Mini-Hovey reunion

We had the opportunity to have a mini-Hovey reunion. It's rare to get us sisters together since we are all over the country. A couple of weeks ago we were able to get most of us together when Janell came out for a visit to California. Only missing Michelle :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

First things first. The weekend before everyone came out Jeff and the boys (and Steve and Shawn) all redeemed their Father's Day presents and went paintballing together.

 

I think the boys were a little nervous when they started but they ended up having a fun day! Afterward Taylor got to go and see Kelzey in her dance performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday morning and we drove out to meet up with family in Los Angeles at the science center. The kids started out trying the driving simulator. It was supposed to simulate driving drunk. They had fun laughing at each other but...not everyone got a turn before it was time to check out...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The space shuttle Endeavor!

 

 

 

 

 

It was very cool to walk in and be able to walk under and around a space shuttle that had actually flown on missions.

 

 

 

Very fun.

 

 

 

It was cool to look at the heat tiles underneath and the evidence of their usefulness.

 

 

 

There were plenty of things for the kids to do at the Science Center while we waited to hook up with Robert and Angela after he finished his doctor's appointments.

 

 

This museum had cool things like aquariums, and habitat displays...

 

 

 

 

Ashley and Dean riding in the snow...

 

 

 

We had fun trying to make handprints in the wall of ice.

 

 

 

 

After Angela and Robert were done we met them in the Farmer's Market for lunch.

 

It's a great place for everyone to find something they like to eat. While the kids were waiting for the rest of us Taylor pulled out his cards and led the boys in one of his numerous card games.

 

 

 

 

We realized that this was the first time that we had all 10 cousins together!!!

 

What a good looking bunch.

 

For growing up in a family with only girls, I think it's pretty funny that all the grandkids except for Ashley are boys.

 

 

The younger cousins all seem to LOVE Ashley. She is the best babysitter and playmate that happens to be their size. Dean is holding Ashley's hand. He always loves Ashley.

 

 

 

 

Taylor works hard to get some cousin love too. He had fun with Ian.

 

 

 

 Jeff loving on the nephews...he always says "I'll take him home with me" I don't think the nephews know if he's really serious or not...

 

 

 

 

After our late lunch we headed back to Angela's house to barbeque and hang out.

 

The kids were in heaven in her backyard playing basketball, squirting each other with squirt guns and enjoying dinner together.

 

 

 

The big boys were outside grilling our dinner and the older cousins were all in the house at the dining room table playing cards again with Taylor as the ringleader.

 

 

 

The next morning we all went over to Underwood farms.

 

 

 

It's a cross between a petting zoo, market and U-pick farm.

 

The goats were high up on their platforms until they saw us coming and knew they were going to get fed....Usually when we go here we go through quarter after quarter buying feed. Jeff realized you could go in and buy a bag of carrots for a dollar instead.

 

 

 

Llamas...

 

 

 

Sheep...

 

 

 

Goats and more loved the carrots.

 

 

 

I loved, loved the strawberries we picked. We learned before how great the strawberries are up at Angela and Roberts so we made sure to get some.

 

 

The rest of the kids hung out in the sand...

 

 

and again we had our card players.

 

 

 

After Underwood Farms we headed over to Rocket Fizz and loaded up on some candy and crazy soda flavors and then headed to Ventura to eat lunch.

 

 

 

 

We found a little pizza place with lots of outdoor seating and then said our goodbyes for the day to Joel and Virginia since they had to head to San Diego that night.

 

 

 

After we said goodbye we walked over to the beach.

 

The McInroes were loving the water and Ashley played with Dean on the beach playground.

 

 

 

 

The boys "hung out" on the playground...some climbing happened but not really playing.

 

After a bit we parted ways so Ian could get his nap, and we could start our 2 1/2 hour drive home. Janell and Brandon stayed a little longer at the beach and met us back at our house later.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day Janell and Brandon's family got more fun at the beach. We packed up and planned a day at Newport together, hoping that Joel and Virginia would be able to meet up with us later.

 

The day was cloudy but it wasn't cold. It was a nice day to hang out at the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

While Taylor and Jacob hung out with our stuff on the beach the McInroes and Ashley and I went for a walk on the pier complete with ice-cream cones,  (and frozen banana).

 

 

 

Even though the water is cold the boys still had fun in it. Benny was trying so hard to surf on the boogie board in the wash of the waves. I was impressed that even when he ate sand he would get up and try again.

 

 

 

Just playing in the sand was fine with him too.

 

 

 

The last hour or so we were at the beach the Oleson's were able to join us. Jared enjoyed boogie boarding and Dean loved the sand. Scott isn't much of a beach person but he was doing great throwing a football with the boys. At this point we said goodbye to the Olesons and then went home for a last night with the McInroes.

 

 

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast with Janell and Brandon and their kids and then went to see Monsters University with them. I thought it was a fun movie.

 

 

After the movie we gave hugs and said goodbye to Janell and her family and then hurried to finish packing before our flight that day.

 

We were flying to Washington DC to go to the Little People of America convention and to see the rest of the Hovey family to complete the Hovey family reunion. (At least for us)