My daughter drove from Tucson to Bakersfield with an 11 yr old, 8 yr old and a 9 month old. Got out and visited for four hours and put them all back in the car and then drove from Bakersfield to my house (another six hours). I am amazed at anyone who can drive 1000 miles straight through, but with three kids and a dog? Holy Moly Batman ..... but she said the kids wanted to be at Grammy's house!

We've been playing outside everyday for the last week. They get up first thing in the morning and go set up their "fantasy island" in the middle of the yard (under the walnut trees) and then we come out with the baby around 10:00. We picnic outside all day .... play with the dogs, play in the sprinklers, swing on the two tire swings or the hammock.

My 8 yr old grandson can climb a rope ..... it has knots every 1.5 feet and he climbed up and sat on the 10th knot the other day. Freaked out his mother and I ... bare handed and barefoot. We call him our Monkey Boy.

The weather is a little chilly in the mornings (coastal fog) and then it has been warming up to 80-90 around noon and stays that way until about 6 and then it starts cooling down again. Gets around 50 in the evenings. Great weather!!!

We are going to Marineworld this week ... will be baby's first time to see all the animals. It's an annual tradition for the kids ... mom and I are just along to pay for the stuffed animals and trinkets.

Anyway....just wanted to let everyone know why I'm not around too much. They will be here until the end of July and then my boring, old routine life starts again.