Shasta 2011

We're home from another great vacation at Shasta, and watching our girls in the water gets better and better. Libby loved the water from day one. Peyton needed a little more time, but she was swimming without anyone holding her on the last three days. If you asked them though, they'd probably tell you that the best part of Shasta is that they get to eat Oreos for breakfast and consume as much candy as their cousins can get them. Also, going to bed filthy is a total bonus.

Our little fish.

Wake Boarding

Warming up under a towel.

Playing at camp.

This year's weather was cooler than normal. Usually, we're soaking up 100-110 degree temperatures. This year, it hovered around a cool 85. It was nice, actually. Now, if summer would reappear in the Pacific Northwest, that would be great too.

Jayden. Isn't he cute? Here's what you can't tell just by looking at him: he has a way of getting his little cousins to do things I cannot get them to do. First, he listens to what I say. Then, he takes my words, reworks them, wraps them in a beautiful package, puts a bow on it and delivers the message back to them in such a way that makes doing what they're supposed to so much more desirable.

For example, at breakfast I told Peyton, "Eat your pancakes.", which she promptly did not do.

Then Jayden said, "Peyton, for every bite of pancake you eat, you can poke me in the brain." (or something to that effect) That, of course, was wildly appealing and she started shoveling pancakes in just as fast as she could. Hey Jayden, how would you like to live with us?

Chillin'

Dad's Boat

Shane playing a game of Corn Hole in camp. You heard me right. Corn Hole. It's like a glorified bean bag toss. With cocktails. I can't play because I get too mad when I lose. In that way, for me, it's like a lot of other games.

Look at these filthy feet. And I did not wash them before tucking her into her sleeping bag. And we both lived. Happy vacation to me!

On the dock, heading out on the boats.

Hangin' Loose

Peyton and Daddy get comfortable in the water. There is more to this picture than meets the eye, and I'm feeling compelled to share it. On the day before we left, Shane and I both went to the dermatologist to have our sun damaged bodies given the once over by someone who knows skin damage. Knowing though, what the doctor would say, Shane was proactive and bought himself a hat about a week before the appointment to protect his ears. Look at the shade over his ears. Good, right? His ears did not get a single burn this trip. Mission accomplished.

However, what I could not have predicted, is that I'm married to a man who now believes he's an actual cowboy. We call him (thank you Antone) Tex.

Before Shasta, while doing some shopping at Costco, Tex turns to me and says, "You know what? The thing about wearing a cowboys hat is that it sends a message. It says to people, 'I can kick your ass.'"

"Huh. Really?" I said, "See that guy over there? The huge man wearing a tank top and overalls, who's shopping with his wife? Let me go ask him if that's the vibe he's getting from you." And as I turned toward this man, I could feel my badass husband resist the urge to tackle me to the ground because A) real cowboys wrestle calves, not their wives, and B) the man in overalls might've kick Tex's ass for kicking my ass. He did however, quietly, desperately, pleadingly beg me to come back and not talk to this man about anything.

Now if you asked him about the statement his hat makes, I think he'd just tell you that his wife made him go to the dermatologist and he's trying to avoid a sunburn.

This was the day Peyton decided to swim, "All by myself!"

Getting graceful....

....and growing confident.

Peyton snoozes after a day on the water. This wagon has a story too. Shane named her Helga. I'll tell it to you later.

Jamison turned THIRTEEN while we were there. Thirteen! Emphasis on teen. Can you believe that? He eats like it too. What I wouldn't give for the fire burning oven that is his metabolism.....

This last series of pictures I'll title The Best of Tubin'. I think the girls rode every available tube and loved them all. My favorite is the last one, which is my dad's and seemed the least likely to launch them if we hit a wake. We're raising water babies....

I had to include this one because from our perspective this is how they looked for most of the ride. Libby was having a blast and Peyton was safely tucked down so as not to get splashed in the face.

This pic is a good summary of our week. I love vacation!