Beach Overload-Sorry

After my blog book was published, I wanted more pics and more memories for 2009. The beach is the highlight of our year and I wanted to document more of our traditions. Sorry, for the overload, I am on to other topics now!

Car Trouble

10 miles outside of El Centro, California, I think the hottest place in the U.S., Jake had a tire blow out. Luckily, we were only a couple of miles behind him. We couldn't get the jack out or tire to drop off Jake's escalade. Luckily, we called AAA and they came out. Over an hour later, we were back on the road, after having to unload both cars to get the spares/jacks out. Such fun, especially in 116 degree heat! :)

Coby Jay

Sweet little Coby Jay, JD's middle child, has never liked me. Don't know why. Well, this trip he was my buddy! He was so excited to see me the first day he saw me in Arizona and came running up to me with a huge hug. He did the same when he saw me in Cali and was so sweet.

I asked what he wanted to take back from his trip as a souvenier. The sweet little boy responded, "Aunt Jer". JD then asked him, if he wanted to take me to Lake Powell with them. His response, "Minnesota, too!"

What a kid! I sure love and miss him!

Snowcones

What is better on a sunny day than huge snowcones??? Yummy and Refreshing!

Thomas

Suzi

Hayden and Chase-with blue raspberry!

Katelyn, Kiley & Kaylee

Jake & Rosie

Beach Baseball

The last couple of years, there has been a Simonton vs. Bair baseball game. Simonton's always dominate. This year, we had all kinds of games and with all different ages. No matter who was playing, the girls all sat, watched kids and talked while the guys played! So much fun!

Jer, Suzi, Steph, Rosie and Cassie all being supportive and watching the game.

The boys playing ball.

JD hitting a homerun into the waves.

Brinley and Suzi-by the end of the week, Brinley followed me or Suzi everywhere, she knew we had treats!

Team Simonton

Jodi, Brigham and Jerlyn-we were great spectators.

Hayden's excited expression.

Mean JD handed Thomas a chair to hit with instead of a bat.

Thomas headed home! Great home run honey!

Tanner man

My sweet Hayden bug!

Ball players

The beach at Night

We spent a lot of time at the beach at night. There were too many kids to let them run around so we made dinner and hauled it to the beach. The kids loved playing in the sand, playing baseball, football and I loved the weather! So nice! Plus, the sound of the ocean waves at night is just magical to me.

Jake & Rosie

Thomas, Jer & Hayden

Me and Brinley

Jodi & Cassie

Suzi and Hayden

Austin-what a punk.

Thomas passing out grilled hotdogs!

Hayden in the sand.

Simonton kids

I love when all of my siblings are together. I was blessed with the greatest brothers and sister anyone could ask for. What a great time to all be together in such a wonderful place.

JD, Josh, Jodi, Jake, Jerlyn

Beach Fun

What fun the kids had at the beach!

Brooklyn & Kiley were always together! We never saw one without the other.

Thomas and Jake throwing Suzi in the ocean. It is tradition... they throw her in every year.

Chase and Hayden... were the best of friends. They loved playing together. They were together from sun up to way past their bedtime. An entire week together and they couldn't have enough fun!

Thomas pulling Chase & Hayden out to the waves. The boys loved being dragged into the water.

Thomas had as much fun as the boys did!

When Thomas would quit getting them, one of the boys would get his attention and he would drag them back into the water.

Jerlyn-loving the beach!

Beach fun!

Casen, Braden, Hayden and Chase-squirt guns at the beach were a fabulous idea!

My favorite place-watching the kids playing, chatting with the fam.

Katelyn, Kiley & Brooklyn-cute little surfer girls!

Water fights!

Everyone at play!

Brooklyn

Our beach condo

Brigham

Hayden always had two shovels in his hands. Great to dig with, catch sand crabs with and play swords!

Pretty little Brooklyn girl. Our little California girl!

Deep Sea Fishing

Thomas took Hayden deep sea fishing on Tuesday. Hayden was so excited to spend the entire day on a boat fishing. They saw a lot of dolphins, sea lions and seals while out on the water. Hayden loved fishing and caught a "big one".

