Family Weekend!

This weekend was BEAUTIFUL!  The weather was amazing and no.. I did not get out in my kayak... BUT... I had a great weekend anyway... I got to spend time with my family and am feeling pretty lucky.  

Friday, when I got home from work, Jacey was also arriving at my place... picking up her laundry.  As it worked out we ended up going out to dinner with my friend Suellen.  we tried a new place and it was delicious.  It was nice to be out, but I had kind of hoped for a quiet evening as I waited for Sis and her boyfriend to arrive... (Yes I said boyfriend!)  Despite wanting a quiet evening (to prepare for a busy weekend) dinner out was a lot of fun.  A good reminder to get out and about.  After dinner I got home and had intended to make a cake for dinner with the family on Saturday, but  Sis and her boyfriend arrived and we walked to my local watering hole and had a couple of drinks.  It was nice to see Sis with Chris... he is a nice guy, with a great sense of humor.  I can see him helping me torture Sis, so he gets points in my book.  I love seeing my sister laugh and be silly... and be herself... and am glad that she has found a man to spend time with who seems to appreciate it.  

When we got back I baked the cake.. and then went to bed... 

Saturday morning, although I was told that Chris was an early bird... I was up a couple hours ahead of everyone else... and had time to decorate the cake... The cake... was for Betty... without going into too many details, there are big changes happening in her school district and there is reason to celebrate!  I had joked with my secretary, who loves making cakes, that I wanted to do a 'the witch is dead' kind of cake...and when I got to school Friday, she had made some fondant decorations and letters for me.  She is awesome! Here is the final product: 

(Betty loved it by the way!)   

After a while we got some seafood for lunch... lobsters and mussels... (I had steak tips as I do not care for either lobster or mussels!)  When the mussels were ready the rest of the clan began munching on them... and for some reason standing around the table instead of sitting.. not sure why that happened... I wanted to take a picture of the crew around the table and it turned into this humorous scene... In the first shot, Dad had a mussel in his hand, blocking Betty.  And I said something like, "Dad, your mussel is blocking Betty..." and then... 

He smiled and blocked Betty with his muscle!  I LOVE this picture... love the joy that is on everyone's faces.. even Betty's... I know we can't see her, but she was laughing too... 

I just love the JOY in that picture.  

When Dad went back for more food I took a shot of Betty.  

I wanted to include this one, because it shows Betty really smiling.  

After lunch, it was so beautiful, we took a field trip to the ocean.  It was nice and warm and the tide was coming in and made for some beautiful waves.  

And of course there were photo opportunities!  

Dad had been here once before.. but nobody else in the crew had been, besides me.  Mom, Dad, and I came here once to enjoy the ocean and were asked to leave due to an incoming thunderstorm.  

Betty and Jacey wanted a picture together and it made me smile.  So glad to see another Mother Daughter relationship that is so strong.  Of course it makes me think of Mom too... but think she would be happy, seeing us all together like this... 

My Dad!!!  

Love this picture!  One of my favorites I have taken of crashing waves... the wave looks like a serpent or something to me... 

Aren't they cute?

These guys are cute too... (Notice the perfect timing to get the wave crashing in tha background, between them.Yes, I am good!) 

Jacey is so cute!  

I also love this wave picture because you can see the greens and blues in the water.  I love living in Maine.  

After Betty and Jacey had their pic taken we decided we needed a pic too... 

This was a picture of Jacey being her fabulous self!  

I like this next picture... Sis looks like she is laughing while about to slap her knee... perhaps she was cracking herself up... something Mom did.  It was nice to have another reminder of Mom while we were all together.  

Like this picture... 

  

We also needed a sister shot... this one cracks me up because Sis and I are looking down at Jacey... who is probably defending her stature... I also love the scenery! 

They both were saying something about being made to look short... so... I decided to help them out... 

And knelt on the rocks... Sis looks like she is enjoying this way too much! 

We were walking around and as Dad and Betty came towards us we were all taking pictures... and they stopped and we told them they looked cute walking and they stood in one spot while Betty proceeded to pretend to be still walking!  

This picture also makes me smile.  Look at the silly!  

On our way back to my place I drove everyone by my school so they coul see where I work.  It was nice to share that with them.  

Not long after we got back form the shore Sis and Chris left to head to one of Sis's favorite spots and the rest of us hung out... Dad, helped me out by doing one of my 'boy jobs' ... putting some hooks up so I can try to hang my kayaks on my deck... Thanks Dad! 

The cats seemed to enjoy company again this weekend... Stella was quite content to soak up some sun!  

Today we got up and met Jacey at a road race.. well, actually a mud race.  A 2.5 mile course filled with obstacles and mud... She did a great job.  It was fun to watch her!  

We decided to watch the race at the mud pit... which was quite entertaining! 

One guy kind of swam through this once he had fallen!  

She did a great job and didn't get too muddy!  

Ironically the race was based at the school where I used to work.  And these three guys are former coworkers who were running in the race.  Miss them!  (Don't miss the job!)

After the race Dad, Betty, Jacey and I went to lunch and I got home about 2:00... I really contemplated kayaking because it was so nice, but... have had a project I want to complete... and decided to work on that instead.. pics of that to come later.  (Something in a color Aunt Donna will LOVE!)  

I have to say it is so nice to have Spring here, for real!  Flowers are blooming and the temps are climbing!  I hope to get out on the water next weekend, if mother nature cooperates!