TONY'S TIME HOME SO FAR ~

Well, as you all know from my last post ..... Tony got home on Monday the 9th ........

My parents drove over from Missoula on Tuesday ( which is marvelous to me since dad will be 90 in November and mom is 88) ...............

Tony and I were in Boise the night they arrived so they called and I directed them to the house and they rested while Tony and I took in a movie with Colby and Krista and Curtis and Deedra.

Wednesday, we all rested and then I had Art and Lynn and Bob and Joyce over for dinner (shish kebabs) so they could visit with the folks before we took off for sunny California! (I already posted a picture of the folks in my last post)

Thursday morning we got up early and were on the road by 6 AM or shortly thereafter! We knew we were in for a long drive and wanted to get an early start.

Tony did all the driving except for about an hour when I spelled him off so he could nap a bit.

Here we are just pulling into the outskirts of Sacramento .......... only about an hour to go! Yehaw!

Awhhhhh, we arrive! Got into Manteca about 3:30 in the afternoon! We went to my brother's house 1st and he took us to the Hampton Inn and we checked into our room. It was super!

Dad and Dave sitting on the hide a bed while mom and Tony and I were putting a few things away.

After checking in, we went back to Dave and Janet's and had dinner and visited. Dave barbecued tri tip and it was to die for!!! Mmmmmmmmm good.

This is my nephew Matt and his girlfriend Malanea. (not sure if that's how ya spell her name) but she was a sweetheart. (Way to go Matt)

We hung around at the house and got a tour of the place. I'm ashamed to say that Dave and Janet have lived in the house in Manteca for 19 years and this is the 1st time I've ever been there. They have a lovely home and they sure made us all feel welcome!

Later in the evening, Dave cranked up the air conditioner and Tony had to get some blankets from the car to keep from freezing! After enduring 130 degrees in Mosul ..... his blood is pretty thin and he gets colder easier than the rest of us! lol

He's still catching up from all the travel and passed out in the recliner!

I was going to toss almonds in his mouth for entertainment but thought better of it!

Around 7PM or so, Traci and Jason and the kids showed up and we all visited until 10 PM or so and then headed for the hotel to get some sleep.

The hotel had a GREAT continental breakfast so the next morning we went down to eat. My brother Rick and his family had driven in Thursday night too but arrived late so we didn't see them till breakfast. My two brothers, Rick and Dave!

This is a picture of most of us that were there by now. Traci and a couple of the kids had gone up to the room to dress for the pool party and Janet and Melanie and Malanea were still at home.

The staff at the hotel were awesome and one of the cooks took our picture for us!

THE 1ST POOL PARTY!
Here's Andrew getting rubbed up with sunscreen. His mother put a plastic bag on his cast (which soon filled with water) so it was finally taken off and he still swam! It was a fiberglass cast so it held up really well!

Isabel enjoying the pool ~ Such a pretty little fish!

The Three Amigo's ! Sophia, Isabel and Caden!

Katie and Andrew waving at me! Andrew LOVED Kate and clung to her like static on silk!

Will showing off his muscles! Will is quite a little character! Very entertaining!

After swimming, we went back to Dave's and had sandwiches made from the leftover tri tip along with salad, chips and salsa, fruit and hot wings! Another great meal! After eating, several of us went to the BASS PRO STORE!

Caden getting a BIG BEAR HUG!

Caden and Grandpa Tony in front of the awesome fish tank and waterfall!

Dave kissing (well almost) the Grizzly!

The eleven of us who went to the Bass Pro Store. (from the left: Rick & Wendy. Kate Tony & me.

Matt & Malanea, Dad & Mom, Caden and Will.

Around 4 in the afternoon, Scott and Jill and kids pulled in and after getting them settled some of the wedding party went to have a rehearsal. After they returned to the hotel we had the rehearsal dinner, Dave and Janet reserved the room where the breakfast was served and Janet had it catered. It was Mexican Food and it was delicious!


OUR 2ND POOL PARTY

The cousins ~ Caden and Clair

Clair coming up outta the water!

Kate behind those awesome goggles!

I kept trying to get them to jump all at once ....... This was the best shot I got!

Pretty cute I thought!

After the kids wore out ..... or was it the parents? Anyway, we took a trip to the Blue Diamond Almond Plaza. Janet's parents own 80 acres of almond trees so we all got a 20% discount on anything we wanted. We all came away with a bag full of almonds! Chocolate covered to every flavor imaginable! We sampled several flavors and then decided on a purchase!

A few of us outside the store.

Then Dave took us to his father in law's orchard! This is a tree with almonds (almost) ready to harvest!

Walker (Janet's father) took the kids on a ride in his "gator" when he went out to irrigate.

This is a picture of the orchard.

Scotlyn and Scott on the ole John Deer tractor!

After eating almonds right off the tree and getting an education on the way the nuts are harvested, we all headed back to town to get ready for the wedding.

Andrew was the ring bearer. He wasn't real keen on the idea of walking down the aisle so Melanie told him he wouldn't get cake until he did it ...... so he did! (He was pretty serious and looked like a little man. He was sooooooo cute!)

Now officially Mr. and Mrs. Berezay ~ Mike and Alissa!

Some of us ~ Jill must have been chasin Scotlyn!

Andrew the ring bearer and the little flower girl!

The best shot of the WHOLE WEDDING~ Andrew kissing the little flower girl! It was so adorable!

Hawkins, Mostyn and Caden ..... must have been toasting the newly married couple! ha ha

Paul, my nephew in the background!

My brother Dave with his friend Jimmy Fryer. Jimmy played for BSU back in 1982.

My little toe head Scotlyn with her BIG BROWN EYES! She was so much fun!

Isabel with her baby brother and her mommy! Beautiful!

Andrew, Will, Hawkins, Caden and Mostyn posing by the water wheel!

Scott and Jill and the kids! Unfortunately, we got a kid in the background .....wish I could photo shop him out!

Me and my man!

Jill and her little clone! I think these two look so much alike! Both are beautiful!

Oh and that's the bride in the back .....duh!

The wedding was lovely but lasted so long! The folks were tired and so was Tony so we left before the cake was cut. We did get to enjoy the kids dancing before we left but it was too dark and my pictures didn't turn out.

Sunday morning we said our goodbyes at breakfast and then went to Sacrament with Scott and Paul before leaving for home!

Not sure what caused it but SEVERAL of the family got Montezuma's Revenge. Mom and Dad and I must have iron stomach's because we were safe but it hit a lot of the other's.

We were about an hour from Winnemucca when Traci and Jason passed us. They had left about 3 hours before we did so we were surprised to see them. Evidently, they spent a fair amount of time in Reno because of the screamin meanies! We told them that we were going to stop at the Flyin J to see my nephew Ryan and his family so they decided to stop too!

Ryan, Tennile, Corban and Jerom were sweet enough to meet us at the gas station so we could see them. It was a short visit but sweet!

We got home Sunday night about 10PM.

Monday we rested and then went to Kuna so Mom and Dad could see Traci's house. (They hadn't seen it since the fire) We paid them a short visit and then went to visit Nate & Melissa and kids!

Ellie and Alivia were enjoying ice cream bars and entertained us with songs and a puppet show.

Such pretty little girls!

Tuesday, we spent the day at the temple. Mom had some names she wanted to get done so we went through a session for that and then left and went to lunch at Chuck A Rama and then back

to do sealings. It was a wonderful day and we enjoyed being able to go while Tony was home.

It's been a busy 10 days so far. We are trying to pack in as much as we can while Tony is here.

Mom and Dad left this morning for Missoula and made it home safe!

We have 4 full days left to fill with activities, family and friend so this will be continued!