Last week of school was a blur of parties, school activities, hyped up kids and kindergarten graduation.  Robyn only had 2 days of school that week so she was more than thrilled to help with the big kid parties.  Robyn class of 2024 (that sort of blew my mind a bit) had her little kindergarten graduation with her friends.

These are her carpool buddies.  Amazing that this many kindergartners are all on the same block.

Taylor had his end of the year dance festival.  He is in a class of all females this year so they did the song "Money, Money" from Mama Mia and he was the rich man, throwing out gold coins during the song.
 I just started bawling for no reason during the dance festival.  It amazes me at the love and dedication of so many adults working with these kids.  It is one thing to be bubbly and happy and enthusiastic with kids who show that they are enjoying the event.  It is another to be like that when the kids you are working with are showing such small motions to indicate their pleasure.  It was worse than a Hallmark commercial on my eye ducts.

Then it was off to California through rain, hail and snow to visit family for a long and long over due visit.  We stayed with my brother David in Auborn and got to see their beautiful home (its like a permanent vacation spot there) for one night.  And then on to my parents house.  My brother Peter and his wife Kathryn and son Tommy came by many times.  David's boys hung out for a few days while their parents were off for a trip and then stayed a few more days to play.  And my sister lives there.  So it was a mini-family reunion.  And it was WONDERFUL.  I sucked up as much family time as possible.  Jeremy good guy that he is went home after a few days to work and then returned at the end to drive back with us.

We went to Seacliff Beach (where every Memorial Day should be spent), Capitola Beach, Big Basin Redwoods, Happy Hollow, Exploritorium, China Town, rode the Cable Cars, Monterey Bay Aquarium, San Francisco Zoo, the Tide Pools at Happy Hollow, Deer Hollow Farm, Shoreline to see the bay, and of course a visit to Trader Joe's at the end.  We played with Porkchop, my brother's dog till kids and dog were tired out, we cheered on my sisters' roller derby scrimmage.  We ate and ate and ate.  We visited my brother Peter's house for pie day.  We stayed up watching Slipper and the Rose and eating ice cream and It's-It's.  My mom read stories to the kids every night.  Cousins became friends.  It was just a wonderful time for all.  Allison and Lathen discovered that they were still really good friends and were inseparable for a week.  The time just flew by.  And yes there are a ridiculous amount of pictures. You can see Jeremy's photos from the few days he was there over on his photo site.


When we went places, Spencer and JJ were buddies.  They were a perfect match.  Both shrugged off the others' quirks and were willing to chase after each other.  Often...loudly...happily...with physical contact.
At the zoo there were some kamikaze sea gulls.  They would literally swoop down on the table trying to take the kids' food.  My mom had sack lunches down to a science in the morning.  Until a week later Robyn stamped her foot one morning and said, "I am not eating one more sandwich" and then she discovered granola bars and boiled eggs instead.
Taylor traveled well out to California.  Then at the tide pools he started going down hill.  Plus he managed to get random patches of sun burn where he rubbed off the sun block.  Made for a few unhappy days.  Then he rallied back and enjoyed life again.  But he crashed again coming home until tonight when he started drinking again and chirped back up.  His health and happiness often resemble a roller coaster.  But he loves napping on the beach.

waiting for the roller derby scrimmage to start

And then we had to come home...