California Part I

So here are some pictures to get you all caught up on our trip to California. In some previous posts I put up some pictures of the beach (my favorite place EVER) and a post about Our Iowans. But I never got around to posting about the rest of the trip because there were so many pictures from which to choose! But I think I captured our trip well :)

These guys were all part of a play group when they were tiny (well, not really Isaac). None of them were even two yet when we left California, and now they're all four!

Good friends. I miss you two!

Aah, the beach. My favorite place, spent with some of our favorite people, Our Iowans. It was cold there that day!

Nathan teaching Great Grandma and Papa about....you guessed it! Dinosaurs!

Nathan and cousins :)

Toby and Aunt Sally

In case you hadn't noticed, the Sequoias are REALLY REALLY BIG.

Now those are some good-lookin' people.

Jimmy is still the little brother.

No, seriously. They are GIGANTIC.

One of my favorite pictures.

I think that pine cone is from a Sugar Pine. It was kind of scary when they fell from the trees because the trees are quite tall and the cones are very large. I was afraid of getting pelted in the head. I'm pretty sure had one fallen from the tree and landed on one of the children, he would have been knocked down!

Sisters....different mothers, same mother-in-law.

California Part II

Aunt Jane supervising rest time.

Nathan got all of the boys hooked on dinosaurs during our trip (though here he's playing with Buzz Lightyear).

Our tent cabin in the Sequoias. Inside were two double beds and a small bedside table, but no electricity!

Uncle Ryan reading and explaining something...I think about airplanes.

The fabulous grandparents who supervised dinner so the big kids could eat together in relative peace. :) Thank you Grandma and Papa!

The big kids and the little kids.

The eight big kids.

Boys being dinosaurs.

Of course you know this picture doesn't do the view justice (even after I tinkered with the color).

I love Nathan's excitement in this picture!

Boys praying before bedtime.

Four generations of Brock men. The choices were either a good picture of the boys or a good picture of the men. I chose a good picture of the men :)

Yes, she is absolutely as delightful as she looks! :)

Kisses for Toby.

And then we went home!

Virginia Vacation

Here is a recap of our Virginia vacation. Yes, we've been back for over a month. Sorry for the slow update. Better late than never, right? Anyway, we were with Jimmy's parents for only a weekend so all but the first picture is from time spent in southern VA with my family. (You know the drill: click on the pic for a larger version, captions go with the pic above them.)

Handsome guys in maroon.

Getting the boys to help in the garden is never hard for Gran Gran.

Papa To-to (pronounced Toe Toe) is not opposed to child labor, apparently.

Hot tea is Gran Gran's fifth food group.

My boys loved living with their aunt and cousin for the ten days we were there!

We took the boys to a peach orchard.

I cannot begin to express to you how hot it was that day.

Investigating Grandpa's arrowhead collection.

Just of the few he's found on the farm.

The pied piper.

Lovebirds with a new baby! (He's mine, not theirs.)

Papa To-to taking the kiddos for a ride in his old car.

What a cutie!

Jumping in the deep end all by himself!

We can't wait to go back for another visit :)