Star Wars

Sunday morning, Jake called to tell Thomas and Hayden to hurry down to the pier that there was a huge Star Wars celebration, parade and characters everywhere. Hayden was ecstatic! Thomas took Hayden and they went and met the Star Wars people and looked at the cool replica of the vehicles. Hayden also scored a free t-shirt to Pacific Rim, some goodies and coupons. He was in heaven. He absolutely loves Star Wars and it was fun for him to get to be with all these characters from the movies that he adores. I think Thomas absolutely LOVED it, as well.

It was a fun activity while we were waiting to pack up one condo room and switch to another for the second week. I think it was one of Hayden's favorite moments from our vacation!

Cousins

Hayden is so lucky to have so many cousins. I wish I would have gotten all the kids together to take a picture. This is the best I have. I looked around my room and realized that there were twelve of the cousins hanging out with me and Thomas. I absolutely LOVED that. I love each of these kids so much. They each have a special memory or moment that I cherish and love.

In this picture - Brooklyn, Natasha, Kierra, Kiley, Katelyn, Kaylee, Hayden, Shelbie with Brigham, Talmage, Coby in front and Bryson on the ground.

There were 22 kids at the beach this year. Which always made for a playmate or fun cousin to hang out with. Hayden is so fortunate to have so many cousins and me and Thomas to have so many wonderful nieces and nephews that we love and adore!

Exhaustion

As much as I absolutely loved being at the beach, I was absolutely exhausted while there. I slept at least half of my time at the beach. Good thing I was there two weeks instead of one.

Even though I did very little, what I did do absolutely wore me out.

If I sat down on the couch, I curled up in my Mickey blanket and fell asleep. The party could be going on around me but it didn't matter, I slept.

Lucky for me, Talmage did not like the beach and especially the ocean. Because of that, he opted for naps with me every afternoon instead of staying on the beach. I loved not being in the room alone. Talmage and I would either watch movies or fall asleep to the tv and listening to the ocean waves. I loved having my cuddle bug there.

Talmage and I were absolutely exhausted because we stayed on the beach one morning. By the time I got to the condo, we didn't even eat lunch but just laid down on my bed to sleep. Suzi came up three hours later and took a picture. In doing so, she woke us both up. I was so "out of it" that I didn't even realize who she was or what was happening. Later that night, all of the Simonton spouse's laughed that all of us Simonton's have that same quality of terror when woken up.

Many days and nights, while the rest of the group partied, I stayed happily in my room. My view was amazing. I loved my balcony. I loved listening to the waves crash on the shore. I loved the gentle cool breeze. I loved being able to watch the kids play from the balcony. It was my favorite place to be. Exhausted or not, it was definitely my happy place!

Simonton LOUD

Sunday night, the second week, when everyone arrived, they were all kind enough to come to our condo since I was exhausted. The numbers grew and grew as everyone found out that Aunt Faye and Aunt Carolyn (my dad's sisters) had arrived from Florida. At one point there were 32 of us in our little condo. When all of us get together, there is only one word to describe the scene...chaos, ok two, chaos and loud!

We all sat around and talked, chatted, caught up, laughed, told stories and had a great time. I tried etching each and every word and moment into my heart. I felt surrounded by love in that room. There were so many people that I love and cherish. My heart swelled with gratitude and love and thanksgiving for this incredible group that were chosen to be my family.

Other nights we gathered to talk, play cards and just laugh. I loved that my brothers and sister would gravitate to my room when I was too weak to leave. If I couldn't make it to the party, no problem, they brought the party to me. I loved being with everyone.

My brothers and dad are all so very loud and tell the funniest stories. Best part is, is that they think they are funny, so they laugh before the end of their story.

I was so surprised that management did not call to tell us to be quiet. We were incredibly loud. Maybe that is why the Simonton's own 9 units this week. We laugh that those in all the rooms next to us sell the week after we leave.

