Family Reunion 2008... Take one!!

We had a great time on our family vacation to Southern CA!! We left on Wed June 25th and came home on Thurs, July 3 (actually 3:30am July 4th... haha). We had a little cousins reunion (my bros and sis's and their kids, and my dad's sister, Karen's, kids and their kids... 38 people total)and then Clint and I decided to extend our vacation a few more days. We had a total blast and didn't want to leave! Enjoy the pics! Thanks to Wendy and Staci (and the rest of the Fox's) for all the preparations! It turned out great!!! (Jessica and Kevin, Brent and Amy, and Nathan and Deanna.... WE MISSED YOU GUYS!!)

THURSDAY: water park/park and swimming at aunt Karens!!

Aurianna, Emma, and Karley at the water park Emma, Dad, and Jaron at the park Clint and Carson having too much fun (click on the pic to laugh at Clint's face) Lily and Karley at the pool! Cute second cousins! Clint tossing Emma in the pool. She loved doing this!

FRIDAY: L.A. Zoo and then games, dinner, and talent show at the Cypress, CA Institute building! Karen, we loved the millionaire game you made out of all of our questionaires. It was so funny to hear about everyone's favorites, their firings (yes, from jobs), and funny life experiences!

I love the look on Carson's face here. I have such a cute little boy! funny note: he would sit in the back seat of this stroller and then lean forward and pull chunks of Lily's hair out. It was kinda sad, but kinda funny at the same time. :) Aurianna, Ryan, Emma, Aniston, and Kristin... I don't think I have a single picture of Ryan being serious. Krissy, I love your hubby! haha.
Wendy and Staci (my cousins) and their little girls, karley and sienna! This is a great picture, cause the babies just couldn't get enough of the flamingos... even for a quick picture.
The boys lookin' totally pooped! (lots of walking at the zoo... we all got our workout!) LtoR: Lily on Ryan's lap, Jesse w/ sleeping Ammon, Clint, and Colby
It was pretty warm and humid so the misters were great for cooling off!
All the cousins and second cousins at the kids park inside the zoo. I'm sooo happy that we have such a close, awesome family!!
Leaving the zoo! LtoR: Clint w/Carson (in the back seat), Jeremy, Rachel (pushing all Leah, Sam, and Troy!... jeez jer, why aren't you doing anything! haha), Jesse pushing Ani, Shannon holding Auri's hand, Wendy, Emma holding Karley (her favorite 2nd cousin of the week!!), and Shaunie!
I normally don't like my rear end in pics, but I love this picture... not very often when Jaron puts his arm around mom! It felt great! We walked quite a ways like this. Mom's need a good hug every once in a while!

Jesse, Colby, Josh, Ryan, and Paul auditioning for the part of the villan (sp) in the "melodrama". They had to chew up a wad of bubble gum and the first one to blow a bubble got the part. :) When they auditioned for the hero, they had to chew up a graham cracker and the first one to whistle got the part! So fun!! (fyi- Paul was the villan, and Randy (staci's hubby) was the hero. The part of Sweet Sue was played by Shaunie, the birds were Emma and Lily, the hero's horse was played by Colby (Wendy's hubby), the dying grandpa was my dad, and the cow was played by Jesse! haha. IT was a hilarious play... I got it on video, but it's too long to post! bummer!
Carson chowing on some pizza!! yummy!
"The Magic Wall" performance by Ryan and Kristin, and Randy and Staci. Jody was chosen from the audience... (Randy is behind the wall throwing things over.)

It was a really fun day and night! Eveyone did a great job!!

SATURDAY: Balboa Beach!! Stayed all day and had firepit that night to roast hot dogs and smores!! So fun... The waves were crashing hard so it was fun for boogie boarding, body surfing, and just playing in the water (the water felt great... wasn't too cold)

Paul, Randy, and Jeremy bodysurfing
My sweet boys!
Jesse starting the perfect sandcastle! (watching: Sam, Auri, and Drew)
Emma and Lily digging away.
Ani, Jeremy, Troy, Rachel, Staci, Mat, Jesse, Sienna, Wendy, Karley, Shannon, Ammon, and Shaunie
Me and my booper!
Oh- Carson crashed. What a beautiful day!
Jesse's castle is sweet... too bad later on it gets washed away by some big waves.
Paul w/Mat, and Aunt Karen w/ Troyboy
More sweeties that couldn't stay awake the whole time.... Sienna (you can barely see her hair) and Lily
Josh and Ryan waiting for that perfect wave!
Terrified.... Ryan, Kristin, Josh, and Rachel. (Sam in the foreground). haha. Actually, when the waves washed back out the water was really strong so if you were in it, you got washed out too... it was pretty fun! Ryan, Rachel, and Josh getting pummeled!
Josh, Ryan, Kristin, and Rachel again... getting pummeled!
At night around the firepit... Emma, me, my honey, and Car.

Ok... that's what I have time for now... but check again tomorrow for part 2 of the vacation! ... including Knotts Berry Farm, and another day at the beach... Huntington.