We had just the nicest time on our trip to Newport Beach last week.  One of my favorite vacations ever.

We came home from church and got our stuff together then took off.  Chris said we could stay at his house cause his family  was all out of town so we stopped in Vegas.  Chris is just the best.  He had pizza, salad and fruit all ready for us.  Spencer and Emily (his wife) were there too so we had a nice time visiting with them.  Chris helped me upload all of his pictures from mexico onto my computer and he had some really good ones.

We got up early and got on our way...oh this was the pretty sunset Sunday night.

We decided to stay at the travel lodge by the airport.  We had stayed there when we came with Camille's last year and liked it.

KC and Candice doing a pre-beach workout

 So last year we had a little competition between Katie and I and KC and Candice  at paddle ball.  Katie and I did pretty well if I do say so myself.  But this year KC and Candice totally dominated us.  They were getting up over 400 hits!  We tried all the moves we knew, but couldn't get close.  

We went to Katie's old ward on Sunday and stayed for Sunday school.  It was a good lesson.  After we decided to go check out this place Katie had found on the internet called Victoria beach.  It was supposed to have an old pirate castle on it and a great history behind it.  It was down by the Montage.  After driving and walking and then walking some more, we finally found it.  It was a beautiful beach and the castle was pretty neat too!

 

 There were crabs and creeping things all over the rocks

 I can't get enough of the ocean.  it's power amazes me but it's also so calming and peaceful at the same time.  I never tire of watching the waves crash on the rocks or roll in quietly on the sand.  It was a beautiful place to see...well worth the walk to get to it.

Camille's family got there about 11.  They had ran into some bad traffic on the way.  We got them all situated and into bed.

 The next morning started off with a dance party...then off to the beach.

 How darling are they with their little beach chairs!  I could just eat them!

 The water was fairly warm this year.  Emily had fun jumping in the waves with papa.  Sam was much braver this year too and would jump right in the waves.  He has grown up a lot in the last year.  He is so smart!  He knows all his numbers and knows what they mean too.  He was doing little subtraction problems while he was carrying buckets of water and dumping them in hole.  "I'm getting ten buckets of water....after I dump one, then I will need to get nine more"...and he did this counting down to one.  I was pretty amazed!  He is so full of life and fun and can be so loving and sweet.   

 Sam had fun playing with Heather's boys. It was nice to be there with their family.  Dan and Brenda had their whole family there with a few extras.  Ashley came down from Alaska with her kids and with Heather and her bunch, they had a house full.

We also ran into Neeley's one night down by Charlies Chile.  They had rode their bike down from their place at 65th street.  It was great to see their family.  Reynolds were there this week too, so we ran into them a few times.  I don't know if I'd choose to go this week again though...it was super crowded everywhere.

This girl can't get enough of the water.  She is in the ocean jumping in the waves, body surfing or boogie boarding the whole day long.  Then she is always the last one to want to go in, so her and Kelley will stay and shut down the beach.

 They found some neat shells this year...a few whole sand dollars

Charlies Chile is always good breakfast.  Camille and I ran down to Balboa a few times during the week and it actually felt pretty good!  She could have gone twice as fast without me, but she waits for me and tells me things that make me feel like I'm really doing something.  She keeps me going when I feel like quitting and makes it fun.  I am going to try to keep running at home, but it won't be nearly as fun without her.  She just makes me (and everyone else she is around) happy. I'm sure going to miss her.  Anyway, we deserved french toast after that run.

It sure makes me happy to see Candice loving her stitching!  I remember doing the same thing when I was her age...always had a project with me to work on while we were driving or relaxing.  It's really therapeutic to me.

 She 

Candice has taken it to a whole different level though.  She is so creative!  She does all her handwriting free hand and it looks great!

She is the featured artist at a darling vintage shop downtown this month and her work is all over the walls of the store.  She had to leave Friday morning to get home for the gallery stroll Friday night where people can come by and look at her art work and meet her.  I just couldn't be any more proud of her.

This just kind of melts my heart

 And this...

 Olivia was always so cold and shivering by the time she would come in at night, we decided to get her a wet suit.  She wore it pretty much non stop after that.

Olivia knows just how to catch a good wave and will ride it clear into the shore.  I can see her smiling all the way!

 A lot of checkers games went down that week

We got to celebrate Katie's birthday at the beach this year...this was a couple day's before at Spaghetti factory.  I don't know how they even knew it, but when we walked in to be seated, they said "and you are celebrating Katie's birthday!"  We all thought someone else in the family had told them, but no one did.  Ha!  It was extra nice to have Emily help blow out the candle.

Cute twinners

M

 My favorite guys right there

My other favorite guys

 I couldn't resist this...she has the cutest little bum. adorable!

 Lotta love going on 

 More cockles? (popcicles)

 This was on Kate's actual birthday. She is such an amazing person.  As I watch her working out her life path, I am filled with so much love and admiration for her.  She has had some hard things, but has the faith, courage and strength to get through them. I can see these trials molding her and preparing her for the future and to be the person she was meant to be. She is one of the most compassionate thoughtful people I know...and would do anything for you.  She loves her family and it shows. She is always there to support each of her siblings and Kelley and I too.  I love to watch her with her siblings...there are some special relationships there. Anyway, I just feel really blessed to get to have her with us right now and to be her mom.

We went to Panini for dinner and it was pretty fabulous.  Then over to Cheesecake factory after.  (I think I have gained 10 pounds on this trip...ate way too much but I don't even care... it was all so good!) 

Oh man I hated to see this week come to an end.  Camille and I stayed up late playing racko just so we wouldn't have to face the inevitable.  I have been able to be with their family for the past couple months, and it has been just wonderful, so I knew it was going to leave a hole in my heart when I said goodbye.  It sure did.