Camping Shenanigans

Memorial Day in our family means a camping getaway.. this year with my side of the family.  Grammy, GrampC, Uncle Matt and his family of four.  We ventured to a new (to us) campground in El Dorado County on the American River - Camp Lotus.  We got out late thanks to some last minute work on my part and then a boatload of traffic, so we made it to the campground close to 9pm.

So the next morning we got things started early.  Breakfast, mimosas and some Catch Phrase (well the kids did without the alcohol).

L-R: Avery & Drew

Matt just found my camera

A little whiffle ball before the days adventures

Bird Invasion

After cleaning up from breakfast we made our way out for a day of wine tasting.  I forgot my camera so all of the pictures are from my cell phone.

The ladies L-R: Grammy Kathie, Auntie Rana, Me

David Girard Winery

The Kids Keeping Cool & Occupied

The Happy Couple

Family Photo

Wine Club Member area

View from the Wine Club Member Area

Gold Hill Winery & Brewery - Adrina & Drew

Miss Avery

Daddy, Drew (and Adrina)

Stop #3, Nello Olivo Winery

 The best thing that happened this trip was when Auntie Rana suckered GrampC into trying the cinnamon challenge.  There was a ramekin of cinnamon near a jug of sangria and it got Rana & GrampC talking about what you could do with it.  Rana dared GrampC to see if he could eat a tablespoon full of cinnamon without drinking anything or coughing it up.  Here's the video of what happened:





Poor GrampC...

Group Photo (no Drew)
L-R: Matt, Rana, Grammy, Avery, Adrina
Back: Dave, Me, GrampC

After a day winetasting we made our way back and found the American River - across the street from our campsite.

Adrina, Drew, Me

Uncle Matt & Avery

While we were on the shore we saw a "rock bar" where we could try and stake claim the next day.  And that's just what we did.  We spent the entire day in the water enjoying the scenery and beverages.

Uncle Matt & Adrina on the Rocks

Matt & I (rafters in the background)

Such tough guys

Adrina & Drew

Uncle Matt, Auntie Rana & Adrina (Avery was napping)

Family Shot

The American River

Battle of the Cold Ones

Random Rock Art

Avery finally woke up from her nap

This was a great campsite that was one of the least expensive to go to.  We'll be back for sure!

Avery Arrives!

On Thursday night we got the text that Matt's wife, Rana was going to have a baby!  And little Avery Joy made her appearance shortly before 11am on Friday weighing in at 7lbs and 19 inches long.  It was all I could do to focus at work before leaving to get Drew and Dave to head over to the hospital and give her our first cuddles.

We asked Drew what he though of his new cousin - yes, Drew's the only boy among a sea of girls - and he said "She's cute" in a shy quiet voice.  I think he was intimidated, but liked what he saw.

And here's Grammy with Avery...

Grammy and Great-Grandma Geri were at the hospital all night waiting for the big delivery.

Uncle Dave with Avery...

And then his own baby....

I think Drew's grown a little since his infant days!

GrampC with his 4th grandchild.

And GG with her 8th (I think I counted right) great-grandchild.

And Rana's Mom Jan - a.k.a. Granny.

Have you seen a prouder Daddy?  Tough guy Matt melts with a baby girl in his arms. 

He actually begged to sniper the baby away from whomever had her.  Quite the change from the day Drew was born and we forced him into Matt's arms.  That's what time and your own child will do for ya.

And the family photo... awwww

Welcome to the family little Avery!

At Rana's shower everyone was asked to guess the day she'd come, the weight, height, and hair color.  no one guessed the day,  but Nancy C. picked the 7th, Grammy Kathie picked the 9th - Avery arrived on the 8th.  Nancy guessed the weight at 7lbs, 19 1/2"... gotta say that's pretty much spot on if you're going for the tie.  Grammy picked 6lbs 15 oz, and 20 3/4".   I tried to get Rana to cross her legs until the 12th - the day I picked, but Avery had other plans.  Her Auntie will remember that.... ;)

Who's the Ugliest of Them All?

Finally - celebrating the Ugly.  The Friday before Christmas, Dave and I went to my brother and Sister-in-Law's house for their 3rd annual Ugly Sweater Party.  This was the first one I've been able to make (thanks to a sick kiddo the first year, and then being out of town last year).  I have to say, it was kind of fun shopping and creating our ugly sweaters!

We were especially proud of Dave's upside down snowman (notice the jingle "bells/balls").  I can't claim this as an original, rather it was inspired from Pinterest.  We also found out that someone wore something similar last year... oops.  We weren't there so it doesn't count. LOL

Then we had to get a picture with the hosts...

Yes, my brother is wearing thermal underwear for pants....

There were roughly 25 or so of their friends who enjoyed the apps and adult beverages.

