Family Vacation 2008

Once upon a time in the land blistering heat lived a little family, a mother, a father, three sons, and three daughters. However, at the beginning of this story, the two eldest sons were away on an adventure in the land of gentle breezes and cool evenings with their grandparents.

Grandma and Grandpa took Jeremy and Jacob to an aquarium during their stay.

The family missed their two sons very much and decided they must prepare their big white coach and journey to the land of gentle breezes and cool evenings.

A picture of "the coach" I took using my dad's fish-eye lens.

They set off in earnest on a Sunday afternoon, stopping in the land of bright lights and tall buildings to join with friends for a feast in honor of soon being reunited with their sons. After the feast these dear friends and their children provided the weary travelers with shelter for the night and golden waffles in the morning before speeding them on their way.

The day wore on, but at last they reached the home of Grandma and Grandpa in the land of gentle breezes and cool evenings and found all well with their oldest sons.

But the adventure was not over:

There was wildlife to be seen.

Jacob and Gracie looking at a snake in the Zoo.

A Chinese garden to visit.

A bridge in the Chinese gardens.

Thrills to be had.

Jeremy, Tim and Gracie. Tim liked the "ups" but he didn't like the "downs."

Contraptions to tinker with.

Gracie launching golf balls with the tribuchet Grandpa built.

More wildlife to visit.

Tabitha and my brother, after she climbed all over him.

A birthday and baptism to be celebrated.

The kids with their cousins after my nephew's baptism.

New family members to be met.

Tabitha warmed up to my father-in-law's new wife's youngest son quickly, much to his dismay.

And of course there was time for movies, swimming, shopping, golfing, and lots of monkeying around.

Are you seeing double? Jeremy was monkeying around with the photo op, and I did a little monkeying around with photoshop.

But, alas, all good things must come to an end. The family had to load up their big white coach and return to the land of blistering heat. They had a wonderful time with family and friends, and although it was truly time to take their missed brothers and go, not everyone was happy about it.

Charity on the last day of our visit.

Thank you to everyone who fed, sheltered, entertained, and yes, even clothed some of us. We had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it all again next year!