Out West

Every summer since Clare was an infant, I have done what I have subsequently dubbed the Summer Grandparent Tour. I travel with the kids and visit their respective grandparents for a couple weeks at a time. It's terrific, and one of the many blessings of my life. This summer, for the second year in a row, I have added a Great-Grandparent leg to this tour, taking the kids and I to Topeka, Kansas.

It really is a magical time, where all combinations of family, from siblings (my dad, his brother and his sister), to children (my dad and his parents, my sister and I with our own parents), to cousins (my cousins and my kids' cousins and cousins' cousins...it gets confusing) gather. But of course it's the great-grandchildren and their great-grandparents that are the central reason for the reunion. Thanks to the generosity of my Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Jeff, who graciously open their beautiful home to us, we once again made wonderful memories. Here are a few highlights:

Friends (and distant cousins) reunited:



All seven great-grandkids together:


The freedom to be a full-fledged boy:


Showering affection on a really big dog:


Channeling creativity to put on a (crowded) show:


Twice-a-day swim sessions (animated by an unpictured Jon):



And fireworks!


There was also a lot of eating (especially Grandma Eddie's cinnamon rolls and Aunt Sheryl's cookies), and most of all laughing. All of which took place at Sheryl and Jeff's house - a sign of a happy home, and a loving family, I'd say.