Camping Finale + Bonus: Worst Heather Pic Ever

I swear this happens to me every time we go on vacation, I take so many pictures that it makes blogging a challenge, and then by the time I get around to it I am bitter because I wish we were on vacation again. Ha!

Well, without further ado, here is the rest of our loooong camping post.

Nikos and Taki try out the water.

I realized I was an ocean snob because the water was freezing and I declared it was "not at all like the warm water in Hawaii." Snooooty! I also continue to maintain that the Atlantic Ocean is warmer than the Pacific in California, but everyone else pretty much told me I was ridiculous with this belief.

The little ones stayed amused in the sand.

Ollie
Dylan

Trevor

No idea what they are all staring at.

Olive shares a "drink" cup with Trevor. Amazing how she has already learned to plie boys with drinks to get what she wants. I didn't even teach her that.

While Princess Olive - with snack in hand, mind you - sits on the boogie board Mia shares a little wet sand with her (hoping to find a sand crab.)

The Princess does not know how she feels about this goop and she certainly does not want it to touch her foot.

Nikos ready to catch a wave.

While the parents enjoy some wine and a community dinner outside, half of the kid contingent watches a flick on the Press fancy schmancy rotating flat screen tv. From left to right - Riley, Nikos, Zach, Luke and Taylor.

Next up - s'mores!! Woooohooo. One of my favorite parts of camping.

Taki, Zach and Nikos. No one is on fire in these pictures, I was just playing with the settings of my camera.

Waiting patiently.

The payoff!

Jeff and Trevor (again, no one on fire.)

Jen and Dylan.

Press family by the fire.

Wow, this is a B.A.D. picture of me, why do I look all freaky like a stay-puff marshmallow robot? I don't know, but I am tossing all vanity aside to show you this cute picture of little Olive.

The next morning we took the train to Santa Barbara - so fun! Nikos was loving it! Once we got to SB we walked down to the pier and had lunch, followed by ice cream.

Nikos is not happy that I am delaying his ice cream start. Taki is protecting the ice cream from a perilous fall.

Love, love, love this pic. How cute is it that she is holding onto him?

Another cute one - sucks I didn't move the diaperbag out of the frame. Photoshop friends, who wants to tackle this project??

Shot of the scenery (it was warm but June gloom was in full effect.)

On the train on the way back. Olive felt like such a big girl in her own seat.

And check this out - exhausting day! This train ride is not long (15-20 minutes?) but both kids were down for the count by the end of it. Of course it could have been the mad dash we made to catch the train (as it was pulling into the station.)

Jennie made cupcakes on the last night that we were there (we were leaving a day before everyone else.)

Zach and Nikos fixing the stand for the rope game.

On most of the mornings the kids slept in until about 8-8:30. (This is Olive's usual wakeup time at home but Nikos is usually up by 7.) Each night when we were camping Olive slept in her pak-n-play and Nikos slept in his sleeping bag, but on the last morning he crawled onto our air mattress at about 7.

We got a group shot of the kids on the morning that we left. Front row - Riley, Luke, Taylor, Mia (hands in the air), Zach and Nikos (with his usual group picture face.) Back row - Madison holding Ethan, Tate and Shelby holding Olive. Shelby and Tate were just neighboring campers that joined the kids to play.

Zach and Nikos

Romios family, ready for the (7.5hr) road trip home.

3/5 of the Press family.

We had such a fabulous time and owe the Press family for showing us such an awesome time. Here's to making this an annual tradition!