Grandpa brought the kids donuts! Best thing to give the kids before heading out on a deep sea fishing excursion.

I snapped several pictures at the harbor before they took off.

Hayden's big catch. They all caught a ton of fish!

Hayden and another of his catch!

Hayden looking like a total punk going fishing. I went to hug him goodbye and his reply was, "Mom, this is embarrassing" .


That evening we had a huge fish fry with all the sea bass that everyone caught. It was yummy!!! We had a huge group of us all eating, laughing and playing.

Jake entertaining all the little girls.

Thomas and Haydibug!

The gang.

The catchers and the cookers! It was fantastic, I just had to show up!

Monday

Monday was the first day at the beach with all of us there. Why didn't I take a group picture of all the kids? They all looked so cute in their wetsuits. Oh, I know why, I can't get any of them to stand in one place long enough to snap a picture. Oh well, I do think I got picture of Hayden playing with almost all of his cousins.

Hayden and his best playmate, his dad.

Bryson

Brigham

Thomas is a big kid. He teaches all the kids from a young age that water fights at the beach are a must. He had so much fun playing with Brigham!


Each year we tend to spend more and more time on the beach and less time inside, shopping and playing games. I do love the beach and the weather was perfect. I spent a lot of time chatting with all the girls, read some great books and relaxed.

Sunday at the beach

We had to check out of our hotel on Sunday morning and couldn't check into our beach condo until Sunday evening. So, Jake's family and JD's family went with us to the outlets shopping. We had fun. I can't remember the last time I went shopping with my brothers. It was fun.

The condo place had NO IDEA what they were in for with all the Simonton's staying at the same place. We had six condo units, plus another unit down the street. There were 43 of us total, including 18 kids. Okay, one or two kids walking around is okay, 18 kids make a lot of noise. Josh & Jake laughed and said hopefully more people will sell their units... we could definitely use a few more.

I loved having the entire Simonton clan together. I am blessed with amazing siblings who I love being with. My dad even played games with us one night. How fun to all be together.

Oceanside Day 3

Thomas flew in late Friday night and we all went out for fish. Got to love the greasy fish place that we have been going to since I was a little girl. I love sitting at the harbor, seein the seagulls and eating greasy fish on the picnic tables. Actually, I am a much bigger fan of the clam chowder.

Saturday, we got up and Josh & gang, Jake & gang, Suzi, and our gang all headed to the beach. Hayden was so glad his dad was there and kept dragging him in the water. The kids built sand castles and boogie boarded. So fun!

Thomas and Hayden in their first waves of the year.

Hayden & Braden had so much fun jumping waves. These two boys stayed down in the waves 2 hours after all the other kids went back to the hotel.


Kaylee, Hayden, Casen, Brinley & Katelyn digging in the sand.

Braden

Saturday night, Thomas, Jake & Rosie, conned me or convinced me into going to watch the UFC fight. Really? Me? So, I went into my first sports bar and watched this UFC fight. Quite honestly, I spent more time on facebook than watching the games. Me, sports bars and UFC fighting, really don't mix. I would have much rather been on kid duty. Oh well, it was definitely an experience.

Day 2 at the Beach

Friday morning, we woke up, quickly ate and headed back for the beach. Today we were joined by Jake and Josh's families. So fun!

We buried the kids in the sand.
Casen, Katelyn, Kaylee, Kiley, Hayden & Braden


These are my favorite pics-the beach scenes... Jake boogie boarding, Hayden playing in the sand, Katelyn and Kiley just hanging out!

Brinley is so stinking cute! I absolutely love her.

Hayden opened his eyes in the chlorinated pool. Oops! Not good for a kid allergic to cholorine. His eyes were stinging.

Day One at Oceanside

Suzi and I left early Thursday morning for Oceanside. Although the beach condo didn't officially start until Sunday, one week was not going to be long enough to cram in all of our fun and relaxation, so we started early.
We met up with Jake and gang on the beach! I love the ocean, the sand and the cool breeze! What a wonderful, relaxing place to be. It is definitely my favorite place to be.



