I Don't Want to Grow Up!

Sarah told me today that she doesn't want to grow up because she wants to live with me forever. Fine by me!!!

A Wheelchair, Wedding, Whitewater and the Woods (our 2009 Summer Vacation)

We recently returned from a great two week Northern California Vacation. Here is the photo recap...

We started our trip with a visit to Great Nona and Grandpa Johnny's house where Nona gave the girls rides in her electric wheelchair and Grandpa Johnny gave the girls rides in Nona's manual wheelchair.

We had a great time catching up with Nona and G.J. and visiting Paradise Lake where Rob used to ride his bike to go fishing when he was a kid.

From there, it was on to Papa Jim and Grandma Sue's house for their wedding.

We got there a few days early to help with wedding preparations and play with cousins.

The tire swings that Daddy and Uncle Mitch set up were a big hit!

The night before the wedding Papa Jim arranged a Bobby Flay style Fried Chicken throw down. There were three competitors in it to win it: Papa Jim, Chef Andy and Jim's childhood friend and outstanding cook, Sandra. The three of them had been trash talking and calling each other out by e-mail for weeks already. This was serious business!

Alas, there could only be one Chicken King and Chef Andy won the coveted crown (though I think it was a dead tie between Andy and Sandra at our table).

The next day was wedding day. Rain was in the forecast, but it turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day...perfect for an outdoor wedding. Here is the beautiful bride with all the daughters and granddaughters.

The girls got to ham it up with cousin Cameron after the wedding.

Rob and the boys helped serve dinner after the wedding. Doesn't he look good in an apron?

Family and friends from near and far came to celebrate Jim and Sue's special day. This a picture of the Linn side of Rob's family: Grandma Linn, Aunt Kathy, the Lombard's and us.

After the wedding we headed up to the Klamath River where we spent two days whitewater rafting and playing in the river.

The first day of rafting was a mellow trip for the kids. Sarah wasn't so sure she was having fun, but seemed to get into it a bit more after lunch. The other kids had a blast...especially with the water guns!

We stopped mid-way through our trip for a picnic on the beach.

The little boys were outnumbered by the little girls more than 2 to 1, so after lunch, they teamed up in one boat which we nicknamed the SS Trouble. With this overgrown kid as their commander, the boys were a force to be reconed with.

Our second day of rafting was a whitewater trip for the grown ups. I was too busy paddling my little heart out to take pictures. It was great fun! After that, we took the kids for a swim at Blue Hole on the Salmon River.



Big stong manly men getting ready to jump off a cliff...be still my beating heart!

There they go...




That white streak is our brother-in-law Mitch who, poor thing, hasn't seen the sun since he was stationed in England almost 2 years ago. My awful photography probably doesn't help.

After two fun filled days on the river we parted ways with our family and the Abshires and Cobbs headed for the Northern California Coast and Redwood Forests.

Into the woods...

Just when I thought the kids were getting so tall...




This must qualify as my longest post ever. If you've stuck with me this far I am impressed. We had a great vacation and we have more summer fun ahead.