hannah and Brynne with the ducks.

A gal in our ward is raising them and then they get to go free.  She had to go out of town, so the girls have been in charge of their food and water.  So cute.  They are at the house of our stake patriarch, who is the most loving man in the world.  And he loves kids.  Every day that the girls go over, he appears with a giant chocolate bar or a box of cookies or something.  I think he subsists on chocolate.   ; -)  He's over 80 and just the sweetest man alive.  Yesterday he actually grabbed Natalie in a big hug and RAN with her back to the car.  I was impressed.  I hope I'm that agile when I'm 80.  If I have to eat a bunch of chocolate to do it, well, I'll just have to.

After Katie left, we scurried and got the house ready for the next wave of guests....Nathan and Jelaire!  We got to meet baby Sam - what a darling little boy.  I loved his blue eyes and fuzzy round head.  I had forgotten how much work and time goes into taking care of a baby.  Did you know that they still eat about every two hours?  I'd seriously forgotten.  Or maybe I thought times had changed.  Anyway, he was cute and Nathan and Jelaire were as entertaining as ever. So was Avery.  It was so cute to see the three little girls together and imagine them growing up.

We have a friend coming to stay in our house while we are at a family reunion this weekend.  She is coming today, but we are not leaving until Friday, so we'll have some visiting time.  I'm a little sad that she's coming because this means that her son (our friend Skyler) is graduating and will no longer be coming around to hang out with us.  Bummer.  We have loved having Skyler over.  He's just an awesome young man.

Family Reunion this weekend.  I'm excited to NOT be camping at the coast.  After living here I've decided that I don't want to ever camp at a foggy beach.  Blech!  It will be nice to relax with some of Josh's family and get to know others that we haven't met yet.