Newport Coast

I know, GASP, a new post. What can I say - I have been going through a blogging funk lately. I guess it's just laziness. Anyway, last week we went to the beach for a week with Sean's parents and his sister and her husband.

We made the whole drive on Friday the 22nd. On Saturday we went to IN-n-OUT and then headed to Newport Coast. We took the kids swimming as soon as we got there to get their wiggles out. Sunday we went to Sacrament meeting across from the Newport Temple and then walked around the temple grounds after and took some pictures.


After naps and lunch we took the kids down to the tide pools and took more pictures. The girls collected shells and Spencer was terrified of the water!




Monday was Memorial Day, so we drove to Laguna Beach and stayed for about three hours. it was very crowded, but the kids had a blast. The girls made sand castles, which Spencer vindictively demolished. They also played in the water. I forgot to put sunscreen on their little legs, and the girls both got burned. It's funny - Kenna's has already turned to a nice brown tan, and Emma's still looks burned. Sorry honey, you got my skin!




On Tuesday we did Disneyland. Spencer got excited the moment we came into the Pinnochio parking lot and started kicking and flailing his arms. It was a long day, full of lines and waiting, but it was fun. I had bought the kids Disney notebooks at the dollar store before we left, and Disney t-shirts at Walmart. I fancy I saved us a good chunk of money that way. So, we bought the kids each a toy from Disneyland. Spencer picked a stuffed Buzz Lightyear, Emma wanted a stuffed fairy from Pixie Hollow, and Kenna got a small snow globe that supposedly plays the music to It's a Small World, but I didn't realize the batteries were dead when I bought it, and I haven't been able to find the odd batteries anywhere else either. Mackenna was crying or whining most the day about something or other, and of course Spencer was nap-deprived so he wasn't a basket of raspberries either. Emma was really good except when she wailed and cried all through Space Mountain. It scared her really bad. I found myself wondering about halfway through the day why on earth we go to the trouble and expense of taking our kids places like this. Here is the answer:


For the fleeting moments when their little faces are lit with joy. And, for the memories. Kids have an amazing knack for remembering the high points and forgetting the negative. I need to be more like that! I am going to do a separate slideshow of Disneyland - there are just too many pictures to put into this post.

Wednesday morning everyone was so tired that the kids actually slept in until 7:30 California time, which is like sleeping in until 8:30 here. One morning Kenna even slept until we woke her up around 9:00. It was a blooming miracle. I wish I knew how to duplicate it at home - maybe a pitch-black room? Maybe I'll invest in some of those hotel drapes - the really thick ones. Wednesday we kind of took it easy. Sean and I ditched the kids with Sean's parents and went to see Terminator Salvation. It was good, but I have to say I was more impressed with the guy who played the Terminator than Christian Bale, who played John Connor. Maybe it's knowing about his true violent nature - kind of puts a dampener on his hero roles.

Thursday was Sea World. Spencer had somewhat of a hard time sitting through all the shows, but he loved all the ocean life. It was a much more relaxing day than Disneyland, and we got a ton of cool pictures. I think I'll do a separate slideshow for that too.

Friday the boys went golfing and we took the kids window shopping to Balboa Island. I was shocked when the sales lady at the first shop we went to rebuked Emma for touching a dress. I could not believe it. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she is told to leave a store on Rodeo Drive. Anyway, after lunch the guys came back for brat patrol and the girls went shopping. That night we packed up our stuff and then Saturday morning we checked out. We were going to break up the drive back home, but we decided to stay another night and make the whole trip on Sunday. The kids watched Horton Hears a Who three times in a row, had lunch and took a short nap, watched Kung Fu Panda twice, Finding Nemo once, and then were told to look out the windows for the rest of the time.

We're finally home, and it seemed like the minute we pulled into our driveway my allergies started flaring up again. Either I am a lousy housekeeper and really need to dust madly, or there is something in this state I'm allergic to. Hopefully I will get up the energy to post some more soon.