thankful thursday - family adventures

Our oldest daughter, son-in-law and their five kids (collectively known as the Albaecks) came out to visit us this summer. They live in North Carolina and this was their first trip back here in six years. While they were here, our youngest daughter, her husband and their daughter (who live nearby and are collectively known as the Gaubs) came over often to visit. Our normally very quiet house was suddenly filled with lots of laughter, kids playing, kids crying, toys that make "noise" and adults talking. And it was heavenly!

We had lots of thing to celebrate - the first time the boys met their cousin, the end of another successful school year, the beginning of summer vacation, and THREE college graduations. Jacob got his Bachelor's, Jennifer got her Master's and Janne got her Ph.D. ALL this year! I am thankful our kids know and appreciate the value of education and learning.

The cake was deeeeee-licious! Christopher made the topper =)

The kids wanted to swim several times a day... every single day. The older four have become little fishes in the water and like to splash and dive! The younger ones mostly like to float in their inflatables. I laughed so hard when I heard Jennifer telling her kids to not splash so hard, they were getting the windows wet. I distinctly remember her telling me, as a child, that she wouldn't care about the windows getting wet when her kids were in the pool. Fast forward a couple of decades and now she cares and I don't! I am thankful, though, for parents who teach their kids to be respectful of others.

The kids were in the pool so much the bottoms of the their toes got scraped up - hence, the sox!

As most of you know, we LOVE Disneyland and go as often as we can. We took our daughters when they were growing up. And now they take their kids. So it was only natural that we ALL (six adults, four older kids and two stroller kids!) went to Disneyland for a few days. The boys were excited about Carsland (they had not been yet) and the girls were excited about everything Frozen. No one was disappointed! I am thankful our family likes Disneyland like we do - or at least comes with us when we go!

We celebrated Disneyland's 60th birthday and Ellie and Hannah's first time at Disneyland!  

We had lots of time to just hang out and be together. They kids played and watched movies. The adults talked - there is never a shortage of things to talk about! We ate some of our favorite foods. Remember all the manicotti I made earlier and put in the freezer? It did not go to waste! We also went shopping, had gelato (a few times!), went to a couple movies and went out to eat. It was a nice vacation for all of us. I am thankful for family that enjoys being together.

We all agreed it's fun to just hang out and be together!

All too soon it was time for the Albaecks to start their road trip back home. We went to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon with them before saying good-by. I am thankful for beauty all around me - in my family and in nature.

You can see Richard, Christopher and Lexie at the view point in the lower right corner. They look tiny compared to the immenseness of the Grand Canyon!

There are, indeed, many things to be thankful for when family is around. What a wonderful blessing it is to have family!