Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunties, Oh My!

New post--where to start? We've been behaving as though it's summer vacation around here, even when the weather wasn't. My parents were here and it rained every day. Since they left it has been sunny and 65+ degrees. Nonetheless, we managed to play a lot and eat even more. We did the marine science center, some shopping, a little tidepooling (saw the elusive 19-armed sunburst starfish). They really only wanted to play with Anna anyway, of course. It would have been nice to get to the beach more, but my dad is probably glad his suitcase didn't mysteriously gain ten pounds of rocks and shells (it's like my mom's a raccoon and they're shiny things--she can't resist). I'm sure they went home much lighter after leaving us all kinds of books and toys and the awesome Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt my mom made of actual Eric Carle fabric (she's seen "testing it" in previous post) and making a similar deposit of baby schtuff when they met their new grandson, whom they visited after leaving here.

We also got to see my aunt Nancy, who is a retired librarian living the nomadic RV life until she starts her Coolest Summer Job Ever as campground host at Yellowstone freaking National Park(!). She made her way up here from Cali before heading out West, which is obviously east of here, but I'm in denial about that because it just doesn't sound right. So as my parents took off, she and the sunshine were here to keep me from doing boring things like work and pay bills for another day. Can't say I minded. And she bought us steaks, so Aaron sure didn't.

For Friday afternoon bonus slacking off time, we took Anna to her first softball game. The weather was perfect, which you can't always say for Oregon coast softball season--sometimes it is worse than football weather since they built new fields on the windiest plateau in town. She really liked it for about 5 innings but would have liked to hear some more chatter out there. (Waltino, when are you coming back to teach her the finer points of the thinking girl's game?)

Here are some favorite pictures from the week's Anna photography extravaganza!