beach day, grandchildren day, yay!

 "All the grandchildren are here today, we should get a picture." " Yes, we should. " But, those grandchildren were having a happy day running about Ben and Ashley's beautiful yard!  Swing set and sand box and trampoline, yard games, and trees to climb!  They were about worn out and the party was breaking up, tired children whining that they didn't WANT to go home!  So, we gathered them up willy-nilly, and took a really quick picture.  Some of them were all smiles, a few were glum, and one cute little two year old Denzel was NOT having it...he's crawling out of the picture here while his sister Ophelia sat there with a smile.  And, Rosi was in the house with baby Emilia so she wasn't in the picture either.  Baby Samantha was already in her car seat, Rhys and Ruth were making silly faces, Anya got to hold baby Kaia!  Wulf standing in the behind Tenny who thought Denzel was hilarious, Grant holding Maeve, with Blythe and Jamie,  who are cousin-besties, smiling big...Elise, Lydia, Anya in the back, Declan in front of Anya in his hat, then Achilles and his baby brother Ellis in the front corner.  

Aunt Emily with Ellis...Newton in the background, Sunny too

Blythe

Jamie and his little brother Ellis

Aunti Charlotte with Rhys and Ruth, who are cousins and besties and trouble:)

Molly, Mariel in the background...

Benjamin and Emily each manned a grill...

Oscar with his little Kaia

Two year old Maeve, Two year old Blythe, and Jamie just turned three.

Jonathan with Emila

Margaret's cookie cake

Now Ellis is in the wagon with Blythe and Jamie, with Maeve and Declan behind

Elise, Lydia, Anya...

Thirteen of my kids were there, 9 of the eleven daughters, and 3 of the five sons, with 8 spouses.  It went by too fast.  They played badminton and yard games and ran around and went on the swings and trampoline.  We totally enjoyed that the sun came out after a few days of cold rain.  

This fine morning, I had my coffee, then went out to the camper.  I vacuumed, and cleaned, and took inventory.   I was going to go to the DMV to register it, but...Sonja was going to the beach, so....hmmm...beach, DMV...beach, DMV...

You can see what I chose...and look at that swan!

Look at that baby!  She was wearing her hat, a long sleeved bathing suit, and plenty of sunscreen.  Cam was holding the fan on her.  It wasn't actually very hot out, high seventies but low humidity.  We stayed for about three hours, then home....ahh, home.  I put a load of laundry in (I found my sweatshirt and rain jacket in the camper, oops!  I also washed some bedding that was left in there...).  Then, I grilled pork chops that were marinating in lime juice and steak seasoning.  Cam made mashed potatoes, then Char reminded her they were signed up to mentor the Activity Club tonight, so out the door they went without dinner.  

So I am starting to pile stuff on the table to pack in the camper.  Clean bedding and towels, a new tablecloth, a bag of whole bean blonde roast coffee...shh, I ordered a new coffee grinder today...we had two but one of them broke, and I didn't want to leave the girls without one, so I just got a twenty dollar one...we're roughing it, but not THAT rough, ha.  I also ordered something I always wanted but thought was frivolous, but finally shelled out five whole dollars:  table cloth clips.  I usually do the put-the-cooler-on-the-table trick, or a jacket in the corner, maybe a candle or a rock...you know, the wind starts blowing and the lovely table cloth starts blowing too.  I feel so fancy now.  

We're going for five nights, and the weather forecast borders on dismal for this time of year.  It'll be high in the sixties, with a few days of possible rain.  60 and sunny is nice, but it's not swimming weather.  I'll probably go in anyway, Lake Ontario in late spring is refreshing, to say it nicely.  

I'm still in the meal planning stage, have to go buy some food, and finish packing.  The DMV trip has been postponed until Thursday morning.  

Ah well, you have a good evening!