8.08.2008

Come and gone

The end of July came fast and furious. My parents (Grammie & Pappy) flew in to meet their newest grandkid.

Pappy riles him up . . .

. . . and Grammie settles him down.

Addy's 9th birthday meant a trip to the Aquarium in Long Beach, a snorkler cake, and a first-hand tutorial on "Heavy, Heavy, Hangover".

We found time to attend our stake's 24th of July Pioneer Celebration, complete with live music, period costumes, face painting (and body painting - see the slideshow below for Jack's "muscles"), burgers, pie, watermelon, and snow cones (if only they were REAL shave ice.)

Nate and my dad installed a new dining room chandelier and moved a ceiling fan into the entry. They tackled the new recessed can and pendant lights in the kitchen. They also moved a dozen granite boulders (ok, maybe not THAT big) from the backyard to the front.

It's a reprieve to have extra testoterone in the house. I'm pretty confident I could help Nate move rocks and complete electrical work, but it's just so nice to not have to. So sorry I don't have before and after photos to show. For some reason we're always in such a hurry to rip out the old that we never remember to take pictures first.

Nate's parents (Nana & Papa), along with his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew (Zach, Carly, and Owen), and his little sister and niece (Mallory and Austen) drove in from Utah. Things 1, 2, and 3 spent a whole day at the hotel swimming pool with Nana and Papa. Ellie was a little concerned as to why Nana was letting those other people (hotel guests) swim at her house. The kids want so badly for closer grandparents that Ellie decided they must have bought a house (a Marriott, no less) and moved to California.

We all made an evening trip to the Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach where Jack and Addy tried their hand at throwing pottery.

Can you tell Jack had more than a little help from the girl at the station? I don't have photos of Addy to post - my camera batteries died and I had to use Zach's camera. Email me copies, Zach!!

The festivities of the weekend culminated in Franklin's blessing. This is the most family members we've ever had present one of our babies' blessings . . . just another one of the benefits of living in southern California.

Poor kid - had to skip naptime and his outfit was giving him a wedgie.

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