Summer & Spice and All Things Nice

Summer & Laura bonded while practicing her walking this weekend.


We got just a few extra days of Grandma and Grampa at the beginning of last week.


Like her brother before her, Summer's new found mobility has introduced her to the spice rack.


Carson & Laura got to spend some one on one time at the Fire Station 5 pancake breakfast.


Summer was busy napping at the time, but did her best to support the firefighters.


Carson jammed a little for Laura last weekend. Bonus points for anybody that correctly identifies both songs in the comments.


Bill did his best to act and direct this video of Summer walking. Sadly his cinematographer cut the scene before Summer tipped her cap and took a bow.

Happy Birthday to Summer

We're a few days behind schedule this week, so let's dig right into yet another blog post.


As is our tradition, Summer's birthday brought her first taste of homemade blueberry pancakes.


When it's your birthday you have no problem keeping the hat on.


Ging-ging was floored by how mobile Summer has gotten.


With Laura stressed by party plans Carson did his best to assist with the weekend baking.


After the sad loss of the green tractor to the Del Rey Lagoon Park gods a few weeks back, Summer was happy to be riding again thanks to gifts from Thea and Aunt Beth.


Why yes, our building does have tennis courts -- Carson showed off his big forehand to Pops on the hallway courts.


Laura created yet another masterpiece, her third of the summer.


Undeterred by traffic, Grandma and Grampa returned from Santa Barbara to party it up in Playa Del Rey.


Ever the good hostess, Summer looked long and hard for a spiked juice box for Grayson. Unfortunately LA beaches prohibit alcoholic beverages.


After chastising more than a few of her children to wear sunscreen, here is Laura well on her way to a wicked burn.


For those displaced by carmageddon that couldn't make it, here's a little taste of the festivities.


Before we let them slip out of town we needed one last group shot of Ging-Ging and Pops.


As well as Grandma and Grampa.

Calm Before the Grandparent Storm

By the time you read this, the counter to the left will have ticked over 365 days for Miss Summer.


We spent the weekend in Santa Barbara for Uncle Jeff's 40th birthday party. This is as much of Uncle Jeff that we could get in the frame the day after, since he was clearly not quite all there.


While in Santa Barbara Summer boned up on the notes to happy birthday.


As well as taking a long walk on the beach with Laura.


Like Australopithecus before him, Carson provisioned some improvised tools for digging on the beach in Santa Barbara.


Also in the new-to-standing-upright crowd, Summer is prepared for the week of flashbulbs brought on by the visits of all four grandparents.

American Girl

We were in our patriotic finery at the Westchester 4th of July parade yesterday.


Earlier in the day Bill and Carson made it down to the Redondo Beach Firecracker 5k. A little too crowded for a good time in the jogger, but the benefits of being one of the fastest joggers in the race is a wide open bounce house afterwards.


Lady Liberty made the briefest of appearances at the parade.


It was a beautiful weekend to relax at the ole' swimming hole in Playa Del Rey, although Bill got assigned to ditch digging on the beach to make it happen.


Earlier in the weekend we took a cruise around the marina on the Marina del Rey Waterbus.


Captain Carson was even allowed to take the controls for a brief moment (until another boat approached within 100 yards).


Just for good measure here's another picture on the boat as a way to prove to Laura that pictures are taken of her and her children on occasion.


Although crawling has been in effect for a little while now, Summer did make her first crawl across the bridge at Lenny K. this weekend. Hopefully her instructor Rachel won't be annoyed when I request we do this for both sets of grandparents in both of the upcoming weekends.


A classic shot that recalls one of my favorites from Carson. Unlike Carson who looked to be the life of the party at a morning brunch, we've caught Summer while winding down at Stephanie & Neal's open house/pool party on Sunday.


He of course has been known to hit the wall on occasion as well, as he does here on the way home from the Westchester parade.