A summer Sunday!

The fun continues as we love having the Fillmores around for some cousin fun!!  We drove Annika and Esme back to Malibu - Bonny, Bruce, Ara, and Ella had stories to tell about their trek experience - and they were all good!!

 

Phoebe can always be counted on to tell some great stories!!

 

And eating outdoors in the 'bu is always a treat.

 

We spent the evening outdoors - even as it got chilly - there were blankets for all.  Too bad Monday morning follows the pleasant Sunday interludes!!

Miss Rhoda - who loves zucchini btw - continues to charm us all with her smiles!

Harry and I were there - we're just not in the photos!!  Noah was up at Chantry.

Happy Father's Day!

I have observed that a party that is big and noisy and fun usually precludes me getting any stellar photos.  I'm too busy visiting or replenishing stocks or telling grandkids what they can or cannot play with.  Yesterday was no exception.  It started out being Dad, Hannah, Rhoda, me, Mom, Donna, Charlie, and Harry, Dawn and family.  Then we added Diane and Keena, who were visiting.  And then I decided to invite Bonny - who was, hooray, able to come!!  (Sometimes their very busy schedule keeps them away.  Those Bolander beauties are in demand everywhere!!)  Then Phoebe and David and family - who had arrived Saturday night, and who had told us they couldn't be there for the BBQ on Sunday - were able to come.  And Bill showed up.  So it was a big group.

And it is true, the more the merrier!  We were a merry group indeed.

 

 

When I looked over and saw Bill and Charlie, I immediately thought of Michael Caine and Robert Duval in "Second Hand Lions."  Turns out Charlie loves it too - it's a fave of mine.

 

The bikes have been living at our house, so Bruce pumped some air in the tires and we had a little tandem action on Primrose - which can be a workout!!

 

 The girls, big and small, old and young, were in love with the babies - and we had two of them to spoil!

 

Initially there had been concern that I hadn't thought of enough food - so Harry went home and brought some of his cache of corn and grilled it - yum!!  (And we had plenty of food - including burgers with grilled onions, potato salad, nachos, chips, fruit, root beer floats, root beer float cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies - no one went hungry!)

Sully fell asleep on the way - but woke up in time to enjoy the fun.

 

We ate outside and got the cushions out for the chairs, so we were even comfortable!!  And the flies stayed away!!  Can't ask for much more!

 

Biker Bruce certainly takes good care of us!

 

It took awhile for things to wind down - folks left in stages - last one out was around 9 - so good to kick off summer with people you love!!

Watch for more cookouts on the horizon - and join us if you're in town!

Getting summer vacation off to a rousing start!!

After the early out on Friday, Hannah and I headed to Malibu for Annika's dance recital.  We encountered a freeway closure that turned it into a 2 hour drive.  At least we had each other to visit with!  And a little tour of Santa Monica's lovely neighborhoods never hurt anyone!

 

It was a lovely recital - and Annika did a great job.

 

A little "posed" shot!

 

Sunday Keena came by to visit - fun to hear her talk about her recent trip to Greece and Turkey.

 

It's pretty funny to watch Deacon and Rhoda interact with each other.

 

I'm thinking they aren't sure what it's all about!!  But the rest of us enjoy watching.

 

Saturday night was the Girls' Camp Fundraiser - dinner and dessert auction.  Harry was the emcee and auctioneer.  As usual he was successful at getting money flowing!!

Hannah's here for a bit - we are planning to have fun!!