As the Summer Fades

So now that my tan is fading (can you really call it a tan if it started out as a crispy fried red burn and then faded to something with some vague semblance of tan lines?), I figure I should wade through all the pictures I been accumulating on my camera card over the summer. Here's what we've been up to lately...

There have been lots of parties...
This is what all the kids are wearing these days...
At least that's what Nathan tells me.

Hayden helped vanquish the "Swine Flu" pig-shaped pinata.

At Wayne's cousin Hayley's wedding.

And reunions...
An impromptu 19 year cheerleader reunion in Manhattan Beach.

Dad came down to the annual UCLA Pedo Alumni Day.
After battling parallel universe Ruby's Diners, we finally met up with Amy, Jeff and Caleb for a fun dinner in Orange County.

And sendoffs...
My baby brother Scott shipped out to Iraq for his first tour in the Marines.
We miss you!

Family Love Fests...
The boys at a resident picnic in Mar Vista park. They couldn't contain the love!

Bergers are in the HOUSE!


Maiko and Scott Brower (showing his good side),
and my Sisters Remy and Amy, plus a sulking Caleb.

Jeanette and Jan... Always making me see double.

My beautiful niece Ellie at Hayley's wedding.


And Family brawls...
A fictitious, but very plausible explanation for Brower's mangled face
(which he scraped up the night before by missing a step.)

Work...

It has been Hayden's duty to do the dishes every night this summer.
This is how he stays motivated.

How I spend most of my days, whether the weather is nice or not.

Play...
The pool in Santa Rosa...I took about 60 pictures,
and believe it or not THIS is the most normal looking one!

Scofield lake. That's Wayne on the right. Hee hee hee!

Baseball on the beach in Malibu.

Speed wobbles in Huntington Beach with Caleb and Jeff.

Relaxation...
Chillaxin' in Manhattan.



And being ridiculously good looking.




Summer 2009 was a great one!
Now go back to school, kids!!!

How to Have the Perfect Weekend

Wake your kids up at 4:00 in the morning by flashing a camera in their faces.









Escape L.A. traffic and enjoy the sunrise in the Mojave Desert.Exert your influence as a parent by allowing your children to rock out to questionable music.



After the 12 hour car ride, release all of your pent up energy by seeing how many cousins it would take to trample Uncle Chad.

Enjoy the estrogen while you can. Read lots of books and sing songs with little girls who enjoy princesses and who don't make sound effects at the dinner table... Unless you have just discovered that burping at the dinner table is considered funny and then do it 6000 times (Avery... I'm looking in your direction, though I noticed you are not in this picture.)

Be sure you are looking fabulous at all times. Maybe a kind and wonderful auntie could paint your nails. Be sure you show them to everyone in your nearby vicinity any time they look your direction.
Caravan up to a gorgeous, semi-private lake 7500 feet above sea level during perfect weather conditions and let the children loose on the great outdoors.

Dig in perfectly soft sandy shores and make sand castles... But if you're Hayden, and your neighboring sand castle is going to be built by Uncle Chad, you must first arm yourself with an arsenal of dirt balls to protect your beachfront property.

Head to the water and enjoy some tubing and smack talk.

Make sure your tube is not "too round..." Just ask Diana.
Find someone to hold on to and HIT IT!
Make sure your tongue is working properly, as this is key to your success on the water.
Enjoy the view.

Gloat.
Gloat some more and laugh a lot.

Relax with some great friends who happen to be related to you.
Hang on tight to cute babies dressed up in flotation devices that look like oversized cocoons.

Soak in a nice warm tub, because you are dirty and sore from one of the best weekends EVER!
As you head out the door, force the children to take one last picture and make them pretend to be enjoying it. You can accomplish this by encouraging them to say, "POOPIES!"

Don't forget the other fun events not pictured:

• Tell silly stories and play games around the camp fire. Roast marshmallows while injecting the phrase "That's what she said!" as many times as is humanly possible into polite conversation.
• Make a really embarrassing attempt at playing badminton. Blame it on your defective racket when you can't hit the birdie over the net.
• Freak out all unsuspecting parents in the house by playing a video of a temper tantrum while checking out facebook in the other room.
• Listen to hymns blasting over the loudspeakers of the "Hobby Lobby" on a Saturday night.
  
• Eat jello salad!

Thanks for the frickin' AWESOME weekend, Diana and Andy!!!!

Our Family Is Vacationing in Utah...

...and all that that implies.