I took advantage of the wonderful evening light to photograph all the kids with their grandparents. This was one of my favorites.

Leave it to Maya to develop a new method of drinking water. Apparently she prefers drinking from a cup rather than the bottle but can not be bothered to pause for refills. I can do nothing but admire her creativity and inventiveness as she replenishes the water in her glass continuously while drinking from it.

John William must have gotten a good dose of Quinn genes and has grown to be nine feet tall (this is just an estimate). Like Kyle, he is now driving and enjoys soccer and lacrosse. Despite his huge stature, he is soft spoken and gentle.

Rachel is a third generation ballroom dancing sensation, a skilled martial artist, and very powerful soccer and softball player. She knocked pitches from her dad into the yard of the neighbor two houses away. I innocently tossed her a pitch and nearly lost my head when she hit a line drive right at me. I decided it would be best to immediately move on to a different activity well out of her range.

My sister Alissa has followed in my parent’s foot steps and is a highly accomplished ballroom dancer.

Today was spent largely at my sister’s home, where the kids enjoyed the pool, soccer, softball, and a cookout. My parents are pictured here with a little more than half of their grandchildren.

Kyle and Nicolai challenged their father and his father to a match. The toddlers’ early bravado quickly evaporated as their elders amassed an 8-2 lead. Muscles and machismo are no match for experience and cunning.

Calabria family gatherings are incomplete without several games of bocce. Here, the next generation tunes up their skills.

After Kyle’s soccer scrimmage this morning, we drove to Schenectady to spend the weekend with my parents, where we were joined for dinner by my sister Alissa and her family. From the left; Maya, Rachel, John, Alissa, Jeanine & Carl, Angela & Frank, Nicolai, John Jr., and Kyle.

Very early this morning we said goodbye to Jolle who returns to Belgium this morning. She has been a delightful addition to our family for the past few weeks and we will look forward to seeing her again. Perhaps one day her child will visit with one of our kids (or vice-a-versa) extending this foreigh exchange tradition with the Zottemeid family for a third generation.

 
State Street in Santa Barbara is lined with street musicians and pan handlers who seek to make money from the constant stream of tourists. This gentleman was sporting a very interesting hairdo which seemed very apropos for a beach side community.

Jeanine records the action during a watermelon seed spitting contest among Maya and her friends in the backyard. This will be the last day of summer vacation. Tomorrow it is back to school.

Normally when I travel to Santa Barbara I camp on the beach at Carpenteria State Park. During the summer months the park is often fully reserved. That was the case this time so I stayed at the Fremont Campground in the Santa Ynez Recreation Area on the edge of Los Padres National Forest. This location is much more isolated and quiet but required a 30 minute drive into the very scenic mountains.

This week I will be working out of our Santa Barbara office. My flight to LAX affords me great views of Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. As dramatic, but in an entirely different way, is the Mission Fire burning in the hills above Los Angeles. The city was almost entirely obscured by the smoke which has filled the valley and the magnitude of the fire is apparent from the plumes which resemble an erupting volcano. Between the Kennedy funeral procession and this fire I feel like I was a photojournalist covering the news this week.