Oh and then the parent chaperones.... Kent is Rana's dad, and then Grammy and GrampC.  Everyone was proud of GrampC because he didn't fall asleep on the couch.  He's known to do this and then Matt and all his friends like to draw on his face with permanent marker.  I do believe that trend started one Christmas here at our house.

There was a contest for the ugliest sweater... plus the "bead" game where you can't say sweater, beer or wine.  And the winners are....

Dave 2nd place, the guy in the middle is the bead winner (his wife gave him her beads) and Jimmy won the ugly sweater (but his was for the pants... there was a discussion about whether they were coral or salmon colored).

I think my brother actually won, but being the hosts, they didn't feel it was right to win the prize.  We came home with some booze.

Cheering for Purple in a Sea of Red

Last month we got a night out with my Brother Matt and Sister-in-Law Rana thanks to my Aunt and Uncle.  They gave us some preseason 49er/Viking tickets and Grammy offered to watch both Drew and Adrina.  SCORE!

Well that was until we got on the road and realized not only is there a Niner game, but also the Giants were home as well.  Needless to say the traffic sucked!  What should've taken about 45 minutes from Lafayette where we met up with my brother - was over 2 hours. 

By the time we parked, ordered our first beers and found our seats, we missed the entire first quarter and most of the 2nd.  Oh well, it is what it is. 

Don't you love that fan trying to sneak his way into our picture?

I have to say our seats were awesome!  We were on the 50 yard line and could see everything!

Too bad it didn't mean the Vikings won - yes I'm a Viking fan.  You can take the girl out of Minnesota, but you can't take the Minnesota out of the girl.

The final was 17-6 49ers.  

The newlyweds at the game... trying to stay warm.

I have to say we had a good time, but I did have a few gripes. 

1. The 49ers definitely needed a new stadium.  The sound system and most everything about Candlestick sucked (this was my first and only time at the "Stick").
2. The Candlestick concessions staff was horrendous.  I spent the entire 3rd quarter trying to find Dave's chili cheese fries, because he was like a pregnant persona and had to have those damn fries.  While I gave up and decided to stand in line for a beer right next to our seats- Dave continued to search for his fries.  I remained in the line only to be the next person to be served and was ignored because they were having problems with all the other customers who wanted nachos, but they'd run out of cheese.  So I move over to the bottle beer line to only have security cut-off alcohol sales 4 minutes before the end of the quarter (no alcohol sales after 3rd quarter).  I was two people from the front of that line.  I go back and sit down to find Dave coming moments later with his cheese fries (they ran out of chili) and a damn beer!
3. I thank my lucky stars that we didn't bring Drew.  The SF crowd is not what you'd call family friendly at.all.  Drew will need to be a teenager or later to go to his first football game.  Dave even said Raider Fans are tame but get a bad rap next to the Niner fans.  
4. Summers in San Francisco are flippin' freezing!  We thought we were back in a Minnesota winter for a bit there...
5. SF traffic blows!  It took us more than 2 hours to get there and about 2 1/2 to get back to Lafayette to pick up our car (about 20 minutes from home).  So if you factor we were at the game maybe 2 hours - we spent 4 1/2 hours just trying to get to and from the stadium.  That sucks.

Despite all of that, we still enjoyed the experience!  Thanks again to Uncle Doug and Aunt Connie for the tickets.  They were back in Minnesota and couldn't go - so we lucked out. 

4th of July - Part Deux

Since the 4th of July fell on a Wednesday this year we had to prolong the fun into Saturday.  So we went to my brother and sister-in-law's house for a fun day of eating, drinking and fireworks!  Matt moved earlier this year and we had front row for his town's firework show.  His neighbors blocked off the streets and it was a good old block party!

It was a hot day in the Far East Bay, and so while the older kids were in one neighbors swimming pool (we didn't bring suits because we didn't know) Drew stayed behind and kept cool in other ways.  Like a water balloon toss with the adults

Drew laughing at Uncle Matt who "lost" his balloon

Drew slip and sliding in his undies.  Yep we were "those" relatives.

Mr. Patriotic Dave trying to keep cool... or maybe bring out his gangsta side.

Auntie Rana getting into the patriotic spirit with a new do.

After dinner we gathered in the street - along with all the neighbors for some illegal safe n sane fireworks - shhhhh.  Then we enjoyed the city fireworks.

 Daddy and Drew getting ready for the action

The family:
Front L-R: GrampC, Drew, Grammy, Rana
Back L-R: Kent (Rana's Dad), Dave and Matt

And to prove I was there too....
Same shot, with me in Rana's chair.  Hmmm Matt wasn't as close to me.... perhaps I didn't smell as good as Rana?

And Drew getting into the Sparklers.

Most of my firework pictures didn't turn out... so that's about all you get.  The best part of the trip, Dave and I could drink more than usual since we crashed at their house.  We've already invited ourselves for next year - it was that much fun!