So, where to begin with a way overdue summer update? I can't believe it's already half over! Well, we started off the summer with a great trip to Woodside. It was so wonderful to be there with everyone and enjoy the amazing place Dad has worked so hard on for so many years. It almost seemed surreal to finally be there together. We began our visit by distracting Mom with a fun afternoon in San Francisco, which we told her was for her birthday. We had a great time at the Academy of Sciences seeing an albino alligator, geckos, snakes - all kinds of cool things. One funny thing was that a Planned Parenthood representative had a clipboard outside with something she wanted us to sign. She asked me if I supported PP. I looked at her and then around at all my kids and said, "clearly not." She was stunned, and it was kind of funny. So great to be back in the Bay Area :). Anyway, we pulled off the surprise with Mom. Everyone was waiting in the driveway with balloons and signs, singing to her, and she was definitely surprised! Why is it so fun to surprise people? I don't know, but it is. We had a fun dinner around the pool that night, just enjoying each other and the magnificent setting we were in. It was so great to have cousins wake up and meet each other on the playground or go for a scooter ride together. I think my favorite, though, was watching them play soccer together. Another highlight of Mom's birthday weekend was the program Sunday. Seeing what everyone had worked on and put together was almost as fun for us as it was for Mom. Bec on the flute, Kev on the piano, singing, and the trio with Ben, Annie, and Elise. I have little 30 second clips I took with my phone camera, but I wish I had the whole thing...
We had a great visit to Stanford campus where we took a tour of Hoover tower, saw Dad's office and ate at the GSB (nicest school "cafeteria" I've ever been to!), and visited the exhibit on China. To end our visit we all picked out our favorite Stanford shirt or sweatshirt at the bookstore. Zelle says that's where she wants to go to school, so we told her she better start studying! Mostly while we were at Woodside, I felt like I just wanted to stay there. It was kind of funny, but I had no desire to leave. It was such a treat to wake up and the sky was blue every day!!! Then, to be able to take a jog or play tennis, go swimming or on a walk through the Horse Park - time just seemed to fly. I also loved being able to catch up with each other at meals on the patios - eating outside so much was such a treat, and the game nights are always a favorite for me.
Toward the end of the week, we had the Hulme family reunion. Mom thought of everything and put so much effort into it. It was really well done. It was fun to catch up with so many family members and to see so many cousins married and starting families of their own! Because Bec and Rich were both not there, I was the oldest grandchild there...I feel kind of old in that group, especially when my cousins sing karaoke to Justin Beiber and I have never heard the song. I think that makes me old. I loved seeing Grandpa's brothers, Paul and John, and thought it was really cute that they came and told stories about Grandpa. I loved the ancestor game and the talent show. It was all great and then great to have over :) It was nice to get back to our smaller group. Slowly and sadly, we all had to peel off our different ways. We spent a couple of days in Danville visiting friends on our way out. We had a pool party one night at one of the neighborhood pools, which was a great way to catch up with a lot of people at once. Our kids seemed to fall right back into step with their friends there. It was a great visit, but we were tired, too, and ready to go home. Well, I think I will end chapter one of our summer there.
p.s. Sorry the pictures are so bad - they are all from my phone camera. That's all I had on that trip...bummer!
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