In which I steal other people's photos.

I promise, someday I will change my ways. Someday I will buy a REAL camera, check out some photography books, and learn how to take real pictures that are actually artistic and composed. Until that day, I will continue to pluck up other people's pictures from their blogs/facebook, and blog them here. Because how ELSE am I going to illustrate my summer? Hmmmm?

The Reynolds Family Reunion.

We all spent a week hanging out, taking dips in the pool, playing on the rented bounce house/rented water slide, taking the kids down to Excalibur down at the strip, visiting the biggest trampoline room around and playing dodgeball, rock climbing, seeing some movies, catching some concerts, and playing yoga ball at the church. Hal and I even cooked dinner for everyone one night-- our very own recipe, Bacon Alfredo. It's always been a favorite, ever since we made it together for the first time three years ago when we were dating. It's been tweaked here and there over time, and I think we have it down.

Somewhere in the middle of all the hubbub, we managed to also kick back, read some books, munch on some delicious food, and take cat naps. One of my favorite parts of these reunions is the bonding all the little kid cousins do. They are all smart, adorable, kind, and creative kids. And they always make me feel like the bomb when they say, "Sarah! Come sit by me!"

Thank you to my sister in law, from whom I stole the following pictures:


The newest member of the family, Jack.


Harry on the water slide. Style and pizazz, as ever.


Yoga ball! I'm not one for competitive sports involving a ball... my hand-eye coordination is limited to the piano. But I heart yoga ball.


Action shot. Too good to NOT post.


Rock climbing!


Is he a better rock climber than me? Much. But I'm the one who wears spandex, and I personally feel that that counts for something.


My youngest brother in law received his Eagle Scout award while we were all there. All the brothers, who have received their eagle awards as well, got to sit in the "eagle's nest" and watch. I love seeing all the boys together like this, and this was a really sweet experience.


The whole fam. I miss them already.

How nice to have both our family pictures taken in the same summer. However, at the rate that everyone's reproducing this picture will be outdated in about 3 months. Ah well.

Now that we're back we're keeping really busy. This week at work flew by! So I'm going to try to organize my time more efficiently with very important things.

Next project: Find a frame with two windows to fit both family pictures in, because we really like them.
Subsequent project: Enjoy the oncoming fall weather and think of a creative halloween costume.
Even more subsequent project: Start looking forward to the holidays!

Back to reality.

Summer is over.

We're back in our student housing apartment. I'd forgotten about the smell-- something between a dorm and a hotel room. It smells like cascades of tenants and chemical cleaning supplies. Even so, it feels really nice to be back in our little corner of Palo Alto.

In the last 36 hours we have driven 661 miles. In our separate cars. It's one thing to drive that much when I'm in the same car as Harry. We can talk a blue streak together. But when it's just me and the book tape, it gets lonely after a little while. Good thing "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" is the longest audio book EVER. I have 3 discs to go on this book-- I've been chipping away at for months. Will I ever get sick of hearing Simon Prebble's voice read about 19th century magic? No.

It's also a good thing that we used walkie talkies the entire drive. I felt like a kid from "The Sandlot" during that part when they try to get the baseball signed by Babe Ruthe back from the enormous dog in the yard next door by building a ramp and robotic car and lowering it over the fence. "Initiate retrieval suction!"

Our Las Vegas summer left nothing to be desired. I spent ample time with both families and read 5 books in my off time. I attended amazing concerts and movies and went swimming and ate snow cones and dippin dots. I hung out with my nieces and nephews. I played basketball and yoga ball. I visited with old friends and their offspring. It filled my proverbial life sponge with water of contentment and giggles. I'll admit, yesterday morning when we headed out, I became more than a little teary eyed. I really love my family-- both the one I grew up with and the one I married into.

That said I'm really happy to be back. We've got a good thing going here.

Now we're sitting on our couch (well, loveseat) watching KCRW reruns and cooking frozen pizza. I way like my life.

Steven Slater - Jet Blue Flight Attendant had the Monday Jet Blues

Gals.

I remember when 6th grade ended, my best friend told me, "You know, when we get to Junior High, I don't think we'll be friends anymore." This kind of thing can happen a lot with adolescent girls, and needless to say it wasn't a shining moment in my youth. I was perplexed and hurt, and thought to myself, "Huh. Okay."

Luckily, that summer I met three girls (one of whom I hadn't seen since preschool) who quickly became the best bosom buddies I could have asked for. Since then we've been inseparable. The awkward stages and first dates and proms and Girl's Camps and Youth Conferences and college adventures, etc. have been infinitely more fun because of them. They're the shiz. I love them to rather tiny pieces.

In high school it was easy to hop on a bike and meet up at one of our houses. Now that marriage/babies/mortgages/jobs have entered the picture, reunions have been few and far between-- our weddings have been the main sources of seeing each other over the past few years. A few weeks ago, the stars/our schedules aligned, and we managed to meet up for the day in San Diego. And it was heaven.









We were ambitious in our planning and thought we'd go to lunch, go swimming, get pedicures, and go shopping. We quickly realized that it felt so good to just sit, talk, play with the babies, and laugh until we were crying, that the only thing we really made time for over the 7 hours we spent together was lunch at California Pizza Kitchen/Golden Spoon.

I think heaven would be one giant cul-de-sac in which all the people I loved had houses together. Oh, and our backyards would all be connected. And our backyards would also be a beach. And also, Golden Spoon frozen yogurt was free. And also, pedicures.

Don't think I'm crazy.

I found this photo while perusing awkwardfamilyphotos.com. And I guffawed to myself (quietly, because everyone else in the room is watching "So You Think You Can Dance"), and then I realized... I want a family photo like this.



Can you IMAGINE?

The whole family dressed up, sitting in nice living room chairs with a plain and quaint background. And everyone doing something different. Mom could be watering a topiary, Harry could be reading, Merz playing pattycake with a niece, someone sitting on the floor being drooled on by said niece, someone looking nonchalantly at the camera, someone else on their laptop watching youtube videos, etc.

Am I crazy? Is this idea dumb? Or is it every shade of BRILLIANT?