A weekend with the grandparents & Memorial Day in Tahoe

Two weekends ago, I got a very special treat. I got to spend the whole weekend in Elk Grove with Grammie & Grandpa.  Mama & Daddy celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary - and though they say they love me - apparently they really wanted me to be gone! Grammie & Grandpa were happy to oblige.  Though they tell Mama & Daddy that I missed them, in reality I had a great time...they just don't want Mama and Daddy to think that I prefer my grandparents to them, so we have to fib a little bit.

Mama's Pinky bear (received the day she was born) was waiting for me at Grammie & Grandpa's house 

I carried Pinky everywhere!

I was my silly self hanging out with Great-Grammie too

Pools never cease to amaze me...when do I get my own in Napa?

Checking out Great-Grammies home where Mama enjoyed so many days growing up 

Visiting the house that Great-Great-Grandpa Orton was born in, in Elk Grove

Ready for pool time!

After feeling the jacuzzi, you will never convince me to go in the cold pool again!

Mama & Daddy celebrated their Eighth (Bronze) anniversary. Mama got new bronze fixtures for the bathroom

Daddy got a new bronze watch

Though I was sad to leave my wonderful weekend home with my grandparents, it was short-lived when I realized that we were on our way up to Tahoe!  We spent 8 glorious days in our mountain home.  The first 4 by ourselves, and then the last 4 with Grammie, Grandpa, Auntie Aubree & Uncle Ben.  Actually Miss Heather was with us for the beginning so Mama could work in the mornings and Daddy could go out and exercise.  In the afternoons, my family of 3 explored many hiking trails, and I'm learning to tolerate my backpack...though I'd much rather be walking like the big people.  We found a very cool meadow with a lovely stream for me to play in without Mama and Daddy worrying about me falling off a granite cliff or into a really deep lake!  We ate at hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops and taco stands.   I got to watch boats dock and leave, and Daddy let me pretend to be white trash by allowing me to play in the fountain by the shops in my diaper.  I did have fun picking the pennies off the bottom of the fountain!
I particularly had fun in our jacuzzi/spa/hot tub/big bath...every afternoon I got to go for a swim in the above ground thing with water in it.  No wonder I can't get all my words straight since everyone keeps calling the same thing by different names! Get it straight people!

Overlooking Emerald Bay 

Family Hike to Eagle Lake

At Eagle Lake with Daddy - I loved feeding the duckies! 

Washoe Meadows State Park

Brr...snow melt!

Bouncy bouncy on a dead branch!

Mama and her little dude

Watching the ships come and go...and finding shells

Daddy trying to unsuccessfully relax in the hammock

Awesome sandwich shop

My white trash self picking up coins in the bottom of the fountain...

One of my favorite times was on Saturday, when Mama & Daddy took me to the beach near Camp Richardson.  When I got down to the water I recognized Miss Alyssa was there with her family.  Alyssa was one of my favorite NICU nurses...she took care of me several days a week for my 3 month stay in the hospital, and we have a bond that will last forever since she's washed all my parts and seen me when I looked like a baby squirrel.  I played on the beach with her kids.  My favorite game, though, was called "throw all the sand into the water".  Daddy challenged me to throw all the sand on the beach into the Lake.  I kept at it for about an hour, before I realized it was an evil trick!  Bad Daddy!  Someday I'm sure he'll tell me something completely crazy like "dig a hole all the way to China!" I'm onto him now though.

Miss Alyssa on the beach

Playing with the big boys

Learning to fill my own bucket with water and sand

Mama, Alyssa and "Heavy D"

My other favorite time was that Uncle Ben & Aunt Aubree surprised us by renting a boat on Sunday for the afternoon.  I screamed "Wow Wow Wow!"  when Uncle Ben hit the gas and sent us skipping across the beautiful lake.  We had lunch on the boat in Emerald Bay, which was awesome.  Mama and Daddy now say that feeding me on a boat isn't the cleanest situation after seeing so many seagulls hovering over our watercraft, just waiting to pick the chips and hummus out of my hair.  I'm sure I looked like a 24 pound piece of tasty food since I was covered in it from head to toe!  Thankfully I cleaned off decently with wipes, cause that lake looked cold!  I eventually passed out for the most relaxing nap ever.  Cars have nothing on boats when it comes to lulling me to sleep.

Mama with Auntie Aubree & Grammie

Everyone but Uncle Ben taking the picture

Here's me with Uncle Ben

Daddy wants me to tell you that he's not really posing, this is actually what he looks like driving a boat...

Auntie Aubree - it was colder than the sunshine would have you believe

Uncle Ben finding ways to stay warm

Mama and I took shelter under a canvas tarp

Grandpa and Uncle Ben

 After a wonderful vacation, it was time to return home to reality...which isn't bad when you live in Napa.

Oh - and Entropy is learning to behave thanks to Great Aunt Mimi in Iowa...I get to bring her home in a month. But, I'm getting ready for her arrival. At a lovely boutique in Tahoe I picked out some toys and a white leather collar with pink spikes!