Do you believe in miracles?

Okay, no, we didn't beat the Russians to get a gold medal at the Olympics, but something even more amazing occurred. Andrew, who is terrified of food (at least certain foods) and literally shakes at the thought of having to eat chicken, ACTUALLY ATE CHICKEN, and here is the photographic evidence to prove it. Apparently all I have to do is starve him for hours on an airplane, then bring him to a house that has been vacant for a month and has no food in it but frozen dino nuggets, and tell him that we can't go to the store for more food until the morning. Or something. (Those of you who witnessed him completely freak out at the thought of having to eat tri tip will appreciate this.)

The Last Hurrah

We got one last afternoon with the cousins before we flew back to Virginia. Where better to spend it than at Chuck E. Cheese?



Check out the concentration on this face.


Much thanks to Uncle Jeremy for squeezing into the play area with the little kids!

Lake Powell

We spent a week with my parents on their houseboat at Lake Powell. This is our first trip since Andrew was a tiny baby, and we had a fantastic time. Andrew had no fear of this huge lake. Riding on the tube and wave runners, swimming in the middle of narrow canyons, going down the houseboat slide -- you name it, he was up for it.







Willa was more cautious, as always. Her most animated times were spent playing with Andrew in bed at all hours of the night (I'll never forget going in their room at 4:30 in the morning and seeing Andrew snoring away while Willa was bouncing around on all fours and tickling him -- which she had been doing since midnight...) and playing with the barn Grandma brought. Every night she had to tuck each of the animals into bed and wake them up the next morning.


She wanted nothing to do with the water on our sandy beach ("It's dirty!"), but we did manage to get her out into the deeper water behind the houseboat. There was just enough water at the bottom of the floatie to make her feel like she was swimming. She would sit like Cleopatra on her "boat" and point to where she wanted you to swim her to.



What a stud.


This was our camp site. Check out that view, would you? It was so amazing to wake up every morning to the sun rising over these huge cliffs.

Hammond Family Reunion 2008

We all met in Costa Mesa this year, and it was so fun to spend time with all the family! I don't really like taking pictures, and often forget my camera when things get busy, so I missed a lot of great photo ops. Here are a few I managed to capture.

Andrew, Willa and I got the jump on everyone else in CM, so the kids got some great time to themselves with Grammy and Papa. After the requisite chocolate cake was made, Andrew did everything he could do to "help" Papa with his chores, from mowing the lawn to trips to Home Depot.





















Willa made her own fun, gathering toys and other things (note the tape) and singing and talking non-stop. This trip she started really using her imagination. She had tea parties, made her My Little Ponies take baths and go to bed, and everything talked and walked and got its diaper changed. I tried to get some video of her games, but if she so much as smells the camera she drops what she's doing and says "cheese".











Andrew had the best time with his cousins Ben and Zach. He and Zach destroyed every bad guy that had the audacity to enter Grammy's house under their watch, and Andrew had his very 1st sleep over at Zach's house. Once Ben arrived, the poor kid had to endure the full force of Andrew's affection, which knows no boundaries. I don't know how Ben survived a full week of chasing, snuggling (the spooning in bed was actually very cute), and parroting. As an example of Andrew's lack of personal boundaries, he struck up a conversation with and gave a hug to every single person who entered the house, whether they were family, neighbors, or salesmen (Sal the window guy got a Spanish lesson as well).


A successful day at the park always ends in very red, sweaty faces.



Little starlots.


No trip to CA would be complete without a stop at the Big A. Of course, Willa is scared to death of fireworks, so from the moment we entered the stadium and the game started she was DONE. Around the 8th inning I finally managed to coax her -- unwillingly -- to our seats. Hence the binky and pouty face.