The Openshaws really know how to do a reunion right! They got to spend the week at Pirates Cove and we snuck up for a day to see this amazing fantasy place. Words and hundreds of pictures can't do it justice. Think Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland times 100!

The pirate ship waterslide - it was dark and fast!

Oops - I think this referred to us! Marks brother, Charlie was the first guest, Amys family was the second guest.... guess that makes us forbidden!

Just one of our pirate friends - there were hundreds

It was amazing and had a great view of Lake Mead

Ahoy matey - welcome to Pirates Cove (the most amazing 20 bedroom, 25 bath, 3 pool, 2 waterslide private vacation home ever!)

The Germans are here!

Kim and Selina arrived on Saturday. They are young so had no problem with jetlag and we had dinner at BJ's in Laguna Beach. We are excited to show them Southern California. More details later

July 4, 2009

The real wild ones!

San Diego Zoo

We went to La Jolla to snorkel and it was cold there too! Those brave enough to get in the water saw some cool fish!

We went to the San Diego Zoo while the boys golfed on Friday

The whole gang came to SoCal for July 4th this year. We decided to spend the whole day at Laguna Beach and it was a beautiful, clear and very chilly day! We had a great time!

Fathers Day 2009

Fathers Day 2009 - Brad the great barbequer!
The Rasmussens joined us on a trip to LA and the Peterson Automotive Museum

The AAA men

Becky made a great dinner for her Dad!

OK, I'll try to make this my last blog on our wonderful trip! Here we are at Lake Thun outside of Interlocken, Switzerland. It was unbelievably gorgeous. I'm sure it has been the setting for many movies - if not it should be!

Holland

Here is a bit of my Dutch heritage

We took a long train ride through Delft and Rotterdam to the small town of Barendrect where my mothers father, Adrianus Barendregt, was from.

We cruised the local cemetary and think we found a few ancestors

The day was perfect when we went to Keukenhof Gardens

Just a small sampling of the tulip fields that were all across the countryside - I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

If the wooden shoe fits.... a rainy day in Zandaam

Grand Canyon Grandkids (AKA Hobo Academy)

We had the best weekend with all the grandkids. We took the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Arizona to the South Rim. We hiked down the Bright Angel Trail before the rain (and not very far)

Disneys Christmas Carol train is touring the entire US this summer to promote their new movie coming out for the holiday season. It was fun to see how they do this new form of animation. We even got to see a sneak preview of this Jim Carey movie. Look for it around Thanksgiving.

The kids loved their hobo bags filled with snacks. They, Stinky P, Bummer, Zoo Boy, Tan Man, Snyd, Smelly, and Bubba, loved that their nicknames were on the bags.

Bummers very own drinking fountain in the Grand Canyon!

Here they are in their t-shirts

Grammy was a bit nervous with this wild gang along the rim!

The sun was a too bright for a good picture by the train sign

Red was our favorite cowboy entertainer on the train. Have Snyd play her harmonica she won from Pops for you!

Grammy and the bigger kids hiked down a bit farther and lost the 4 oldest for about 45 minutes afterwards. And we thought they were semi-intellegent!