Our annual trek to California was pretty fabulous this year. We were able to cram in more than usual and it all flowed and worked out really well. I was very proud of the kids; they were great travelers. We spent the first few days in the East Bay Area with my cousin's family, then down to my parents, then up to Sacramento for a weekend, then back to Merced, where Randy's mother and sister joined us for a few days. The weather was beautiful and we couldn't have asked for a better ending to 2013!
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| Ollie, Frances, Lucas, and Ryan before a walk to the park |
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| At the park |
We got into Merced on the 23rd so we didn't have much time before Christmas was upon us! Basically unpacked and started celebrating!
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| Nicholas and Lucas on Christmas Eve (the game of the season was Mine Craft) |
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| Michelle made everyone beautiful aprons - because a few got dirty making Raviolis! |
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| Making said ravioli. |
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| Four generations |
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| Master Chef |
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| The loot |
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| Little pillows of goodness |
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| Jeff's homemade bread |
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| Christmas baby |
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| The kids |
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| Opening gifts |
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| New jammies |
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| Christmas Grandma Rose |
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| Also, new jammies |
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| Christmas morning |
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| Santa loot! |
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| Lucas got what he wanted! |
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| That evening Lucas lost tooth #3. His picture is describing to the Tooth Fairy what happen to his tooth- He bit into a cookie, his tooth came out, and he swallowed it! |
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| Celebrating Gabby's 8th birthday! |
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| Eating icing. Yum!! |
The weekend after Christmas, we drove up to The Beard's in Sacramento. Susan and Dan drove over from Monterey and we had a nice reunion. Kevin and Fairlight took us all to Fairytale Land where the kids had a blast! It was a great visit with Kevin cooking us great meals, drinking good beer, kids playing, and meeting the newest member of the Rhoads' clan, baby Freida.
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| All six of the kids together on King Arthur's throne. |
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| Down the slide |
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| Lucas |
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| The crooked mile |
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| The Rhoads' |
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| The Burbank's |
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| Me and Fairlight |
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| the court |
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| The kids |
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| The Humboldt Crew |
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| The girls |
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| baby and bamboo |
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| Playing in the "off limits" bamboo |
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| The gang |
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| Our little elves |
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| Such a good big brother |
Randy's mother and sister came to Merced for New Year's. We had a great evening of celebration and New Year's Day was a big party with lots of family.
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| The Burbank's |
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| The guys |
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| The gals |
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| Yahtzee! |
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| New Year's Eve dinner - Ribs! |
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| "Ringing" in the New Year! |
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| Cheers to 17 years! |
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| Prom date |
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| The Butticci's |
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| Getting ready for the big toast! |
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| Watching the ball drop |
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| Happy Birthday, Cathy! |
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| Good lookin' couple |
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| Cheers! |
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| Happy New Year! |
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| Cuties |
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| Nick's getting pretty good at this photo bombing thing |
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| Jump roping in the New Year |
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| Go Lucas! |
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| Don't touch the snake! |
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Watching Jeopardy
( No wait! It was home movies :) |
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| Cousins |
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| The Tietje's |
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| Dad and Mike recreating an old photo from childhood |
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| baby wrap |
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| All of us in the aprons Michelle made. Amazing! |
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| Soaking in the sun |
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| Jeff took Randy fishing and they caught "a big one!" |
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| Grandmas |
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| Lucas coordinating all the paper crowns |
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| Cheers! |
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| The "catch" (Best fish I've ever eaten) |
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| En route to WA selfie |
A fantastic two weeks. Lots of friends and family and travel and sun. Couldn't have asked for a better way to end 2013. Here's to a fun filled, happy, and healthy 2014! Cheers!
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