Family Gathering on Coronado

This is the kite we could not fly on the beach at Naval Air Station North Island, where we gathered the day after the wedding. The reason? Low flying aircraft. Pictured are Caroline (trying to grab the kite), Eldon, Nicole and Madeline Pettit, Shaela, and Joseph.
 
I don't know if it is because we came from Utah (where it was snowing a month ago) or because I don't believe in being cold unless it actually is really cold. But we had a great time visiting as a family despite the clouds and the breeze. Pictured here are Amy Pettit, Beth Beck, and Suzanne Darracq (my mom and two sisters). Suzanne looks more and more like Amy each year.
 
Here's Mike Darracq with his daughter Charlotte Rose. We were all thrilled to have him with us because we have not seen him since he left for Afghanistan early last summer. He was home for a two week leave period and will complete his deployment (hopefully) within the next three months. His experience as a Navy doctor, attached to an Army command as an individual augment responsible for "mentoring" and developing the Afghan emergency medical system has been interesting, frustrating, and challenging, to put it mildly.
 





















Young people wear little at the beach; old people wear lots. Here is my Dad, Grandma Nicolaysen, and Joel Skousen. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of Joel and my uncle Dave together, but they hit it off and spent the afternoon talking politics.