Gentry family Vacation: Plymouth or Bust!

Due to my Grandmother's funeral, I arrived a few days late to our Beesley/Gentry Plymouth Beach House vacation.  Christian, Berkeley and McDuff enjoyed a good 10 days in the sun, and Viv and I were happy to spend a good 5 days relaxing and soaking in the rays with good friends.

We stayed at a new beach house in Plymouth a 2 minute walk away from White Horse Beach.  We planned this vacation with the Beelsey's who are our friends we met at the U of U Alumni BBQ, realized they were awesome and had kids the same age as us, and then they moved to Seattle.

We had a nice vacation.  

We visited Martha's Vineyard one day.

Lucius and Berkeley had a blast playing together and  keeping each other entertained.

Here you have it!  The complete Gentry Family.  We have found it virtually impossible to get a good photo of all 5 of us, but here we are!

Little Viv LOVED the sand, she would play with it and throw it around for hours.  The water was okay, but the sand is where it was at for this chick!

Edgartown Lighthouse.  We enjoyed playing on this beach; the kids had no swimsuits, so they all had fun in there tighty whities.

Ninjago moved

I love these boys of mine!

Dad's out searching for sea shells

The whole gang.

We enjoyed two full days at White Horse Beach which is a beautiful private beach, which meant that McDuff could join us.  

We had our second annual Lobster dinner, and my and Christian second Lobster ever.  Man, they are SO good fresh!  Hard as a bugger to eat, but so tasty!

Stell and Vivienne in their matching dresses, so adorable

We had a lovely day in Woods Hole exploring the town, beaches, and marine life center.

We ended that day at Onset Beach in Buzzards Bay and had wonderful Lobster pizza and the kids got to play in the arcade.

We enjoyed a yummy breakfast at Plane Janes in Plymouth where we got to watch the small planes take off, which was really fun.

We all had a lot of fun.  It was just what we all needed.  After being gone for so long, we were ready to get back home.  That is always a good feeling.

What a lovely summer vacation indeed.  Best part was it was 1 hour and 10 minutes from our house but we felt like we were in a different world.  Isn't that the coolest thing ever?

Grandma Lucile

I made an unexpected trip to Utah with Ms. Viv this summer.  Sadly, my grandma Lucile passed away suddenly and I flew out to be with my family and attend her funeral.  Grandma was sick, she had been intubated just weeks prior, but she fought it and was able to come home and was living with my brother Steven the last few weeks of her life.  I spoke to her on Sunday, she talked about her anxiety and how she was scared to be alone and she knew she was driving everyone crazy.  I was able to give her some suggestions and validate her feelings and let her know how much I loved her.  The next morning I got a call at work that she had died.  

I hate when you tell people your grandma died and they say, "Well, was she sick?"  I mean yes, she was, but MY GRANDMA DIED!! Doesn't really matter to me or not if she was sick, it still doesn't make it any easier.  It really sucks folks!  I was super close with my grandma, I was at her house ALL the time as a child.  I looked forward to talking to my grandma and seeing her when I visited Utah.  I am sad, like REALLY sad.  I  appreciate  those who personally reached out to me, man, who knew a card in the mail, or brining you flowers or  showing up to your grandma's viewing just to support you would mean!  Christian was sweet and brought me flowers and was supportive of me going out to Utah.  We couldn't all go, because short notice flight over 4th of July and just bought a house don't exactly go well together.  

My Grandma Taft gave me some money for my ticket, the ticket to come to my other grandma's funeral!  She is seriously the greatest and I love her SO much!

It was a sad visit, but I brought Viv along with me and she truly was a fabulous distraction.  Everyone LOVED her and her spunky fun personality.  She had lots of fun seeing all her cousins and grandparents and getting uber spoiled.

My oh my, look at this, five generations!  Vivi was basically terrified of her Great Great Grandma Utella, but we snapped this photo while we were all together.  

Viv got to meet her cousin Oakley for the first time.  They are one year and one day apart. I loved getting to know Oakley more and really miss my nieces and nephews so much.

Dad did some 4th of July grillin'!

Here are my grandma's 5 daughters!  

Linda, Mom (Karen), Cinny, Mary and Vicki

Paul Barrers.  My good looking brother Stevie in the front in the red.

The Great grandchildren sent balloons to heaven.

It was a nice service.  It seems surreal that she is gone.  Honestly, it's just strange.  You cannot ever get a person back.  You have to take each moment and make the most of it.

My mom was really close with her mom.  It is hard for her.  She gave a beautiful tribute to her mom and took wonderful care of her since before my grandpa died.

I was named after my grandma, her name is Lucile and I am Laci Lucille.  Grandma was fun, funny, smart, loved good movies, to read, to take baths, to be with her family, to give gifts, to travel, to gamble, to eat hot dogs with mustard, to hold babies, to tell stories about her ancestors, and to talk on the phone.  She was pretty great.

I love you grandma more than you will know. Thank you for being part of my life and for changing me for good!  I love you!

Vivienne at 18 Months

 Our baby girl is no longer a little baby, but will forever be my baby girl.  

I sort of love babies after 9 months, they are super cute before that, but after 9 months they just become fun.  I have absolutely been loving my time with this little feisty red head the last few months.  

She truly wants to be independent already!  She will not allow anyone to feed her, it must be done herself!  She wants to walk like a big girl and not hold hands, not be in the stroller, not have parental supervision.  She wants to do everything herself but also wants to be left out of nothing.  She requires constant attention, more like demands it!  This last month she has found her voice, she loves to scream.  I do not understand why girls have to go through this very unpleasant right of passage.

Vivi has no fear, she loves to go down slides, try to walk down stairs, and basically do everything her big brother is doing.

 I am often struck by just how beautiful she is.  She has the fairest of fair skin and the most beautiful strawberry red hair that just turns into ringlets in the back.  She has a contagious smile and makes everyone around her smile.

Vivi is currently is the stage of saying NO to everything, even when she means yes.  She knows lots of animals sounds, loves to eat broccoli, bananas, grapes, chips, bean and cheese burritos, anything sweet, and always wants to drink from her mom's water bottle.

 Viv also loves to read and look at books, take baths with her brother, loves to pretend all things are phones, watching Sesame Street, and being tickled.

 Vivienne loves her family.  She and Berke are interacting so much more now.  I love how Berkeley will read to her and also take her down if she is in his way as any loving brother would do.  Vivi loves to snuggle in the morning and at night and is wonderful at giving kisses and hugs on demand.

When we found the bunnies in our yard recently, she would stand above them and say, "hi hi hi" while waving at them.  So cute. 

Vivi can name the sounds to a dog, cat, owl, monkey, sheep, cow, horse, and rino.  

She can do a pucker face, loves to brush her teeth and when in the bathroom demands that lotion be put on her hands to rub in.

 We adore this little ginger, she keeps us on our toes and challenges us in new and exciting ways.  She completes our family and we all love her more than words can express!