Gidley Gossip: July 2010

So, I'm finally dusting off my blogging fingers and am going to give an update from our last few months. Maybe I'm going to have to call these "quarterly" updates. Well...no...I'm an optimist. I'll try to do this more often.

One big highlight is that Silas and I took a trip to Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco), Mexico with two of my girlfriends and their kids. We rented a house on the beach. It was heavenly! The weather was beautiful and everyone really enjoyed climbing on the rocks and searching for treasures in the tide pools.

I know parts of Mexico have had a lot of issues with violence lately - but Rocky Point felt as safe and welcoming as ever. And with our own private happy hour on the beach (every day!!)...does it get any better?

We also enjoyed a new tradition (second year running) to spend Mother's Day camping with my family. This year we went to Peppersauce campground on the north side of Mt. Lemmon (outside of Tucson). I just had to take a photo of the boys doing dishes because it was so amusing and unusual (ha ha!):

I got some cute pics & videos of Silas playing with with great grandma, M&M, and hunting for treasures with his great aunt Michelle and, of course, Ma-Mo.

see the M&M and Silas blowing bubbles video here

see the Tresure Hunt video here

Silas went to his first Diamondbacks baseball game. I can't say he really watched the game - but we managed to "stay" in our seats until the seventh inning and he definitely enjoyed the food aspect of "watching" a baseball game.

We also went to a very special birthday party where "The Reptile Man" made a guest appearance. Silas was way into it...except for when it came to wearing the snake around your neck. He prefered touching the reptiles on his terms. Understandable, I suppose, and probably a good self-preservation technique. Still, I was so proud of his affinity for snakes!

The video footage with the snakes is pretty cool too: Sunshine the Snake and holding the snake.1

Uncle Norb flew into town - and Silas has the awesome opportunity to "drive" his airplane. Again, Silas was way into it and Norb was so sweet with him. I couldn't believe he let him push, pull and twist (almost) all the buttons and knobs. Now every time we see an airplane he asks if Uncle Norb is flying it and I'm pretty sure he thinks he'll get to "drive" again next time we're on a plane.

see the video of Silas and Norb

The Blake Family exodus to San Diego was another great trip - and a smashing success compared to last year (where, if you recall, Silas wanted nothing to do with sand, sea or waves...or Aunt Karen!). We had lots of quality time with the family and also our friends who live in San Diego. I think one of his favorite things about this trip was baby Colin (my friend, Cecilia's, new baby). He really loves babies!

I love how we are related to every single person you see in the picture (i.e. everyone at the beach!).

See how Silas also loves "surfing"!

We enjoyed some quality time with our (great) grandparents too!

I can't forget all the fun times at home riding bikes with friends and family (go Papi!) and splashing around:

Here are a couple pics from our most recent camping trip to the Mogollon Rim with friends. Summer tends to inspire lots of camping trips. Not because the weather is great in Phoenix (duh!) but because we are all so motivated to escape to cooler country as much as possible! (Unfortunately, this was the trip where half the people came home with a nasty stomach flu. Fortunately, I didn't get sick until after we got home and Silas managed not to get sick at all...so we still had a great trip.)