We went to California to visit my Uncles and Aunt after school got out for summer. We had a terrific time with them and the week flew by fast. First we spent a full day at Disney and early the next day we were bound for Catalina for a long weekend. After our return, we spent a day playing at Laguna Beach. Our final day, we walked around Balboa Island with Uncle Brian and then it was time to head home!

First on the agenda: dinner at Newport Harbor Yacht Club

Watching Uncle Brad, Jonathan, Avery & Kieron bring Galatea over from Bay Island so we could load her for our trip.

Loading the Melonseed

After we returned from Catalina, unloading the Melonseed

On our flight down

With Nelly!

At Laguna Beach

Balboa Bars!

Saying Goodbye

Shortly after we left we found out our flight was delayed a couple hours. All week the boys had been asking if we could go to the exotic car place and we hadn’t had any time to do it. But with the delayed flight and all our bags already packed and loaded, we had just the right amount of time to check out some dream cars and grab a bite to eat!

Here’s Silas with a few of his favorites 

Kieron really wanted to see the Koenigsegg, but we couldn’t even get in there!

And Layla with a couple of her faves

We finally got to go to Catalina on Galatea with my Aunt and Uncles! We spent a long weekend there and had an incredible time! The first day we went to Avalon, where we got ice cream, shopped, and toured the area on a golf cart. I’ve heard many stories about my Dad and his family sailing there over the years and it was so neat to see it in person. After that we were bound for Moonstone Cove, where the Newport Harbor Yacht Club Outstation is. We BBQ’d there, enjoyed a delicious waffle breakfast, and did some sailing, paddle boarding, swimming & hiking. Eventually it was time to head home. A friendly (and large) pod of dolphins swam along with us on the way. Overall, an unforgettable cruise and a great weekend with family!

We’ve arrived!

Relaxing with Uncle Brian

We rented a golf cart so we could tour around Avalon. We saw the Wrigley house and other sites.

The view from up  high

Back at the boat

“Cheers to being together!”

Silas, showing Uncle Brian the Nintendo Switch

Back in Avalon for some shopping and ice cream

Happy campers! Avery & Kieron got the flybridge.

The next morning   

Headed to Moonstone Cove

Avery did some sailing there           

Silas did some more jumping

The water was so clear!

Headed to the outstation to BBQ!

Playing ring toss

Grilling (I wish I’d gotten a picture of the cute little fox that was interested in what we were having!

Layla was obsessed with catching frogs and tadpoles

Beautiful sunset

Yummy waffle breakfast!

Tadpoles!

Hiking Mount Whitney – it ended up being a dramatic hike! Since it was early in the season, the trail was not well worn, nor was it well marked, and we got off course several times. It ended up turning into a long, hot, marriage-testing hike, but we eventually made it back down safely!

Bound for Newport Harbor

Dolphins!

Finally, a few selfies of Layla!
 

After school got out for the summer we headed to Southern California for a vacation! We hit Disney Land and California Adventure the day after we arrived.

At the Matterhorn

Space Mountain

Pirates of the Caribbean

Rise of the Resistance

Thunder Mountain

Pretty sure this was my last time in the teacups with all my babies.

We got park hopper tickets so we could spend the first half of the day at Disney and the second at California Adventure. This is waiting for Guardians of the Galaxy.

On the big ferris wheel. We got a tipsy cage and all agreed it was more exciting than it looks from the ground!

The Incredicoaster! I am not a fan of big thrills and was NOT going to go on this ride. After the kids went with Jonathan once, they all loved it (even Layla) and begged me to try it. I decided to face my fear, and I’m glad I did. I loved it!

Radiator Springs

All done for the day! Let’s go to In N Out!

Our little girl turned eight this year. At eight, Layla is sweet, spunky, thoughtful, insightful, inquisitive and oh-so energetic! She’s a girly-girl, but a little bit of a Tom-boy at the same time (how could she not be with three older brothers she looks up to). She loves her family, adores her pets and cherishes her friendships. She’s always making plans with friends! Her favorite hobbies include boating, swimming, skiing, dancing, cheer, playing piano and loving on our pets. Happy birthday, Layla Blythe! We love you!

Funny story – year she originally wanted a paintball party after she had so much fun at Kieron’s. I told her I thought that was a fun idea, but didn’t think many of her friends would like it. Her second choice was having the Reptile Man come to the house. Again, I agreed it would be fun, but told her I wasn’t sure many of her friends would like it. Fortunately, a Taylor Swift themed party with slime was next on her list, and her friends could definitely get on board with that!
  

Layla loved the American Girl bunk bed and closet she got

Eight dollars for the eight year old

It’s great to be eight!

For her birthday, Layla requested sushi for dinner. We were happy to oblige!

Funfetti cake!

“It’s me, hi, I’m the birthday girl. It’s me!”

All decked out in Swiftie gear. Jonathan’s hat is pretty small to read, but it says, “You need to calm down. You’re being too loud.”

Guests were immediately directed to the bathroom to apply Taylor red lipstick

Slime! (An homage to Taylor’s messy breakup songs)







  

Olivia, Millie, Anna & Layla

Top Row: Charlotte, Violet, Shelby, Layla, Clare, Olivia, Arianna

Bottom Row: Eleanor, Kennedy, Anna, Millie, Emma, Paz & Savannah   

Emma stayed for a sleepover
 

Here’s what we were up to in May. Layla’s class released their butterflies

This girl loves practicing piano. Here she is playing a song from the Barbie movie

Jonathan, out with friends

2nd grade concert

Finished this project in the basement!

Middle School track meets

Silas’ end of the year band concert
 

Mr. Alas, lucky to have him as a band teacher

The girls had their end of the year gymnastics banquet

The girls put this routine together at their sleepover at the studio following the banquet

We watched the Northern Lights

Middle School track meet at Islander Middle School
 

At Dueling Pianos at The Club with friends

Avery went to watch his friend’s lacross game at Eastlake HS and snapped this beautiful sunset

Celebrating a friends birthday at Saints & Scholars