Keevah Nyx: Family, family everywhere!

We've had another crazy month in the House household!  We've had family around for the entire month, which has been wonderful...and allowed for hundreds of photo-ops! (don't worry, I've tried to only include the highlights here!).  

First, Gran came to visit for a whole week.  "Quacken" (Declan) and I didn't have school or camp that week, so we got 100% Gran time!  I can say "Declan", but I insist on calling him "Quacken" for reasons I have yet to divulge to the rest of the family.  We celebrated Big Brother's 7th birthday with Gran, Mr. John, Gee & Grandpa, and he got his new Coco Guitar and a new Harry Potter book.  I'm a little jealous, but he gave me his old guitar immediately, so now we can play together.  

My big brother on his 7th birthday! New Coco Guitar!

I loved helping brother open his gifts

Harry Potter Book 3

Grandpa, Dada, Gran, Mr. John, me with Gee & Quacken tending his fire

Mama spent 10 HOURS making big brother his birthday dessert - Dia de los Muertos sugar skull cookies

Up close to the cookies - Mama swears she will never make them again, but I'm sure we can convince her...

 We enjoyed fireworks in downtown Napa after a dinner at Morimoto.  I exclaimed "that my favorite one" after EVERY SINGLE firework!  I got to stay up late, which was the best part.

Napa Riverfront, July 4th with Gran

Love my family!

One of my MANY "favorite" fireworks

We went to San Francisco for a weekend with Gran & Mr. John - enjoyed a day at the beach at Crissy Field, a lovely Italian dinner for my favorite "noonles", and then a day at the California Academy of Sciences.  My favorites were the huge greenhouse with all the butterflies and birdies, and the aquarium with the Nemo fishes! 

Crissy field with Mama - we are so lucky to live here!

Love my Gran always...but Gran on a beach is even better!

Big brother is starting to POSE for pics

CHEESE! 

Beach with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge - not a bad day!

goofing off in the hotel room

I love matching with my Mama!

Greenhouse at Cal Academy

With Rexy!

Searching for Nemo fish

 The day that Gran left, we drove to Solvang to Alisal Dude Ranch for our annual reunion with Granddad, Boppy, and all my cousins!  I'm finally old enough to remember some of the amazing things at Alisal, like riding horses, the barnyard, water balloons, the pool, and dancing with all my cousins.   I got to stay up late every night, and was doted on by many of my older cousins.  I also got to sit at the kids table instead of with Mama and Dada!  Hooray!  Mama and Dada aren't ready for me to grow up yet, but I'm 2.5 going on 13, so they better get on board quick!

Outdoor movie night with my cousins

Me with Emeri - we are the two youngest cousins...but the others better watch out. We are fierce! 

Hercules got to go on the breakfast ride since he turned SEVEN!

I still loved my rides, but a grown up still has to lead my horsie

The beautiful hills...Hercules rode with Mama, while Dada rode the hay wagon with me

Dada and Hercules got to do the horsies on the way back

I finally got a seat at the kids table, instead of being stuck next to Mama

I'm a cowgirl!

I loved the barnyard, until the chicken tried to attack me (or as Mama says, get some food from the cup I was withholding) 

Yeah for the piggy-pigs (aka guiney pigs)

         Quacken loved the piggy-pigs too!

Brushing Goatie

The critter cart was gone, but replaced by an exotic animal experience! 

Burmese python

The WHOLE GANG! 

Granddad & Boppy with all 10 grandkids.  Harper is holding me, and Quacken wore his cowboy hat all weekend!

Love my family!

Check out Brother's pose!

Love my handsome brother!

Climbing a tree in my pretty dress

Cheese!

6/10 cousins:  Sophie, Harper, Declan; Logan, Lexi, and ME

Annual water balloon fight!

I didn't quite grasp the concept of the water balloon toss

Hay Wagon!

Boppy with Emeri & ME!

Yeah for the swimming pool!

Sophie, Harper, Logan, Lexi, ME, Declan, Davis, and Owen...and a mystery guest

It was DADA!

Dada & Quacken

Mama and her babies

The Hoedown.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE to dance, and danced until the band had to go to bed. 

Quacken dancing with our second-cousin Michael

Harper danced with me for so long! 

clockwise from Declan (in his hat):  Sophie, Owen, Keevah, Harper - A circle of cousins!

Three generations:  Granddad, Dada, and Declan

Me with cousin Laura! 

Here are videos of our crazy family dancing!

The band sang a birthday song to big brother!

Me dancing with "Quacken", Dada dancing with Harper

 Mama & Granddad trying to dance, with Declan cutting in

Declan & Logan dancing, Me rocking out on my own; and cameos from Harper & Sophie

I finally couldn't stay awake any longer!

I can't wait to go back next year! 

After several days at Alisal, Declan and I got to spend a week in Elk Grove with Gee & Grandpa...whom I actually call "GeeGee & Papa"...much to Grandpa's dismay! We swam every day in their pool, and we get to go panning for gold in Coloma too!  Stay tuned for those pictures next time! 

Oh, and here are a few random videos of me being crazy & cute.