It may be the fact that the kids are two years older than the last time we vacationed in Newport, or the fact that we didn't get to experience the blessing of living at the beach last year, but this year was more lovely than ever. We got back last Tuesday and we were full throttle into regular school and work and life. It took me a good week to catch up on the million things that were put on hold as I fully and completely vegged out for two weeks straight.
There was lots of boogie boarding, wave jumping, seashell hunting, digging for sandcrabs, front porch relaxing. The best times to do that are in the morning with a cup of coffee or at sunset of course. We did crosswords, read books, played games like Rummikub and a card game called 9 card. Look for the pic of Addie after she won Rummikub and Angus having a complete breakdown over losing. He is more in touch with his feelings than anyone I know.
We took walks to the coffee shop, the farmer's market, local restaurants and ice cream shops. Dan and the kids have a beach morning tradition for years now of eating those little storebought chocolate donuts. I think they taste like plastic. They're fine with not sharing with me. We made new friends including the dog pictured below. We also had a few visitors which is always the most fun.
Dan flew the kite with the kids and let Angus hold it which I encouraged but may not have been the best idea. He let it go a few times. Once it went up on top of a roof and we thought we lost it forever. Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic. I was too busy holding the string up above the heads of the passersby trying to look normal. Nothing to see here folks. Somehow Dan managed to get it down from the roof and was deemed the kite whisperer.
Dan and I tried to take turns taking the kids out on "dates" to dinner or lunch. I took Mya to Dinner. He took Winter. Dan took Addie out to lunch. And Angus and I biked to the fun zone where he rode a ferris wheel for the first time and a ferry boat that carried cars across the marina to Balboa Island which blew his mind. On our way back we saw an SUV stuck in the sand. She had driven up over the boardwalk and parked on the sand. Totally illegal in Newport but I guess it's legal on the East Coast. Maybe they weren't from around here. Anyway, it took a tow truck to get it out so Angus insisted we sit and watch the whole thing unfold. Buildings under construction were also mandatory stops on our bike rides with Angus.
Dan and I went paddle boarding and out to dinner a couple times. Thanks for babysitting Wendy!
Auntie Wendy (Angus calls her Auntie Wenny) joined us for a week which was super fun since she lives in Orlando and we don't get to see her all of the time. And she helped with homework. And she took lots of pics including some family shots. Angus was melting down after the 2nd pic so I bribed him with cheetos. He's still pretty allergic to dairy and rarely gets to eat them so of course, he agreed.
