One Shell of a Beach

On our way back from houseboating, Nick needed a pit stop. It just so happened we were right next to Shell Beach when he needed one, or we needed one. Depends on who you ask. So we got out, grabbed our sweatshirts (it dropped 30 degrees from Fresno to Shell Beach, 30 degrees!) and camera, and found there were a ton of cool places to put Nick and shoot some pics. And here they are:

Nick and a dino head, trust me, that's what it is. The dinosaur caves are right at Shell Beach.

Nick on a piece of a dino egg shell. We were going to put him in the dino egg, but it was full of sand, and Nick likes to put everything in his mouth. So this was second best.

Nick in yet another swing with a classic look on his face.

Nick on a killer whale

Nick in a tire swing and quite enjoying himself

The fam on a bench after approximately 10 takes. This was as close as we could get to Nick looking at the camera. Stupid seagulls! Speaking of seagulls, what do you call a seagull that lives by the bay? A bagel!

Nick making sure Katy was all zipped up in the cold

Look at me! I'm blind on a bench!

Enjoying the cool ocean breeze blowing through his hair

Getting close to walking on his own

Pismo from afar

A pelican in flight

While I was waiting for a pelican to take off from "Brown's Rock," as we found out it was called, we saw them stretching their necks. Everyone of them did it about every two minutes. The weirdest looking thing, but I guess if you have jowels like that they need to be stretched.

Don't know if it was the same seagull that was distracting Nick earlier, but I took the shot anyway. If only I had my .40 in my pocket...

Houseboating '09

Every year we get together with some college friends for what I like to call, the houseboating trip. We've been doing this weekend retreat for about 6 summers now, and for the first 3 our friend Stephen Ferguson's father had a houseboat we went on. Well, he has since sold said houseboat, but I'm still holding on the the title for the weekend as: the houseboating trip. This year we went to the Jones/Messer compound in Auberry outside of Fresno for 3 days of hanging. There are way more pictures, but after the first night I conceded picture taking to semi-professional photographer/Chippie behind a desk Justice Jones. Hopefully we'll post the other pictures later, if we get a copy. The weekend was awesome, filled with great conversations, ping pong tourneys, fantastic food, shooting of .40 cals, paintball, and of course, good ol' friends!

Some of the gang hanging out...check Nick out under the table. Yeah, that's where we keep him.

Matt Moore being, well, Matt Moore

Sarah Moore and most of Silas

Cole Ferguson congratulating Seth Moore on finishing his dinner

Cole smiling for the camera as only Cole can do

I love this next sequence of Avery Jones

Kinda sees the camera

Oh, it is a camera and it's pointed at me!

Alright Rob I'll smile!

Seth's head is a bit fuzzy. How could I expect a 3 year old to sit still?

Tyler Wisner making sure I know he didn't do it!

Katy and Nick, both enthralled with Matt's story

Katy and Natalie Wisner trying to keep the boys in the tub at bay

Aforementioned boys in tub, Tyler and Nick

Ok, so the story behind these two hands. Dave Wisner and I were the last two outside after just completing a great poker match. We're shutting out the lights to the outside when I turn around and see this. Two hands, perfectly aligned, almost posing for the camera with newly received engagement ring on top. And zooming out...

John Garrison and his fiancee' Skye. Congrats again guys and way to stay on the right mattress and yet still show your love!

Not quite Buellton, but it'll do

Last week we spent some time in Fresno with Katy's family. On one of the days we were able to go to a local water park with Katy's mom, her sister Michelle, and Michelle's kids. Surprisingly it wasn't too hot and there were some fun slides as well as a large kids area not too deep for Nick.

Can't you tell Nick is totally psyched for the park?!

Oh yeah this is awesome! My knees are touching!

A little bit of snot if you can tell...

Katy's participating family minus one 14 year old boy crazy niece!

Hitting a slide with cousin Jake

Katy's folks are helping a mom who can't afford housing, and her daughter, Calina, had some baby stuff in the house. Later in the week, after a bath, Nick crawled at Mach 5 into the living room to Calina's baby swing.

Somehow he squeezed in between the post and the swing, pulled himself up, and then down.

All the way to the ground, slowly though I promise!

Nick quickly learning that baby babies are not to be touched and then displaying the classic face known as, "What?"

Playing at the Park

We have a park right down the road from our house. Nick can't walk yet, but we take him there anyway for cute pictures. Lucy, our beagle, does not like the park. For her it entails being tied to a post while we wander way to far for her liking. One of the downsides to being a dog I guess.

Some early seminary preparation before parking it up!

Getting ready and making sure mom's hair looks beautiful!

Swing, swing, swing

Enjoying dad doing all the work

Lucy not so happy


Ok, this next sequence is up here to show you our failed attempt to allow Nick to slide on his own. Please don't call CPS on us...

Sitting well

Katy catching Nick before the ground does

Attempt #2, not so good

Are you guys kidding me with this???

Jewel Lie

One of the perks of working as a CHP officer is the time off. I get quite a bit. This whole month in fact. Which begs the question, why has it been since June since we posted? No excuse. But here's our month and as always (in whiny mocking voice) "we'll promise to do better.

