Declan Hercules: Visits from Jordan & Pennsylvania!

This was an amazing (and busy) month...but then again they are all busy according to Mama!

I wasn't in school this month just like I didn't have school last month either.  Last month I did a series of summer camps:  Art Camp, Swim Camp, Gymnastics Camp, and Connolly Ranch camp where I got to take care of farm animals, play farm games and work in the garden.  This month, I had family camps!  First, Gran visited from State College for a week.  As usual, we had an amazing time.  My special rituals with her include feeding the ducks in the Napa River, visiting the toy store, getting frozen yogurt, and eating a sushi dinner complete with a whole bowl of edamame just for me & a frozen ice cream lollipop!  This time, she also took me to mini golf, and I got my first hole-in-one!  I think I wore her out completely (though sister helped some with that too!) and she finally had to go home to rest up for next time.

Good morning!

Two cute kiddos - Keevah sits up super well now - it's harder for me to knock her over

Working on a fun project with Gran - we surprised Mama and Dada with painted "oak balls" that had fallen off our tree - I'm going to turn them into Christmas ornaments!

Lunch with Gran at Oxbow

Keevah & Gran

Gran and the two kiddos

Happy breakfast with Gran

Mini golf with gran

Another Gran tradition - working on Thomas the Train set

After Gran left, we had another set of very special visitors.  Uncle Ben, Auntie Aubree, and Cousin Rinnah (20 months) came back from Jordan for a month-long visit.  It had been a year since I last saw them in person, and they had never met Miss Nyx before...so it was an extra special trip.   They have been in Jordan for a year now, and are just back for a month before returning to continue a five-ish year commitment overseas.  Thankfully, we FaceTime a good bit, so I felt comfortable just launching myself into hanging all over them!  Mama, Keevah and I spent a whole weekend in Elk Grove with Gee & Grandpa, U. Ben, A. Aubree, and Rinnah while Dada was away on a work trip.  Mama said it was crazy watching Rinnah and I play with all of the old toys that her and Uncle Ben used to play with.  We had a great time in the pool, and I even helped Uncle Ben teach Rinnah to swim.  Auntie Kelly stopped by too - and she's always crazy and fun to be around!   We fed the ducks in Elk Grove park and also watched the Olympics.  Side bar:  I have decided that I want to do both skiing and swimming in the Olympics, and I'm going to win a million-zillion medals of pure gold to keep in my treasure chest with my rocks, snail shells, art projects, leaves, and Mickey Mouse buttons.   (Mama's note:  Declan refuses to acknowledge there is a stroke called "freestyle"...insists on calling it "big windmill arms"!)  Keevah Nyx isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she is leaning towards anything where she can splash in water and shriek at the top of her lungs.

Keevah meeting Uncle Ben & Cousin Rinnah for the first time

Keevah & Uncle Ben

Auntie Kelly with puzzled Keevah, screaming Rinnah, and laughing Declan

Happy Cousins!

Sunbathing cousins

Keevah and Mama splashing around

Grandpa with Rinnah, Mama with Nyx & Declan

Aubs, Ben, Mama, Rinnah & Keevah

I designed a special tow rope-boat-paddle board thing to pull Sister in the pool

My big windmill arms are getting stronger!

Helping Rinnah jump in the pool

The whole gang relaxing - Gee & Grandpa are on Cloud 9!  (but I do wonder what happened to Cloud 10)

being super crazy with Cousin Rinnah in Keevah Nyx's bed

Riding with Rinnah in the same wagon Mama and Uncle Ben used as kids

Family walk at Elk Grove park


Auntie Aubree & Baby sister Keevah Nyx

Selfie with Mama at the park

Go USA!

Grandpa got Sister to laugh so much!

Watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics with Grandpa

Auntie Aubree, Gee, Declan & Mama

After the weekend in Elk Grove, I got to continue my weeks of family camp by staying at Gee & Grandpas for another week while Mama returned to Napa with baby sister.  Apparently someone has to work!  We got to go to the Children's museum which was amazing, and also go visit a wind farm and train museum.

Working on counting and learning money with Grandpa

At the children's museum

Train museum

Then I had a few days in Napa to hang out with Mama & Dada for a weekend. It happened to be the weekend of the Napa County Fair, so we got to go have so much fun. I even won a few prizes!

Sister plays in the sink while I help Mama cook...I'm actually quite good at it already if I may say so myself!

I love to race into Keevah's room when she wakes up in the morning or from nap to be the first one she sees - I get the best smiles, and can still make her laugh better than any of the grownups.

Racing Dada down the slide

Super tall climbing structure was a great adventure

Crazy experience of trying to be a hamster in a wheel in a giant floating ball thing

Slip & slide baseball in my backyard

Splashing around with Dada

Sister always loves the sink...even fully dressed

A day at the pool with my best buddy Kaleb

Holding hands and swimming w/ Kaleb

Then we got to continue with another week of family camp - this time in Lake Tahoe with Gee, Grandpa, Uncle Ben, Auntie Aubree, Rinnah, Mama, Dada, me and Keevah Nyx.  We got to spend an entire week up at my favorite place on Earth at our cabin.  The weather was perfect and we spent hours and hours on the deck and playing on the property.  We went to the beach several times and even went on a few hikes, including a fun one to Angora Lakes.  I got to know my Aunt & Uncle even better and wish they were here all the time cause they're so cool!  

Loving the hammock!

Mama barely fits too!

Goofing off with Gee

We can all fit!

Gee & Grandpa with Rinnah, Keevah & Declan

Family dance & sing along party on the deck in Tahoe

Declan and Grandpa run through the sprinklers

Paddleboarding with Dada

Mama, Gee & Rinnah

Declan, Gee & Keevah

Gee & Declan out for a paddle

Grandpa & Keevah

Gee, Grandpa & Keevah

out for a paddle with Mama - Declan gets to do the hard work

Gee, Grandpa & Declan

Uncle Ben with Rinnah & Declan

Whole family on a hike

Keevah liked the hike too

Rinnah & I made it hard for Dada & Uncle Ben to hike efficiently as we insisted on holding hands!

At Angora Lakes with Gee & Grandpa

Boat ride on Angora Lake with Grandpa

King of the forrest!

Mama and her babies

Keevah's first (of many future) wheelbarrow rides

Mama trying (and failing) to keep us all under wraps

Keevah & Cousin Rinnah

Grandpa and the kiddos

I had such an amazing time with my family this month. I'm sad that Gran is gone for a little bit - though she will be back in a few months. And I'm sad that Auntie Aubree, Uncle Ben & Cousin Rinnah are heading back to Jordan for another year...but on the bright side I can't wait to go visit them, and I think FaceTime is kind of cool.  School starts next week, so I'm actually looking forward to getting back with my friends at Nature's Way Montessori and my teacher, Miss Gloria.  I have missed them too...but it was worth it to have a summer of 5 different camps, Alisal, Disneyland, Tahoe, and visits from so much family!