USA Part II: There’s No Place Like Home

Only a few short months after our summer visit, Doug and I circumvented the world (okay, only halfway, but still) and returned to the United States from 6-21 October 2010. The primary purpose for our visit was for Doug to take his Pediatric Board Examination as the exam is only offered one (yes, ONE) day per year. Since we were planning to come home for this exam, long before we ever left we recruited our family to consider ‘October 2010 Reunions.’ Our families obliged and our visit could not have been better!

Our journey began in Miami where we rented a car and drove to Captiva Island, FL for Martin and Krystal’s wedding. Because Doug’s high school friends are not only his best friends, but unusually, also best friends with each other, 80% of Martin’s wedding party was identical to our wedding (and Preston’s and Katzen’s). This is to say, we were really looking forward to the wedding because it meant seeing some of our nearest and dearest friends. What could be better than seeing your favorite people all at once?! Since Krystal vacationed on Captiva Island growing-up, the wedding was held in the Sea Island Resort.

Sunset coming over the bridge

Liza, Berke, Neal, Doug and I stayed in one of the Marina Villas. No south Florida accommodation would be complete without floral furniture and mirrors on the wall.

Our bedroom

Kitchen

Family Room

On Friday, before the rehearsal, six of us played the 9 hold ‘Executive’ course (if you don’t know, that’s the fancy term for ‘Par 3’ course). Lisa, Katzen and Preston teed-off just ahead of Doug, Berke and I.

The boys

Doug got off to a hot start with par, bogey, par (I was sweatin’ it out, until he had a 12 on one hole)

Here were all three of our tee shots on the third hole. We were pretty pleased with ourselves

The course ran along the ocean and was very beautiful

The rehearsal was held at one of the island restaurants, famous for their ‘buffalo shrimp’ and fish tacos

All the ladies (L to R: Kristin, Morgan, Krystal, Lisa, Liza, Lynsdy, Paisley)

Doug and Berke giving their speech

Good times with good friends

On Saturday, the wedding was held in the late afternoon inside of the resort. It was a beautiful ceremony by the sea

The groomsmen (like I mentioned, they might look familiar)

Graciela giving Martin away

Exchanging vows

Happy couple

Another ladies' shot

Handsome men

Dance party

On Sunday 9 October, we flew from Fort Myers Beach, FL to Austin, TX for the Blank Family Cousin’s Club (affectionately known as ‘CC’10’). We had such a gathering in Hilton Head back in 2005(ish) and have pledged to continue the tradition as our families grow and we scatter further and further around the world. Jason, Sarah, Aoi, Max and Jack came from London; Marco, Kara, Anika, Hannah and Ava came from D.C.; Marissa came from New York; we obviously came from Swaziland; and Dan and Meridith planned the outing as they were local with their boys, Luke and Colt. All told, we were 17 including 8 children under the age of 7.

Dan and Meridith found a great lake house on Lake LBJ, just outside of Austin. It was 7800 square feet and had two kitchens, three refrigerators and even 2 dishwashers. The outdoor facilities were also perfect for our group as we were on a canal, had a huge pool, and most importantly an empty lot on the right side of the house fit for any game imaginable. We only left the house to go to the grocery store and for one outing to nearby caves.

Doug and I stayed in the pool house

Bedroom

Family room, bathroom, and kitchen

Canal

Patio

Master bath (just to give you an idea of the 'fancy' factor)

A lot of fun was had in the pool; Max in the inflatable kayak

Anika

Hannah and the noodle

Jack and his 'just in case you fall in the pool' outfit

Bead necklaces were strung

Stories were read

Fish were not caught, but not for a lack of effort

Kayaks were paddled around

And let’s not forget the lawn games

Or the bouncy house

There was a dance party

Lunch by the pool (meal times were a group effort, fo sho)

And a retired camera donated by Risy to the kids (got a lot of action)

Even the adults had some fun with the Wii Karaoke

Risy was the preferred back-up dancer

Family shots

Dan and Colt

Doug and Marco

Jason and Sarah

Ava, Kara, Aoi and Luke

The Big Blank Cousins

Some of the Little Blank Cousins

Our Swaziland friends, Jay and Hilary (they were in the Peace Corps in Swaziland and overlapped with us for one year; now they are back home in Austin)

And last, but not least, we had a real Thanksgiving on Thursday

And Max got a drumstick

Apart from our Super Shuttle not showing up at 3:45am to take us to the airport and us having to wake-up Dan in the middle of the night; it was a fantastic week. So much fun was had there’s been talk of another CC in 2012 (e can’t even wait another 5 years).

On Friday 15 October 2010 we flew from Austin to Los Angeles and joined a smaller ‘Dillon Family Reunion.’ We stayed with my cousin Jesse and his family in Long Beach. Tim, Nichole and Henry came from San Francisco, CA; my cousin Beth came from Chicago, IL; and George and Liz came from Midland, MI.

Tim, Nichole and Henry

George & Liz

Beth

On Friday evening we ventured to 2^nd Street for a meal at one of our favorite restaurants, Open Sesame. But, before we left, a Halloween costume that arrived in the mail had to be tried and of course, modeled.

Kate is obsessed with Star Wars (more to come on that topic)

Jesse, Kristin and my Mom at Open Sesame

Henry playing with his trains (that’s not a pout, it’s him making noises for the trains)

Dillon Family

On Saturday, we started the day at Kate’s soccer game

One of my best friends, Allison, her husband, Oliver, and daughter, Miri, joined us for the morning

After an unfortunate soccer loss, we ventured back to the house to play before lunch

Everyone loved getting a ride in the push car; Allison and Miri

Ben pushing Henry

Playing at the park

In the evenings, we usually had an early dinner and then it was time for the ‘evening routine’ for the kiddos

Including bath time, teeth brushing (Kate enjoyed a blue ring pop) and bedtime stories

On Sunday, we went to Pa’s Pumpkin Patch in Seal Beach

The 1-ticket super slide was very popular with Kate and Ben

While the Train was Henry’s ride of choice

My Mom and I also took Henry to the petting farm while the big kids jumped in the bouncy castle

The most famous ride at Pa’s is the ‘bathtub swinging tea-cup’ thingy. Doug and Kate have a history on this ride and neither disappointed

Then it was on to the face paint before a couple of family shots on our way to In-n-Out (YUMMY)

Dillon cousins

Sunday evening, my cousin Beth and brother-in-law Tim departed and Doug went to stay in the LAX Hilton as his Board Examination was Monday 18 October 2010. So, in between lots of errands and appointments, Doug and I went with Nichole and Henry to the Long Beach Aquarium.

Then, on Tuesday, they too left Long Beach leaving Wednesday for Jesse/Kristin/Kate/Ben to play hooky. I’ll give you one guess where we went?! Yup, DISNEYLAND. Ben was measuring 39 ½ inches – or 40 with his shoes on – which officially made him tall enough to ride everything in Disney Land. Brave little Ben went on Space Mountain, TWICE. It was the BEST day and the perfect way to end our vacation.

Paisley, Kate and Ben with the giant pumpkin

Doug took Ben on Autotopia while Jesse/Kristen/Kate and I rode, Indiana Jones

At the lightsaver training camp, Kate was selected and ended up using her lightsaver skills in a one-one-one duo

And just to prove Jesse went to the themepark, here he is with Kate on a ride

That night, we took a red-eye from LAX and began our journey back to Swaziland. I’m not going to go into detail because having lived through it once; I don’t need a reminder. Grumpopotamus Doug might chime in if he feels strongly enough, though…Guess we’ll have to wait and see…