Treat time with the grandkids

Harv and I were pleased to be given first chance at babysitting while our son and his wife took in some seminars at church this weekend. So we packed our bags and drove down to Seattle to spend time with our grandkids. Friday night there was just time for a story and a cuddle after supper. But Saturday we had all day to play.

We played in the yard in the morning while B had his nap and

then we were off -

- to Jack in the Box for a cheeseburger and a smoothie.

On our way across the parking lot to the Krispy Kreme, I stopped to admire a Metropolitan car just like the one I learned to drive in. Only ours was black and white. Cute eh?
Ah yes, the Krispy Kreme - not sure it's all it's been hyped up to be but the kids sure enjoyed the treat.

Princess E showed us the BEST way to eat a Chocolate Fling!

Then there were a few minutes to watch the donuts being made. . . . .

. . . before heading to Carceek Park at the ocean.

This is a favourite place to go.

It's got lots to do - a grassy picnic area and playground,

a high bridge over a train track with trains to watch

AND the ocean and rocky beach of course.

Oh the plays you can play with a beach full of rocks.
BenBen was delighted - there were no shortage of rocks to throw
and giggle over.

Natedog had fun trying to predict which waves would lap quietly and which will gleefully splash you.

The sun was so warm that PopPop succumbed to a nap.

We even found a fleeting moment to pose for Nana's brag book.

Home again - temporarily

What a terrific holiday we had! Two weeks; one with friends and one on our own.
Our friends Hans and Karin from Chilliwack, grew up in Germany and recently invited a number of their friends to their home villages for their bi-annual wine festivals. Well, we and 6 other couples accepted the invitation and joined them for 5 amazing days.

Hans and Karin outdid themselves in hosting us all - arranging outings each day to see cities, museums, Medeaval villages, castles, cathedrals.They planned an unforgettable evening at her brother's award winning winery, and a wonderful afternoon at his cousin's vineyard. There were fabulous meals, incredible scenery and of course the fun filled evenings at each villages' wine festival.

Each day brought something new and exciting. We were overwhelmed and humbled by the way we were treated like royalty!
Then Harv and I rented a car and drove over the Austrian Alps into Italy; thoroughly enjoying the route over the back roads; through beautiful little towns, up over breathtaking mountain passes and into centuries old cities. We ended up on the Cinque Terra coast of Italy where we spent 2 very relaxing and sunny days in the seaside town of Vernazza.
There is so much to tell, so many pictures to share that it may take awhile before we can process it all. I'll have to post pictures and stories over a period of time as there is just too much to share all in one post.

As if that weren't enough, we are off again in 2 weeks on a cruise planned long before the trip we just completed. I'm not sure why opportunities like this come all at once. I guess we will be remembering 2009 as the year of international travel.