Carlsbad Beach, California 2009

We went to South Carlsbad Beach for spring break. We had a large group just from our family: Dean, Trudy, Erin, Shiloh, Asher, Drew, Alix, Katie, Brook, Brady, and a family friend Jacob Graf.

We stayed three nights. We were with three other families: The Lindsey's, The Cox's, and The Hillstead's. Total of about 27 people. We ate and played together. This is a picture of a little trip we took to San Diego to visit the tide pools at low tide. There were fun ocean creatures to see in their natural habitat.

Kyle, Sheree, Konner, and Taylor Marie didn't go because they were packing and closing on their new home. LeRand didn't got because he couldn't get time off work. Everybody else from our family was there though.

This is the Naval Cemetery in San Diego, California. It was huge and this is just a very small portion of the cemetery.











These are lovely pictures wouldn't you say. Brook, Brady, and Katie are playing with canned whipping cream. We had leftover cream and the children, of course, came up with a game. They would put a blob in the palm of their hand, hit their arm while swinging it and the cream would fly in the air. Their goal was to get the cream in their mouth. Sometimes it even worked. All the kids at camp played until the cream was gone.






























We took three cars because we needed to take so much equipment. Dean and I drove the truck and Drew and the teenagers drove my van, and Erin and Alix took the babies and all their gear which was almost as much gear as all the rest of us needed. Erin and Alix did stay at a hotel about a mile away...a good idea for a two month old and a one and three quarter year old.

Anyway...the teenage car decided they needed to wear bandanas. This is Brady...in case you couldn't tell.

Katie doing her best pirate impression...Rrrrr...notice the pirate's eyes not quite lining up.









This is Alix and Asher...this is the morning of our trip...that is why Alix is smiling. Riding as shotgun in the car with two small children is always an adventure.









The teenager van got to Barstow before we did on the way down...they were occupying their time doing yoga and horsing around.










This is a toy they played with on the beach. It's called the human rubber band. The people across from each pull back and it catapults the other two across from each other. MaryAnn Lindsey made this and the kids want me to make one for them. They really didn't have fun. It looked like they were faking it though, but it really does send them flying.





Grandpa Dean blowing bubbles with Shiloh.












While waiting in Barstow, Brook found an old friend she needed to share a secret with. Look at how intently Bob is listening to her.










Erin at the beach...ummmm, you need to rub the sunscreen in a bit more for it to work.











Katie and Drew flexing their wetsuits. This is just before they ate it in the ocean and found a very large rock garden.

Yes Drew.....I'm sure Katie will say you have big muscles if you hold the pose long enough.







This is me (Trudy) holding sleeping Asher at the tide pools.