Birthday Weekend at Great-Grandma's house

This weekend was my Mom's 71st birthday. Since she spent her last birthday in South Africa/Namibia on a mission with my dad, she wanted to have a BIG birthday celebration this year with all of her children. Joe, Brenna, and I (and Gavin) flew out to Washington Friday morning. Eric had a water polo tournament, so he couldn't go. Coryne had school, so she couldn't go. We flew to SLC and then caught a flight to Seattle. LaDonna and Rusty were on our connecting flight, so we all got into Seattle at the same time.

One of the first things Gavin did when we got to GG's house was to explore the huge backyard. He found a bunch of tiny little pumpkins and was fascinated by them.

We rocked in GG's (Great Grandma's) and GGP's (Great Grandpa's) porch swing. It was fun.

Once we were in the house, he made a beeline for the huge wooden hippo that GG and GGP brought back from Africa with them. I think he thought it was made especially for him to ride.

A little later, the neighbors came over with their horses. Gavin was a little tentative, but he had a great ride. I called it a "pony ride", but was informed that this is not a pony.

It is a miniature horse.

After the pony ride, Gavin and Brenna went home with the neighbors to visit their farm. Gavin was pretty excited as you can see. (Note the duck swimming behind him in the watering trough.)

This one of Gavin's newest farm friends.

Gavin petting his friend, the goat.

Fresh raspberries right off of the vine. Aren't they huge?

Gavin enjoyed them. Many, many, many of them.

This is where the teeny little pumpkins came from. Brenna and Gavin enjoy the neighbor's pumpkin patch.

Gavin even got to bring one home to GG's house.

One of the best things about visiting is getting to meet your silly cousins. This is Brenna and Sophie.

Brenna, Richard (who is an engineer and married to a doctor, but still a silly cousin) and Sophie.

Right outside GG's back door is a huge patch of peppers. We went out to pick peppers for the chicken fajitas we were making for dinner.

Gavin got right into the swing of things.

Brenna putting hot red peppers to good use.

Brenna and Yuki hiding in the flowers. (You have to look very carefully for Brenna.

She's on the left.)

Uncle Keith took a bunch of us on a tour of the valley and showed off many of the beautiful crops that are currently being harvested. This is Brenna and Sophie in a BIG berry patch.

Brenna in the grapes.

Finally, Saturday night, we all got together for GG's birthday dinner. It was delish and followed by homemade icecream with some of those ginormous raspberries.
This is Yuki, Kendra, Steve, Karin, Chelle, Abby, and Keith.

Joyce made an amazingly good carrot cake and GG blew out the candles.

We had a great weekend. Karin made an hour long DVD of all our African pictures and gave each of us a copy. We all watched it on Friday night. It was great. The only sad thing was that my brother Steve couldn't make it. His oldest daughter, Lauren, had a very important piano recital on Saturday night in Dallas. We were sad, but we understood.

On Sunday morning, we walked into church, and there was Steve. He had flown into Seattle late Saturday night and slept in Ellensburg. Got up early and drove so he could surprise Mom (GG) at church Sunday morning. He was able to spend all of Sunday with us. It was great!

Then, we got up early on Monday morning and drove to Seattle to come home to San Diego. Gavin was pooped. He fell asleep in the carseat on the way home from the airport and didn't really wake up again until morning in his own bed. He was very happy to be home.