Summer adventures...at home.

I was trying to post at least once a week, but I'm already failing that resolution.

So, since we got home, my nieces Jenny Bailey and Amber Waite came with Amber's adorable kids to see us. We had a lot of fun. We went to the aquarium one day, and the next morning we went tidepooling in Davenport. It was so fun to see them all, we haven't seen Amber and the kids in almost a year, and it's been longer for Jenny.  

A few pics:  First, the Aquarium's Open Sea exhibit.

Davenport tide pools, north of Santa Cruz.  Sam probably got cool pics of the critters we found, but who knows when I'll see them.  So, if you wanna see, check out this entry  a couple of years ago and you'll see what we saw.  Same place, different day.

Sam and Penelope were buddies from the start.  He is pretty "squishy", lol.

Evelyn and Preston at the aquarium.

Jenny with Penelope.

Amber and Penelope.  

  

On the afternoon before they left, we went to a local berry ranch and bought ollalieberries and Amber learned how to make jam.  We had a great time and I hope they come again soon.  

Ryan and Susan are here now, after their adventures in Santiago in June.  Ry has an internship at the Monterey County Legal Counsel office for the summer, so they'll be here until August.  Yay!  It's always fun to have them here.  Except we cook too much, eat too much and get too fat.  We're trying to be careful, with varying degrees of success.  Susan is, as I type, teaching Meghan to make chocolate mousse.

So, our big adventure this week was the Lobster.  My sister Julie called and wanted to send Dad a Maine Lobster for Father's Day, because Dad loves lobster and Mom hates seafood, so she never cooks it.  Also, growing up in the middle of the desert, live lobsters are rare, you know?  Anyway, she called to see if I was brave enough to cook the thing.  I wasn't sure, so I asked my other sister, Kate, who is next door at mom's this week.  She was waffling, so I called Sam and figured "he's a man", but really he gets home from work kind of late.  Finally Susan volunteered, so I told Julie to go ahead and send it.  But that was after I told her I could buy a live lobster down the street, it seemed silly to send it from Maine.  And, if she just sent me $100, I'd take Dad to Red Lobster for lunch.  She sent the lobster, Dad brought it over and Sue was the designated executioner.

And on that note, I'll wrap this post up.  I have to write a talk for church tomorrow.  As do Sam and Meghan.  It's the Bailey Show at church tomorrow.  I'll write more later.