Camp NanaB 2011 is in full swing!

Day 1 of the 2011 session of Camp NanaB was excellent.  The campers followed a trail to Cobb Creek.

Peter found many sticks to play with, of course.

Everyone got muddy and wet in the creek.

The campers wore their camp-issued "adventure hats".

We tried to take a photo of all of the campers and counselors in our "Camp NanaB" shirts, but there's just no way to get this many goofy kiddos all looking at the camera at once.

Even Granny Great and Grandpa Great are camp counselors this year!  Here's a shot of them without those wiggly boys.

The campers played "getting to know you" games.

Camper Maisie danced on GrandDad's lap while her daddy opened his birthday presents.

After the campers napped, there was a lot of train table play time.  The campers are having a terrific time, but the counselors are wiped out after Day 1.  Tomorrow, the Camp Director will be taking the older two campers to a program at Dinosaur Hill.  The counselors have no specific plans for the younger campers, but it's probably going to involve doing laundry and picking up after the tornado that inexplicably rips through the toy bins every time the campers are awake.

Short but sweet visit with Erin and Sonia

Erin and Sonia drove down to see us (I'm pretty sure meeting the new kitten was a big motivation!) this week and boy, did we have fun!

We visited the Story Bus (an old converted school bus sponsored by our local school district where kids can hang out at read).  Sonia was wearing her famous All Aboard Diner hat and wearing one of my favorite shirts handed down from Charlotte (but originally bought by Auntie Ernie!).

Peter wanted to sit in the storyteller's chair.  He was having a good time until he rocked the chair too hard and I was afraid he would bust out the emergency door window!

CHEESE!  We lined up our little goofballs in age order.  Charlotte is only 14 months older than Sonia, and Sonia is only seven months older than Petey!  Considering Erin and I are four years older than our closest cousin in age (Lindsay) and knowing how much fun we had playing with her when we were growing up, these three should have a blast together over the years!

There are always lots of huggles and schnuggles when these three get together.

My sweet niecey!

I taught Sonia my patented death-defying toddler acrobatics routine.

Then Charlotte needed a turn.

Then Peter finally got his turn.  Then each one of them needed a bunch more turns.  Then Auntie Niki needed a chiropractor.

Ring around the rosie was a good diversion from their pitiful pleas for more acrobatics.

Sonia took Peter's hand and led him around for quite a while.  She is following right in Charlotte's bossy little footprints.

Sonia dove into Charlie's dress-up clothes head-first and came up with this outfit.

After a few toy struggles, Auntie Ernie and I decided the cousins needed to watch a show while we made dinner.

The littler ones had other ideas.

The next day, we went to the Discovery Center.  Turns out all Sonia wanted to discover was the train table.  That girl is nutty for the choo-choos.

Finally a photo of Auntie Ernie!  We dragged Sonia away from the trains by luring her over to the fire truck.

Lunch time giggles outside the Discovery Center!  Unfortunately, the weather was rainy both days so this was the most time we spent outside.  Pooh.

Well, we did jump in the hot tub a few times.  Sonia had a great time splashing around and BARELY being able to stand up on her own in the middle like her tall cousin, Charlotte.  That is one water-loving little niece I have.  Charlotte has been asking for Sonia ever since.  I guess that means we will have to make a trip up there sometime soon!

P.S.  Remind me NEVER to let someone take a photo of me from that angle ever again.  Erin shared her secret with me too late -- hide BEHIND the child!

Kids galore

We have car seats filled with goofy kids all over the place in the Big Red Van!

More (and better) pictures to come of the Evans cousin convention . . .

Random Stuff

Peter and Charlie have been playing with my old Matchbox cars (which delights me to no end).  I decided to get rid of my old, decrepit Matchbox tote, but not before cutting the vinyl cover off the top and bottom.

I trimmed up the edges, and bingo . . .

New placemats.

Charlie loves hers.

Niki making smoothies today.  See our little imp peeking over the couch?

Today, I was absolutely insistent that we take a family picture.  I aimed the camera at Niki, ran over, and promptly took a fantastic picture . . . and cut off part of my head.  Sigh.

I am the luckiest man in the world because I come home to, and wake up to, these three people.

My new Mustang - officially, this is my Father's Day present, even though I took delivery last week.  Some guys get a tie.  I got this.  Did I mention before that my family rocks?

I'm looking forward to spending 9 years behind this wheel.

 My 302 V8.

Charlie and the old Mustang.

One last time behind the wheel.  I bought this car before Niki and I got married; I commuted in LA for years with this thing; Niki and I left our wedding in it; I drove it multiple times up PCH and took it the length of Mulholland; GrandDad and I drove it cross-country from LA; Pie-o-neer Cafe; I've driven this from Memphis to Kingsport, and from Lake Michigan to the Gulf Coast; Niki and I brought Peter home from the hospital in it.  Great car and wonderful memories.

Niki and her kitten.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my favorite baby-daddy!  You are the most wonderful father to our little goofball children.  I love you!

We tried a little Father's Day photo shoot this afternoon, with dubious success.  I guess I will never have to worry about depriving my children of the modeling careers they were destined to have . . .

Share and share alike

Poor Connie doesn't have much of a choice whether to share her water bowl with Peter and Rocky.

Since they are two of her biggest fans, I think Connie is willing to look the other way though.

Nighty-night

For the first time in ages, Charlotte was actually showing some interest in baby dolls yesterday.  She was putting them "nighty-night" in little baskets and shoeboxes all over her room after rocking them and singing to them.  Petey was imitating her and wreaking havoc with her babies, causing Charlote much distress.  I left to go to the grocery store and Corey jumped in the shower.  When Corey got out, he found that Petey had put himself nighty-night next to all of the babies and was fast asleep!

He slept for a little while, but then woke up after Charlotte tried to put herself to sleep next to him.  You can't see it well, but right above Petey's head in the photo is the phone I got from my parents in 5th grade (my very own phone in my bedroom!).  Charlotte and Peter think it's the coolest toy ever for some reason.  It still cracks me up that my mom, who is the queen of throwing out old things, chose that as one of the few items from my childhood to keep.

Washing all sorts of vehicles

After dinner, Corey decided to take the kids outside and wash his new car.  Charlotte apparently insisted on washing her beloved Big Red Van instead, and Corey agreed.  Within moments of beginning, Peter took matters into his own hands and started scrubbing down his own set of wheels.  Charlotte quickly followed suit.  I came outside after finishing the dishes to this beautiful scene:

To be fair, Peter did a lot more dipping of the sponges into the water and sloshing around of the bubbles in the driveway than actual bike scrubbing, but it was still cute.

Charlotte did a good job of scrubbing down her tricycle though!

BUBBLES!

MONSTER ROAR!!

Time for a break -- might as well suck on the dirty hose.  Oh, Peter . . .

I'm happy to report that my van, Peter's ride, and Charlotte's trike are all sparkling clean.  Corey's Mustang, however, is still a little grungy.  Maybe tomorrow!

Utter relaxation

We could all learn a thing or two about relaxation from little Rocky.