Quick post .... Marathon pictures ....

for the benefit of my East Coast in-laws.We are having a great visit with Lisa and Michelle,Marks sister and her daughter.We headed to Pepperdine to pop in on Taylor.It is insanely hot here.Like 100 degrees.Malibu seemed to be a good choice as it is usually a bit cooler there ... but no such luck.And with no air conditioning in the dorms,8 people,including her roommate, it was kind scary hot.We visited for a bit.Went to the campus bookstore and purchased some seriously over priced text books for her and then said our goodbyes.Taylor is loving college already.Embracing NSO,new student orientation week and participating in tons of activities.Taylor may be the baby of the older set and young for her grade but she really is pretty self sufficient and independent,contrary to what her sisters might think and possibly chime in.She is going to do great there and will certainly grow and thrive and blossom all the more in the upcoming 4 years.We came home, had a delicious dinner courtesy of Lisa and Michelle and finished the night off with a night swim and multiple rounds of various card games.Sans me.I don't do cards.Sorry Barbara Ann,my lovely mother-in-law!The night ended with an interesting first for us Californian's.Tim-Tams.Australian chocolate cookies that Lisa and Michelle taught us a nifty trick with, by taking bite's out of opposite corners of the cookie,using it like a straw and sucking up a bit of hot coffee where immediately the chocolate melts into a mouthful of rich chocolate.Sounds a bit strange.Looks,from the pictures,really strange but boy, for a chocolate lover like me ... delicious.Tomorrow Mark and Lisa,the boys and Michelle are heading down to San Diego.A whirlwind, turn around,one day trip to see Caitlin,Danny and Charlotte.Zoey and I are hanging back.Too crazy of a day for the little love.I will hate missing getting my grubby grandmother hands on Charlie though.She is smiling now and so darn cute ... Caitlin sent me a video of her smiling up a storm and her whole little body gets into the smile.You know how babies do that?Like they are smiling so big and so hard they are just going to burst ... that is how she smiles.So that is the quick update.More tomorrow after the San Diego run.Speaking of run ... I'm still indecisive but thank each and everyone of you for your loving words of concern.I am tossing around a few ideas and by weeks end will hopefully have solidified my plans.I have a few more test results coming in also so that will play a role in the decision as well.More to follow later this week on that.

* some picture rundowns:Jess and Matt trying the very yummy Tim-Tams with coffee .. looks weird but I highly recommend it.Then:We have Matt our resident EMT/paramedic,practicing his fine blood pressure techniques.Next:The view and Joe:Poor poor Taylor needs only go to numerous spots on campus and THIS is what she see's everyday.Things are tough all over,aren't they?Last:Taylor hanging with her little love in her dorm room.The rest of the pictures ....fairly self explanatory.