We have this blueberry farm right down the road from us, literally five minutes. We've always wanted to go and finally had a reason. Our Sunday school class decided to make a day of it on the 4th of July. Needless to say, Nick ate a lot of blueberries and fortunately his poo did not reflect his level of consumption. Although one child who went on the trip, reportedly did poo blue, but it's not confirmed!

Nick enjoying his bucket

Our friends the Baldizon's (Rebecca, Kevin, and Kade)

Katy not quite done picking

And the whole fam outside of the staging area

Afterward we went to the Najoqui Falls, which at this time of year is apparently a trickle, but a good little hike.

Last year I worked on the 4th but I got it off this year. We made the huge mistake of trying to watch the Pismo Beach fireworks show. Bad idea. Very, very, bad idea. We got to Pismo at ten to 7, I dropped Nick and Katy off near the beach and went on an hour long trek to find parking. I ended up finally finding a spot in Grover Beach (And for you folks well versed in the geographic locations of cities near Pismo I heard your collective sighing), approximately 2.5 miles from Katy and Nick. I also made the mistake of telling Katy I would pick up drinks while looking for parking, so as I walked I found a 7-11 and stood in line for longer than it took me to walk to Pismo from the car. Next year, if we even leave the house, we're parking one car near the beach a week before the 4th, I'm bringing my running shoes to get a workout, parking in Grover Beach again, changing clothes in the previously parked car, and then watching the show. Afterwards, we'll pick up the closer car, drive to the other one, and be phone before you can say, Bazinga!

Nick didn't do too bad with the sound, just the not allowing him to eat sand part upset him!

"Well if I can't eat sand, you're going to have your nose picked mom!"
A nice moment before the show

A bath the next day, as we were in way too late for one that night

And happy once again...it might have something to do with the Chippie gear

The aforementioned Kade turned 1 this month, so, prepare for cute first birthday party pictures:

The birthday boy about to have some cake and eat it too

Nick and Kade and their friend Jude, all a month apart

Luke Detter getting some face time

Jude enjoying a carrot

Jude not so much enjoying the pool


Annie and Finn enjoying a little relaxation time

Aaron and Kevin playing some sling darts

Cosette getting sunscreened up by her dad Ryan

Cosette and Kade wondering why Nick is leaving before full prunage?

Izzy doesn't look like she's enjoying her cupcake very much...

Rachel making Justus crack up

After a fun-filled Saturday party, we took a flight up to Roseville to visit with my dad's side of the family as the Illinois Grindy's were visiting. We were hesitant at first of how Nick would do on the plane, but with some good advice from friends on how to fly with an infant (nurse/feed on take off and landing), it went off with out a hitch. Almost. On the way back to Buellton, Katy started to nurse Nick as we started to take off. Unfortunately, we got delayed and had to wait a few minutes. Nick then finished nursing before the wheels left the ground and thus, as the plane finally took off and climbed, his ears popped and he fussed. This stinky old man directly in front of Katy, who mind you was in the aisle and I was on the other side of the aisle, glared back at me, then lifted his rusty old coke bottle lenses, mad dogged Katy and queried, "Can you keep your kid quiet?!?" I about came unglued. Here's how the rest of the conversation went. Oh, and FYI, SOM is an acronym for Stinky Old Man.

SOM: Can you keep your kid quiet?!?
Me: What more would you like her to do?
SOM: Well if you can't keep him quiet then maybe you shouldn't be on the flight!
Me: Oh really? So infants shouldn't be allowed on planes?
SOM: Not if they can't be silent!
Me: Maybe you should think back to when you had kids, if you did, and remember what that was like!
SOM: I did have kids and now I'm done with 'em! (turns around gruffly)

The conversation was not whispered and both stewardesses heard it loud and clear from their jump seats at either end of the cabin. Later on in the flight, the SOM asked one if he could switch seats to an empty one further up. The stewardess sharply declined. Even later, the SOM asked if he could have ear plugs. The other stewardess quickly related they had none. Gotta love those stewardesses!

Katy and Nick getting ready to board

Nick making sure we're at the right gate
Nick's first plane ride

Happy as can be with a full belly and at 20,000 feet. Oh, and no SOM on this flight!

What plane ride would be complete without a naked dip in pappy's pool afterward!

The next day was a family get together. Most of the time was spent in the pool. Nick is quite the water baby much to my disdain, and chants of H2O polo go on and on in the Bernard household as my father shakes his head in disgust at me. Just kidding, I love swimmers...anyway...moving on.

Nick feeding the dogs some Cheerios

My cousin Anna entertaining Nick, deep breath....

And fart noises!!!

Her father, my uncle, my dad's brother, and my namesake, in disbelief at the level to which she went to with the silliness, either that or making fart noises of his own. I think the latter.

At the end of the month on a random weekday, we met Katy's sister Michelle and her two kids Jake and Brieana at Avila Beach. We randomly ran into the Mason's (their son Jude is up above at Kade's party) which was cool but of all the beaches on the coast and all the area at Avila, how weird to run into someone you know on an odd day of the week! Cool nonetheless.

I buried Jake in the sand up to his head. Good times.

Nick being swung through the waves and loving every minute of it.

Nick and his Aunt Michelle

What month would be complete without one more episode of bath time fun?!?! None I tell you!

After being doused with water, still smiling!

Hmmm, how does this thing work

Heiny cuteness

This boat does not taste like I thought it would

Drying off with dad and the puppy