Jory Family Reunion!

We've been back almost a week and I've been too depressed to post about our awesome vacation. That's the worst part about vaca- coming home! Reality blows! Especially in the last month of pregnancy when you get a whole week of rest, and then have to come home to face 3 more weeks of waiting around, but all the while continuing the cooking, cleaning, laundering, and hopeless attempts at entertaining a 1 1/2 year old when all you want to do is lay on the couch.

Anyways- enough complaining. The reunion started out perfectly! My sister (the one who was pregnant with twins) had her girls the morning we were leaving! Talk about perfect timing. I think it's because those girls wanted to meet their Auntie so badly and they knew it would be a couple months if they didn't make their appearance within this week. It was so awesome to get to see my nieces and sister in the hospital! These girls are my 14th and 15th (right?) time becoming an Aunt (blood related, at least) and it was the first time I'd ever gotten to see the babies so brand new!

You can tell I'm excited because I actually put on my makeup to meet them :)
PS. This is Brynne!

Due to the timing of the pregnancy AND the fact that they were twins, my sister was not planning on being able to attend the reunion anyway, so I think it worked out great for her too. She didn't have to miss us all too much :)

It was a super relaxing vaca for both Eric and I, especially since we were unable to make it to Eric's family's this year and this was our first vaca in a year! Not to mention last year's vaca (annual reunion on Eric's side) wasn't that relaxing since we had a newborn in a tent that we forgot to bring poles for....

Anyway, the house we stayed on was in Waldport, OR. Great vacation home! Right on the beach, just the way we like it.
Tristan was meeting most of his cousin's on my side for the first time, so I was a bit nervous that he would be clingy the whole time but to my surprise he was not even a tiny bit shy! Must have sensed all that Jory blood...

Millie & Tristan. Love this one!

My brother Justin and his youngest playing with Tristan in the sand

Some of the seal watchers!

Sand Monster

Millie loved Eric! It was hilarious.

Cousins!

The boys. Brave enough to play football with the sharks..

Can you believe that this is only 6 out of the 9 Jory kids (and their families, of course)

Missing Jana, Clint, Jenae & Bret Parker and Ella & Brynne Parker!

It was so great to spend time with my family, I already miss them! I wish we all lived closer. But then again... ;)

Open Swim Success

We finally decided that since the weather has been so unpredictable, and Tristan really wasn't enjoying the outdoor watering holes too much, that we would try OPEN SWIM! And to my satisfaction, it was great! Finally. I definitely don't have a fishy on my hands but he finally warmed up to being in the pool after about a half hour of screaming. 

The other great thing? It's just down the street. Tristan and I could walk while Daddy is at work. Even better! 

PLUS it was cheap, and there was no sand, and no heat. 

It was actually relaxing!

Justin & Eric playing ball with the boys

The Green's!

                  

SAND!

I am in shock at how a child that literally cries when bathtime is over, even though I've drained all the water out could really just not enjoy any aspect of water outside his bath.

This summer we tried playing in the kiddie pool- didn't like that. We tried going in the lake- that was not as bad but still not great...we tried going in a pool, which was eventually successful but after a lot of determination on my part. And the one thing, I tried to keep him away from was the sand. I HATE SAND. I just don't see the need for all that sand. There's just so much of it, and it gets everywhere.

But of course.. he loves sand. Playing in it, peeing in it and then playing in it, walking on it, and eating it..of course.

Oh hello summer in Seattle...you're late!

I know that the rest of Seattle/Greater Eastside has been throwing a fit for the last month because our summer has just now decided to show up- I have been extremely content with the crappy weather. The 2 or 3 days that it's been hot, I've walked outside to get the mail and felt like the heat may put me into labor so I've retreated to my cave and stayed there.

However, we did venture out a few times. My good friend Kristen and I used to spend every summer in high school at her house and we were moping around about how uncool our own homes were for summertime. Her house is always the best for any occasion, BUT especially for summer. So when she invited us to swim at her parents house on the lake, I decided it was time to come out of hibernation. We had been dying to blow up Tristan's pool but Eric has been slacking on the backyard and frankly, I'm afraid there are gardener snakes out there.

It's safe to say that Tristan did not love his pool as much as I had hoped. The water was a wee cold for him. 

He did however enjoy chasing Kristen's beloved cat...

Oh well. We enjoyed ourselves and Tristan liked the lake much better.