Family Time!

Since the summer of 2003, Yosh’s sister Missy, Husband Chris and kids Bailey and Peyton have come to California once (or sometimes twice) a year to visit.

This is the year I met the lil ones….
Peyton totally adored me back then…wanted nothing to do with Uncle John b/c he was a BOY (and it used to get to him so much)! They were just little babies…I think Peyton was only 2 and Bailey was 4…I think. And by the way, can anyone see Owen in Peyton…they are definitely related!!!
And its so weird to think that now we have our own little one…and Bailey and Peyton are totally the “big” ones! My nephew Bailey is now 14 and going into 9th grade…at 5’10”, size 13 shoe and a tri-athlete…golf, basketball and baseball! He played golf with the high schoolers last year and was #3 on the team…and with his average score of 44 he would have been Roosvelt’s #1 golfer (as an 8th grader!!).  My niece, Peyton is 11…going into 6th grade…gorgeous little lady and also a STUD on the basketball court! She also plays on teams with girls much older than her and still balls them up! I’m a proud Auntie…can’t you tell! They are my only “real” niece and nephew…and I love them so much!

They moved to upstate New York a few months before I met Yosh, and I know it was such a big change for the Souza Family. Yosh’s parents missed Missy, Chris and the kids so so so much! Since Missy is the only girl in the family, she is kinda like the golden child and she had the only grandchildren for quite a while as well…so the family misses them so much while they are away and just loves every minute while they are here visiting with us!!

Last year we got them twice…once in the summer and for Thanksgiving.  And we are hoping they are able to make it out again later in the year…we just love having familia around!!

Spending time in Redlands is awesome. Love watching the kids play…and grandparents gloat!

And of course…the first REAL day in California the New Yorkers wanted to hit the beach. The weather report on my lovely iphone said it was going to be cloudy and not too warm…BUT it ended up being a BEAUTIFUL day! And it was TOTALLY cute b/c Uncle John got to teach the kids how to surf…

I have no “surf lesson pics”…I was too busy watching my son play with this strange little boy who’s grandmother came over to me and asked if Owen would play with her grandson. It was very odd…and kinda uncomfortable. So I didn’t take my eyes off him that whole time.

But Peyton adores Owen…and he surely adores her too. Owen has her SPENT when it comes to playing…every second of the day he wants Peyton and Bailey playing with him! haha Its cute to watch.

Wonderful day at the beach…followed by an awesome evening!!!! I actually talked my sister-in-law (and niece) into joining us for some Zumba!! heehee. It was fun to watch Peyton get so uncomfortable watching old ladies shakin’ their naughty bits!! heehee. She’ll appreciate it one day…the fact that her fat Auntie can still drop it like its hot!

And mornings like this…are times that I wish we had more of!!! Owen squeezing RIGHT in between is cousins…heehee.

More to come…these peeps aren’t leaving anytime soon!! We have our “annual family river trip” coming up this week…and more summer fun before we head back to work. boohoo!