We were going to play a game of Spades card game. Jake and JD were going to be a team. Jodi looked and Jake and said, "Who gets Jerlyn?". They all laughed and laughed and laughed. I am now a liability instead of an asset. They decided to team me up with Jodi. Not a separate hand but just let me "help" Jodi, like they do the younger kids when they are learning the game. Even better, Jake said, "It is team 'Disabled'". At first he implied Jodi had a physical disability and me a mental and then quickly realized that he would have to include me in the physical disabled, too. It was so incredibly FUNNY! We laughed our guts out. Only my brothers could get away with that. (They were right to consider me a liability. I couldn't remember from hand to hand what cards were played. So much for having a photogenic memory of what cards were played and by whom. That is gone.)

Thomas was great and entertained Talmage while we played. We sure love that little guy. After the party, he refused to go back to his condo. He wanted to have a slumber party with Uncle Thomas and Aunt Jer. Love that boy!

I loved all of our crazy, wild, laughing and very loud nights we gathered as a family!

Minecraft

Minecraft was definitely the activity of choice if the cousins were not playing on the beach. They would get their electronics and connect to each other's devices and build their own massive world in Minecraft. From the moment Coby arrived until they departed, if the two boys were in the same room, they connected and played, frustrated at times with how bad the WiFi was in the room.

I laughed as the boys would wake up and pull out their devices. They were talking to Treyson and he wanted to connect. The kids told him to go get an Ipad. He said he didn't have one. They told him to go get his I-touch. He said he didn't have one of those either. Hayden very seriously said, "Treyson, go tell your mom you need and 'I-something'. It can be an Ipad, and Itouch, an Ipod or even an Iphone." Treyson replied that his parents didn't have any of those. Hayden disgustedly said, "That is impossible, Treyson. They have to at least have an Iphone. Everyone does. Just go get some electronic device out of your condo." Funny enough, Treyson came back with several different I-devices. Oh these kids. Definitely spoiled with electronics and devices. They do not even realize how blessed and spoiled they are.

The kids made a fort with the air mattress part way through the week and spent the rest of the time in their "fort" playing Minecraft.

We were definitely the boy hangout with the girls joining in now and again. I wish I would have taken a picture when I had 12 in the room, all connected, all playing Minecraft. Kids. They make me laugh.

More Cousins

My cousin, Mike Simonton, happened to be in San Diego with his boys, Adam and Shane while we were in Oceanside. Jake contacted them and they came up and played on the beach with us.

Adam and Hayden became friends instantaneously. The talked Mine-craft, video games, legos and boogie boarding. Adam had never ridden on a boogie board before and loved that Hayden taught him how to ride. The boys were inseparable from the moment they arrived, Adam even spent the night with us at our condo. 

Hayden and Adam had never met before. Hayden leaned over to me and asked, "Mom, do I have any other cousins that you are holding out on me?" I laughed and laughed. He is so funny!

Oceanside Pier

Aunt Suzi was wonderful and fun and took the kids to walk along the pier on several different occasions. The kids love it and we love the quiet break from all the kids running, laughing and playing throughout the condo.

Kiley and Hayden - the sunsets were absolutely beautiful over the ocean. I am amazed continually by the beautiful creations on earth. The ocean with the sun setting is definitely one of the sights I treasure.

 I love this picture of Brooklyn and Hayden. They have become such great friends this year. Hayden really looks after Brooklyn like an older brother would. I pray they get closer and closer and she is always wonderful to Hayden.

 Suzi with her three munchkins. The kids all adore her but none more than the three of these. In these kids eyes, she definitely walks on water.

 I love these kids. Eyes open + salt water = red red eyes the entire time at the beach.

 Hayden, Brooklyn, Kiley, Shelbie and Brigham - what characters.

 Huge bubbles on the pier. Hayden loved it so much that the man doing the bubbles gave him the recipe and taught him how to make them. Hayden came running into the condo so excited to tell us.

Of course, after the pier, Aunt Suzi would take the kids to Dairy Queen or the Farmer's Market. The night of the farmer's market, the kids came back with new sunglasses, goodies galore and new toys. Seriously. No wonder they all love and adore her. She makes everything special and an adventure.