What an amazing week we had.
We started fall break out with a birthday party for Gma Corinne's 70th
General Conference this year was wonderful as usual. I look forward to really dissecting the counsel for me in each of the talks. It always makes for a good weekend.
Then we headed to Newport Beach, staying at the Marriott coastal villas. They were the perfect size for our family...everyone had a bed, and a washer/dryer and full kitchen. They are also located next to a state park, so it felt a little secluded from the bustle of California traffic.
I walked the beach almost every morning, with my friend or my husband. It was bliss. We played at different beaches, Doheny (great 1st time surf beach), Corona del Mar (my favorite play beach), crystal cove (a walk a way)and little Corona del Mar (tide pools).
High lights were my morning beach walk, trying surfing, watching Lily and Lizzie boogie board for 5 hours straight, watching my boys catch sea creatures in the tide pools. and seeing my children just enjoy the sand.
Low Lites were Wednesday.....Rachel falling asleep on the shuttle bus and us not knowing where she was for 1/2 hour. (A friend drove my back and a very nice women named Lori helped Rachel until I got there). Also the boys caught fish on their fishing trip that day, but then gutted them on the condo porch....yuck. I feel like I couldn't get the fish smell off my hands. That same day, our car battery just died while we were out getting ice cream in the evening. Just remember there are highs and lows to life.
We took the ferry to Balboa island on Thursday and got Corn dogs, balboa bars, ice cream, taffy, and Rachel lost her first tooth. My favorite were the cronuts.
Friday we packed up (after walking on the Beach with Gary) and headed to Robert's cello shop in Hollywood where Lily bought her first real wood cello...a small fortune that will be her Christmas present, birthday present, as well 10% of her own money. It's a beautiful instrument.
We then headed down Wiltshire to Gary's brother's house to celebrate virtual Corinne's actual 70th birthday with a Hawaiian luau and cake from Corinne's favorite bakery Emil's. Delish! Then we headed to Shelley's for the Night,
Saturday we hung out, took a hike, painted unicorn cookies for Rachel, bleached Ben's hair to match his cousin Quinn, and had delicious smoked chicken by Tony, play Werewolf for an hour with everyone, and finished the night with a movie.
Sunday we packed and headed home. What a week. A couple kids had slight runny noses, but other than that it was pretty action packed, amazing, and we hit lots of family and friend relationship building time. So fun....will be back.
