the rest...

On Sunday we woke up early again, but the fog had already lifted by the time we made it up to Redwood National Park. So we turned around and headed back to my folks house. Instead, we spent the day playing and relaxing with my parents.

We got in a rousing game of croquette. From the opening swings I took an early {and very very short lived} lead. Quickly my dad took off with Lukas in close pursuit. All the while my mom and I remind neck and neck for last place. We just couldn't seem to get away from each other. For awhile my dad looked like he might run away from the whole thing. He was way out in front, but lost his focus and kept missing wickets towards the end. Still he was slowly progressing and Lukas just barely caught him. With one lucky strike Lukas knocked my dad's ball and drove it far away. It was enough for Lukas to steal the lead and my mom and I ended up battling it out for second from last.

The next activity of the day was fresh squeezed lemonade made by my dad. We enjoyed it under the shade of the over hanging lilac bush. The large plant had grown over a corner of the deck making a perfect shady, fort of a sitting area. Perfect for enjoying lemonade on a sunny summer day.

In the lilac fort we played a game of gin rummy. Lukas won that too and we all decided we were done playing games with Lukas for the day.

In the late afternoon we all headed down to the school. The dogs played, Lukas and I swung and my dad showed off his balance skills by walking up the long handrail from the lower field. The railing is slopped up and over 25 yards long. With arms outstretched my dad worked his way slowly up the railing. He paused when needed to regain his balance, but moved steadily on. At a caterpillar walking on the bar he had to adjust his steps to avoid the critter, but my dad just kept on going. All the while I was video taping him. {now I just need to figure out how to work with what ever the file format these videos are in}

We introduced my parents to Modern Family. We believe that Phil Dunphy is directly based off my dad. The similarities between the two are quite striking. Both named Phil, both married to a pretty blond woman, both have 3 kids - 1 boy, 2 girls, both are real estate agents, both like to do magic, both are enamored by Apple products and technology... See strikingly similar.

And except for one last morning trip up north the next day, that was the end of our holiday weekend.