The fun continues with the little ones

Randy is entertaining Aubrey, Garrett, Siena and Tegan. It is amazing how much fun they can create on the deck and in the garden.

Apple juice and cookies in the 'children s garden'. Garrett helped me refilled that little 'tea pot'
several times as they were all so thirsty.

Playing on the deck with a tent...selling goods to each other from the toy box.

And More Grandchildren

Our children had special commitments and asked if we could watch the grandchildren. We love that opportunity! Just so happened that both families of the grandchildren had commitments during a 5 day period. So, we went in to Grandparent mode and spent wonderful one on one time with them.
Randy came for an overnighter and the 'girls' were having fun playing with him.

We set up the portable play pool on the deck that Siena is enjoying and anxiously awaiting Aubrey and Garrett to arrive.

Garrett and I are trying to blow up one of those really looooooong balloons! I think Aubrey finished it with the hand pump blower.

Aubrey and Garrett having fun on the deck.
We enjoyed blowing bubbles, playing legos, swinging from our deck tree, exploring the gardens and trying to keep all fed with their favorite foods.

Special time with Grandchildren

Siena, 3 and Tegan, 1 spent some Grandma and Grandpa time while parents had other commitments. We had so much fun.

Tegan, checking out my flowers. She loves exploring.

A trip to the Casa is so fun. They are facinated with the water in the fountain. Tegan was frustrated because she could not get in the water.

Siena was so cute, posing for me to take photos at the Casa.

Day trip for Randy and family

Randy had business appointments in the San Diego area and on a whim, he brought Staci and little ones to spend the afternoon with us. It was so cool that we were actually home! Love that we are only one minute off the freeway on the way to San Diego.

Tegan is just toddling along. Busy moving stuffed animals from one place to the other on the deck.

Siena has been asking for stories from her mom and dad about when they were little. Randy had shared the story of Punk. A pillow. Well, we still have that pillow and Siena asked for it. It was so cute. Punk is quite worn but she loved sleeping with Punk.

Tegan, the fearless adventurer, is having fun with the well worn big wheel. She makes it go backwards and smiling all the way.

Cabin Fun in Big Bear

Randy brought Siena and Tegan to the cabin and we joined them. What a fun weekend with Tegan, just confidentially walking and Siena Ms. curious and looking for her own space. I have a ton of photos but here are a couple.

Vacation with Wayne and Amy

We did a road trip to San Luis Obispo to meet up with our long time friends who live in Baltimore. They were doing a West Coast road trip starting in the San Francisco area visiting their daughter and sights down the coast. We met 25 years ago when they were neighbors in our La Mirada, CA condo. We connected in SLO for a bit of wine tasting and exploring the area. Amy and I are checking out the beautiful grapes in clusters with colors from green to purple on the same stem.

This is our favorite winery. We have visited Castoro a few times during the past 20 years. They moved from the original home, up the hill to a beautiful facility that accommodates major events. Mike, me, Amy and Wayne pose with my 10 sec. timer :)

Wayne and Amy traveled further south and spent the last two days of their trip in San Clemente. A tour of the Casa was on top of their list. Here they are, checking out the beautiful ocean and the native garden.

Then we put them to work, shucking corn on the deck. They shared a 'google recipe' to BBQ them. And the corn was yummy! It was great to catch up with our East Coast/wanna be back on the West Coast, friends.

San Clemente Ocean Fest

My favorite summer activity in San Clemente is the Ocean Fest with the sand castle competition. It is so fun to go early to watch them creating - then see the finished product. This Surf Camp entry had the blue wave, whale, bubbles coming out of the sand and water squirting from the sand! Quite the accomplishment.

I loved the detail in this entry. Only half of it shows in the photo. All entries won some recognition...well deserved!

The crowds on the beach in the area of the sand sculptures.

A view of the Ocean Fest from the Casa.