We arrived a little before noon, quickly checked into the hotel and were off to the beach. We spent the afternoon playing in the waves, building in the sand and then headed up to the hotel to swim in the pool. Later that evening we went to a farmers market. Hayden's request for a souvenier had been a shark tooth necklace. Luckily we found one and boy did he love it all week! He thought he looked cool wearing the necklace with his wetsuit!

Haydenisms

This weekend, Hayden earned $2 for helping out. He wanted me to take him to the store so he could spend his money. I told him he may want to save it for California and he would want to spend it at Sea World. He looked at me and said, "Mom, I think I am going to take a break from saving today and go ahead and spend my money. I will start saving again tomorrow."

Last night, Hayden asked Thomas if you can't see anymore if you have better hearing. Thomas explained to Hayden that you have five senses and if one quits working, the others compensate and work better. Hayden replies, "So, its kinda like getting an upgrade!"
He further said, "If one of my senses had to quit working, I hope its not my mouth. I really like to talk. I would be sad if I couldn't say anything, but its okay if I couldn't hear what you were telling me to do!"
What a kid!

Science Camp

When I asked Hayden what he wanted to do this summer, his response was, "Go to science camp!" He said he would rather go there than the beach! Hayden has waited all summer for his chance to go. But, he has been so busy with swim lessons, speech camp, therapy and playing that I had to squeeze it in.

He is loving going every day! Today they made a catapolt, a rubberband race car and some other things. Yesterday they made a kaleidiscope and experimented with different drawings. Tomorrow is rockets!

Hayden is the youngest one in the camp and having the time of his life! Woo hoo for my science boy and him livin' his dream!

Talk about a fun day-Science Camp and then to see Ice Age in 3D with Grandpa. Then to NY Pizza for dinner and a trip to Walmart for a new Nintendo DS game for the ride over to Cali! Boy did Grandpa spoil Hayden. He had such a great day!

Sparklers

What would the 4th of July be without sparklers and pop-its!


Uncle Josh would take the used sparklers. The kids kept handing him the hot end and burning him.

Brinley-look at her holding a sparkler after eating a chocolate cupcake! It is good to be a kid!

Hayden with his bright red eyes. Poor kid and his allergy to pool water. He loved the sparklers!

Megan had fun, too!

The group all getting their sparklers lit!

4th of July

We had a fabulous 4th of July!
Lucky for us, we had tons of family in town. I love it when we can all get together. In the morning, Scott, Megan and Jazzy hung out with us and then all the Murphy side came over. At 2:00 all the Simonton's got together at Josh's house! We swam until late at night. So fun!
The kids jumping off the rocks into the pool.

Braden, Hayden, Kaylee, Katelyn, Kiley & Brooklyn with Grandpa

Brinley jumping off the rocks to me.

Hayden jumping off the rocks! I was shocked! This is the first time he tried it. He also went off the diving board and down the rock slide. He had so much fun!

Thomas getting Megan and Hayden

Katelyn and Hayden

Kaylee and me

Scott and Jazzy

Jodi, me, Rosie and Steph

JD, Cassie & boys

JD's gang came down to Arizona for a visit in between moving from Texas to Minnesota. They are spending a week here in Arizona, then going to the beach for a week with all the Simonton's and then to Lake Powell with all the Davis'.


Bryson is always excited to see all of us and Hayden absolutely loves playing with Bryson.

We are so excited to see them. Coby was so cute when he first saw me, he ran up and gave me the biggest hug! Cute boy.

Tanner always takes a while to warm up but he did by the end of the evening!

I love JD's family and wish we were able to see them for often but love when we get to hang out together!

Scott, Shelly & girls

Thomas' brother Scott and his family came down this weekend and stayed with us. We love having them here. We had tons of fun!
Jazzy, Suzi and I hung out Friday night while the guys took the kids to see Transformers.
Saturday all the Murphy's came over and then we went to Josh's in the afternoon for a Simonton get together.
I love having family in town!
Scott, Jazzy and Megan- having a tickling war (must be a Murphy thing).

Hayden and Jazzy blowing bubbles!

Thomas trying to teach Hayden to do pushups!