After a year off due to Covid, we finally got to go back to the Alisal Guest Ranch with Granddad, Boppy, and all my cousins on that side of the family. It's been a summer of Cousins!!! I was so sad to miss Alisal last year, but we had such a blast this year. Before Alisal even started, my Aunt Chloe & Uncle Chris, and cousins Laura, Harper & Alexia, came to celebrate July fourth with us in Napa. We got to show them the new home we moved into last year, and show them our chickens. No fireworks in Napa this year, but we could see a few in the greater bay area from our deck.
It was so fun catching up with my cousins from Pennsylvania. Our parents went wine tasting for a bit, but then we all did an awesome hike close to our house for a few miles.
It was also Declan's TENTH birthday to celebrate. So we had a fun birthday weekend for him with his requested meals (ribs & twice baked potatoes, and then steak with mac & cheese), and dessert of white chocolate cannolis. His friends Haines & Felix came to celebrate in person as well. He got some awesome martial arts fencing sticks and a new bike WITH GEARS. I can't believe that my big brother is ten already! He's almost starting fourth grade - but I'm catching up cause I get to start kindergarten in just a few weeks.
Declan is TEN!
His new samurai dualing sticks
And his new ride!
Hiking with the Pennsylvania cousins
Alexia and Keevah had a sleepover: and Alexia read Keevah bedtime stories
Declan & Haines - with the birthday cannoli
Happy July 4th!
Declan & Felix with a green fire tornado
From Napa, we drove to the Alisal near Solvang. It was the first time seeing that whole side of the family since before Covid - and it was awesome! I instantly bonded with my cousins and had so much freedom to roam the ranch. I felt like such a big girl! Seeing the animals in the barn, doing crafts in the arts & crafts room, doing family Bingo, and having our water balloon fight was all so fun. But, my favorite thing was riding the horses. It was the first year that I got to do a corral lesson, and I learned how to steer my horse & make him stop & start. Declan got to do a trail ride with dada all the way to the pancake breakfast in Sycamore Grove. It was Granddad's 80th birthday, and Declan's 10th - so we celebrated both. We played some Granddad bingo and Granddad trivia games, and got to know everyone better. We both had fun playing in the pool with our cousins, and also enjoyed billiards and foozball. We did one off-site thing for the first time this year - an escape room! None of us had done one before, so it was super fun! And...made better because we actually escaped in the allotted time.
On wednesday, there was a Rodeo - complete with a Mexican bbq, cotton candy & caricatures. And we finished the weekend with the Saturday hoe-down...with tons of awesome bbq and a live band and dancing. We wanted to stay at Alisal for so much longer, but alas, it was time to leave and say goodbye to our cousins for now.
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Our Sycamore "time machine"
Great-Granddad (Howard), Kurt & Granddad (John) when Howard was 80 and Kurt was 10
Recreated: Granddad (John), Declan, and Kurt - when Granddad John is 80 and Declan is 10
My two handsome men
Bond, James Bond
We clean up well!
My heart
All ready for the Rodeo
Declan with Granddad & Boppy at the Rodeo
I LOVED the rodeo and the horses
Declan & Boppy
Cousins! Keevah (5.5) and Emery (4.5)
Emery, Owen, Keevah, Davis & Declan at the stables
Cousins & Cotton candy
Learning to ride on Zane
Pool fun with Mama!
fun with Declan!
Harper with Keevah & Emery
Declan with Davis & Owen
Granddad with most of the grandkids
The escape room..
We did it! We escaped!
Logan, Keevah, Emery, Alexia & Harper
I want a horse of my own someday!!!
thankfully Declan doesn't want a pig!
Celebrating Declan's birthday
Playing Granddad bingo
Declan, Owen & Davis with Granddad
water balloon toss
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Getting ready for the water balloon fight
incoming!!!
All dressed up for another dinner at Alisal
The whole gang
Cousins at the Wagon Wheel
Force Ranking all the star wars movies - and doing the stats
