Newport Beach

We are home from another fabulous week at Newport Beach. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather go for a family trip. This year was one of our best. We had perfect weather, healthy, happy kids, and fun, fun, fun. All 3 kids were troopers even on the very long drive there and back. 

Callie, Ashley, Lizzie, little Will, Andrew and Joe. 

 Here we are at the Yellow House after Church. Dave and I went to sacrament meeting and then back to the beach house. Ashley and Hailey did that too. Andrew, however, must have been born in the wrong family because he insisted on staying for the entire 3 hour block; so he went to primary like his cousins and their family. 

 Visiting the Temple

Playing under the Pier

 Hailey has a new scrunchy nose smile that we can't get enough of!

 Friends and cousins in the kiddie pool

 Getting Buried 

 Ashley is our animal lover. She loved catching sand crab pets. She even caught a live clam. 

  The kids loved digging deep holes for jumping

 Ashley was the sand monster

 She liked to roll around and become one with the sand. She was in kid paradise. 

Handsome Andrew had fun going all day long

 At night we'd take walks on the Pier to see the fishermen, that was my kids' absolute favorite night after night. One night we saw a 7 foot shark that had been caught in Huntington, and this picture is with a flat head shark which everyone assures me is harmless but, I don't buy it. 

 Or, walk down the boardwalk to the playground. I love this picture of Callie, Ashley, Joe and Andrew.

Or go to the Donut Shop for a treat.

Or be silly at our Yellow House

 Or wrestle

Some mornings we just hung out a little while extra in our pajamas

Several mornings I strapped on my roller blades and pushed Andrew and Ashley in the stroller down to the Balboa Pier. They loved going fast and I loved the sound of waves in the quiet morning. 

One morning we went to the wedge to see the big waves and crazy body surfers.  

 The kids had fun riding on the boardwalk but, it was way too stressful for Dave and I. Andrew goes too fast and we could never keep up, so we were always praying he would eventually stop and wait (which amazingly, he did) while Ashley was so distracted she went at a too relaxed pace. Just walking was much better. 

Hailey is such a flexible baby. She slept in the portacrib, or in arms at the beach, or in our beach tent. She's wonderful. 

Hailey doesn't look much like Ashley anymore except when she's asleep, then she looks exactly like Ashley did at this age!

Ashley was amazing too. She'd play hard all day and skipped naps most days, unless she just zonked out right on the beach. We just set up the tent right over the top of her. One of our funniest moments was when Andrew was falling asleep while eating dinner at a restaurant. I was in tears watching him. All the kids fell asleep the minute they hit the pillow each night.  

Andrew was so excited to try boogie boarding. He went again and again. He didn't stop smiling the whole time! 

Playing on the Lifeguard Tower. All 7 Beautiful Cousins: Joe (10), Callie(8), Hailey (almost 1), Lizzie (5), Andrew(4), Ashley(3) and William(2). 

The kids spent all week in the ocean and sand. They never got tired of it, only more daring. 

 The kids love taking waves out in the kiddie pool!

 Can't wait to go back!