Back in June, we had a very quick visit with Mom, Dad, Lora and Naomi for a day.  During this little visit we decided that we needed to take a few great pictures of the girls.   So we took them.  :)  Here we are with the little girls as well.  (Mom decided to tighten up Laina's pajamas so that it would appear a little more modest.  I, however, think it made the pjs look like a slinky dress.  whoo wooo!)

Lovely us.

After that successful shot, I was going to try and get a nice picture of Lora and Mom together.   All was going well when Mom pulled out her classic fish kiss.  This lead to Lora trying to do a fish kiss, which, you can tell in these pictures, was a lot harder for her to do.  Apparently, all these years, she thought she knew how to do it properly.

Time after time Lora sucked up her lip into a weird, half-fish kiss.

This made mom laugh so hard she cried.  After several coaching minutes, we finally taught Lora how to do an acceptable fish face and caught our moment of success with another pictures.  This one happens to be my favorite.

We may be silly...but a family who can fish-kiss together, stays together!

Our last week in Santa Rosa, we spent with Gina and her family.  It was just me and the little boys since Robert had returned to work, the twins were spending a week with Grandma and Grandpa Jones and Ethan was spending a week with Grandma and Grandpa Scribner.  That means that both little boys got spoiled rotten by all.  I hung out with the cousins and even went to a Zumba class with Gina (that is when I realized just how out of shape I was...when the old birdies in the classes are kicking your trash, it's a clue!)

It was fun to see Hunter (just finished with his first year of college) Bryant and Bella (both about to head off for their first year of college.)  I'm amazed at how quick they all grew up and became real people.  Their enthusiasm was infectious and I adored the time we got to chat about their futures.  

We all spent one afternoon at the park.

Look at these handsome boys!

While we were there we got to help celebrate Thatcher's Birthday

But best of all, according to Jason, was the instant BFF he found in Shydon.

It didn't take long for him to forge a cousin crush.  (who could blame him!)

Jason cracks me up!.

The next day we took the entire group to San Francisco to take a ferry over to Alcatraz.  It turned out to be a gorgeous day on the bay and we had a great time walking around the old prison grounds.  

Wyatt, Devon, Ethan and Ryan

It is always great to find new ways to keep the kids in line.  Once we spent one whole minute being shut into the Hole (a sound-proof cell without any windows, furniture or lights!  Believe me, one minute in that cell feels like an hour.) we were able to inspire all sorts of good behavior.  

Overall it was a wonderful experience to spend with cousins that we don't get to see as often as we'd like to.  I can't wait until we get together again.