Whiskeytown

We just got back from our annual trip to Whiskeytown. We always love our time there. We love to see our extended family, camp and play in the lake.

Ashlyn loved the lake! She loves to play in the water! It was pretty hot, so we all spent a lot of time hanging out in the water, trying to keep cool. Grandpa and Ashlyn

Ashlyn and Jason

Tara and Ashlyn (and Aunt Debbie)

Ashlyn looking for someone else to take her in the lake

The kids played King of the Kayak...

Drew, Chris, Jessica, Lauren, Austin, Wes

Grandpa played the Lake Monster...

Grandpa covered in mud

We sang silly songs around the campfire at night...Jason and TaraLaurenSam and Kristin

Kristin has worked for Jen for a few years and started working for me a few months ago. She comes twice a week for a few hours and makes me one happy girl!! She helps out around the house, cuts my time in the laundry room in half and even watches the kids while I run errands!!She came up with Jen to help out since Jeff could only stay for a few days. She brought her friend, Sam, with her for the weekend. We had a good time hanging out with them and playing games at night when the kids went to bed.

We saw another one of these "talking bugs". They are huge and so gross! When they get mad they sound like they are talking! They are feisty and of course fascinating to the kids. Some of the kids trying to catch it...Lauren and Ashlyn checking it out

We hung out around camp, played cards, chatted and layed in the hammock..

Ashlyn and Austin

I love the relationship he has with her. It is so sweet.

Jessica

Ashlyn

Ashlyn had a hard time leaving her bunny in her bed. When I could get her to leave the bunny, she would drag a blanket out!

Ashlyn loved to camp. Every morning, she would wake up and say, "I wanna go caping now." Camping to her was just being outside in our main campsite. When I was taking down the tent, she kept trying to walk off into the trees. When I asked her where she was going, she put her arms out, kind of shook her head and with a "duh" attitude said, "caping!" I thought it was pretty funny! Cute girl. She is growing up way too fast!

Pismo

The weekend before last, we went to Pismo Beach to camp and ride on the dunes! As I was looking back at our pictures from the trip, I realized that the trip was different for each of us.

Austin

Austin was very excited to ride, but it his motorcycles wasn't very easy to ride in the sand. He rode Lauren's quad and even jumped on mine a few times and had a blast! I never got to go back in the dunes with him, but Jason said he did great and had a good time.

Austin riding around camp

He spent some time playing on the beach And met a new friendAustin and EmilyAustin, Emily, Jessica

They walked down the beach to find sea shells... built forts in the sand...and got into a sand fight... (she won!)And always found the empty seat next to each other...Aaron, Maren, Lauren, Emily, Austin, Jessica

Jessica

Jessica's trip was mostly about riding. She got a new quad for her birthday and was so excited to be able to start it up by herself! (Her old quad constantly had a bad battery and had to be push started.)Jessica

As the kids grow, their gear gets passed down. Here is Jessica all suited up in Austin's old riding clothes.Jason and Jessica leaving camp to go ride in the dunes. Jason said Jessica was fearless and would follow him where ever he went! Some of those dunes are HUGE! I was I could have gone with them to see it and take a few pictures. Unfortunately, you can't strap a car seat onto the back of a quad!

By the last day, the kids were pretty worn out from all the fun and little sleep. Jessica got in trouble and couldn't ride her quad. Check out the scowl on her face! Classic Jessica. :-)

She did get off her quad long enough to dig a sand pit big enough for her to climb down in and get buried in the sand with a mermaid body drawn on top of her.

She even played in the ocean a few times.Jessica and Lauren

Lauren

For Lauren, it was all about the sand and socializing. She spent 95% percent of her time playing in the sand.

Clara, Maren, Abby, Lindi and Lauren Beach Babe

She did take one trip out to the dunes with Jason on the back of the Lenzinger's barbardier quad.

striking a pose

Ashlyn

Ashlyn's trip was filled with new experiences and learning! She was pretty excited when she saw the ocean as we were driving in to Pismo. She yelled, "Oh! The Lake! The Lake!" We all thought she was cute and tried to explain to her what the ocean is.

She loved to dig in the wet sand and the way the sand felt in between her toes.

She spent a lot of time the first day inside the trailer we rented, looking out the window. She would get so excited to see the quads, but as soon as someone started one up, she would get scared and want to be held or go inside.

The girls taught her the joy of eating the middles out of the Oreos...She thought she was so grown up playing with the big girls in the sand. It still amazes me how fast she is growing up. I said something about how I couldn't believe how many words she knows and Jessica said to me, "Mom, she isn't just saying words. She is talking now." She really is. She can ask the kids for whatever she wants and they can understand her. It still makes me laugh when Lauren will try to pick her up and Ashlyn will say, "I don't want it!".

Jason

Jason spent a lot of his time setting up camp...We had a huge area. Every time someone would leave on either side of us, we would scoot our area out a little more. Then he would laugh and say, "It's all about the Real Estate..."

He made several trips out to the dunes with the kids...

and on a few "guys rides"...And even a trip out with me...He spent some time with Ashlyn on the beach...He loves being a dad...And got our camp fire started at night. What a beautiful view! I guess it really is all about the "real estate".Jason and Jessica

Tara

For me, riding on the beach is such a strange combination of feelings! I love the beach! It is so peaceful and calming. I love to ride, but haven't really been able to the past few years because I have been busy with a baby. Riding is an adrenaline rush. It is high energy and exciting. So, putting the two together is a big oxymoron, but made for a great weekend.

In the past, when we have gone to Pismo, either ourselves or someone in our group has gotten stuck in the sand and we have spent quite a bit of time getting out. This year, we didn't have any trouble at all!

I got a new car a few months ago and I love it! As I was checking in at the pay station, the guy asked me how far I was planning on going and if I had 4wheel drive. I told him, "Don't worry. She is tougher than she looks!" And she was...

The trip was off to a good start... BUT this picture was taken around 4:30am on our first night! Ashlyn is kind of a princess when it comes to sleep. She likes to sleep in her own bed in her own room. Period. She woke and saw all of us and we couldn't get her back to sleep. I thought the cold air and the sound of the waves would put her back to sleep, so we went outside.As it was starting to get light outside, I thought I just might cry! I handed her off to Jason and crawled into bed. I think she finally went to bed around 7am! We got a little bit of sleep and still managed to smile the next day!
Jason and Tara


Most of my trip was spent watching and playing with Ashlyn.

I did get to go out and ride a couple of times. Once with Jason and once on a "girls ride". The dunes are so much fun! I get nervous about going down those steep dunes, but as soon as my front wheels go over, it's so fun!

Saturday morning I went out for a beautiful six mile run on the beach! It was amazing and one of my favorite things I did on the trip.

And of course, I spent time socializing with my friends. We all had a great time and we are hoping to go back before the summer is over!