California Vacation 2008: Days 3, 4, and 5

The middle part of our vacation represented the "meat" of why we came out here. Every year, Becki's family gathers together on the coast, just north of Santa Cruz (Swanton, CA, to be exact, although it's not really a town per se), for a family reunion. Outside of a potluck lunch on Saturday afternoon and a family church service on Sunday morning, there's no real schedule. Instead, we just hang out by the fire talking and visiting, or watch the kids try to catch crawdads in Big Creek, or munch on snacks, or catch up on reading, or...well, you get the picture. Pretty much just "hanging out". Of course, being in the beauty of a forest on the edge of the Pacific ocean helps give the "hanging out" part some real definition. Waking up each morning to the cool, brisk air, followed by the realization that there is no agenda except for being with family and friends is my idea of a great weekend.

As I said, there was actually not a lot to report from Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A few random highlights, though:

- We detoured through Monterey on our way up the coast to the reunion. Not nearly as big of a deal as I thought it would be. I didn't get to see Pebble Beach golf course as I was hoping, and, to be honest, the whole place was a little too "touristy" for me. Still, I can cross it off my list now.

- The family had a blast meeting Jacob. That includes his younger-by-three-days cousin, Zachary. We had no shortage of babysitters for the weekend, either.

- Our friends Trevor and Heather Peacock and their two little girls, Hope and Gabriella, drove up from Los Angeles to hang out with us for a couple of days. We all camped out on Sunday night (and the Peacock's quickly made friends with the Voris clan) and then moved to a hotel in Redwood City for Monday and Tuesday nights. As I told Becki, I love camping out with her family. But that first night back in "civilization" (and particularly, that first shower) is great.

OK, here are a few pics: