Spending time with Bruno and Michelle just brings us joy! For the first time, Michelle's baby bump is really visible. She is simply darling, glowing! Bruno dotes on her. It's breathtaking to watch!
After breakfast, Bruno and I went to Vons to stock up on supplies for a picnic. We packed up a variety of yummy sandwiches, chips, fruit and Naked Juice! We loaded into their amazing new car, a Buick Enclave, and rode in high style to Ellwood Park. Bruno and Michelle had gotten engaged here and returned each year to take an anniversary photo. I asked if they wanted to go there and take a photo with their baby bump and they eagerly agreed! My brother loves taking photos but he equally enjoys taking photos with Michelle. I have always admired this about him! He is just so proud of his wife, and now family, and happily participates in all events, irrespective of how silly they may be. He takes after my father in this manner. My father is a jovial person through and through and loves to document his family's joy.
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| Wild Man |
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| Run Mama Run! |
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| Strolling through Ellwood |
While we hiked around, Teddy ran around like a wild puppy, hair flying in all directions :) I love watching him run. He is so innocent and free! Like a little lion cub. At one point, he challenged me to a run. If I'd had on running show and hadn't been carrying about 10 pounds in the backpack I am convinced I could have beat him! Bruno, Michelle, and Todd were impressed that I was even able to stay in the race as long as I had :) I guess all of my running has paid off....I can semi-keep-up with an 8 year old....yippy!!
Our picnic was delicious and we had a wonderful time exploring the bluffs. Michelle and Bruno took beautiful photos on the bluffs and Nina was in a good mood. During lunch, Bruno taught the kids a new trick...to put chips directly into their sandwich so that with each bite they get a crunchy surprise. The kids thought he was a genius! Ha!!! If they only knew :) Nina especially thought this was brilliant, "It's too yummy!" she exclaimed in between bites of turkey sandwich laced with Ranch Doritos. Oh Uncle Bruno, what a guy!
We spent several hours playing around at the bluffs. By the time we got home, the kids were thoroughly tired and plopped onto the living room mattress to play Wii with Todd. Nina suggested playing Super Smash Brawl and every one (except for moi who took a tiny snooze at the foot of the bed for about 15 minutes) had a turn. Re-energized, I collected myself and suggested to Bruno and Michelle that we take some sunset photos at Hendry's Beach and then grab some appetizers before returning home for the Las Fuentes dinner. The sunsets at Hendry's are spectacular and we caught an especially gorgeous one!
I have always loved photography, well before high school. As an adult, I have always been classified as the dork that never forgets her camera and is constantly snapping away. I even got in trouble at Bruno and Michelle's wedding by their photographer because I was taking "too many" photos. Puh!!! As it turns out, some of my photos were better than his! Anyhow, life become very clear through the lens of a camera! There is something sacred about capturing a moment in time....capturing it forever!
When we returned home for dinner, we found a special delivery for Nina. It was from Patrick, Spongebob, Gary and Sandy and had come all the way from Bikini Bottom (courtesy of the Serenas!! Thank you so much!!!). Nina was thrilled!!! It was even better than gifts from Santa because who in the world ever got deliveries from Bikini Bottom!! Inside the treasure chest she found a myriad of gifts from the beach and a couple of scans of silly spray!!!! Teddy proclaimed war and thankfully Uncle Bruno immediately jumped in and suggested we wait to launch battle outdoors in the morning! I guess he is ready to have a son after all :)
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