The fair

We went to the fair this year. The tractors were the big hit again! Nate on the left.

Climb on

The best way on the couch is to use the play table as a ladder. Nate in blue.

Being silly with Daddy

Will came up with a funny game to play with Daddy. He put a play cookie in his mouth and brought it to Daddy. He was quite upset when Daddy took it with his hands. Daddy got the game and the next time took it with his mouth. Will loved it. Nate didn't want to be left out so his got his own cookie too. It was all very cute.

Another Train!

We got to on another train. We took the WES commuter train again. Derek was entralled again. He was so happy to hold the tickets and show them to the conductor although he was a bit disappointed that he didn't get a stamp. Will and Nate seemed to enjoy it a bit too. Auntie Alli was lots of help of course. It is so nice having her here to do fun and special things. She is leaving today and we are very sad. Have fun Auntie Alli in Spain and we will see you in a month!

Play dough

Auntie Alli is going to need lots of naps when she gets home. We are wearing her out. She has been really busy the last 2 weeks playing, playing, playing. She is a very beloved play mate who gets fought over lots. We love you Auntie Alli!

Conquering the slide

Will and Nate conquered the slide (Will in white hat). They learned how to climb the climbing wall, turn around, and go down the slide on their bellies. I think learning how to do the stairs at the coast gave them confidence. They had the sweetest looks of victory when they got to the platform.

Derek was also very generous and gave them rides on his "dig dig." He even gave them lessons on how to operate it. Derek is usually very sweet with his brothers. Of course, then there are the moments when he drops them with a WWE-worthy move.

Geema and Bumpa are leaving this afternoon

Geema and Bumpa are leaving this afternoon so we had one last outing to the park. Will and Nate loved climbing the slide and going through the tunnel. Derek loved having so many friends to play with. We are very sad that they are leaving. We had a fantastic 2 weeks with them. 2 weeks is way too short with them because it goes so fast (funny how time can be so relative). We are glad Al will be here a few more days to play.

The aquarium

We had a blast at the aquarium celebrating the 4th. The boys all loved the animals and dipping their hands in the tide pools. They also had a great little park for the boys to run and climb on the stone animals. We ate lunch there and then went back to the house. During nap time, Mike and I went over by ourselves. We all went back over after naps. It was great that it was less than a mile and we could go in and out.

The house

We rented a fantastic house in Newport. It was within walking distance to lots of things, had great views of they bay, and had plenty of room to spread out. We enjoyed the game room with pool, ping pong, and foosball in the evenings. It was the perfect place for the 8 of us to spread out and relax. We even were able to watch the fireworks after the kids were in bed from the living room.

Sand

You can't go to the coast without spending lots of time in the sand. The boys love sand. Mike buried Natey, Bumpa took a nap, and Derek ran and got wet in the shallow surf.

Tide pools

Low tide is amazing time to explore tide pools. We enjoyed lots of starfish, and other animals. After being carried, everyone then needs time to run!

Hikes

We did lots of hikes in the Newport area. It was beautiful and we had fun seeing the natural beauty

Newport boat ride

We are in Newport for the next several days. We found n a fantastic house to celebrate my Mom's 60th, my parents' 40th, and just all being together. Mike, Alli, Derek, and I went on a wildlife boat ride. We saw several sea lions, lots of birds, and a few glimpses of whales. Derek liked the ride in the beginning, but when the waters got choppy, he slipped a little and got a bit scared. So we stayed in the cabin for lots of it. He finally was lured out of the cabin to see the crab pots being pulled up, D held a crab and helped release him. D even got to drive the boat. All in all, it was a fun time.

Family pictures are today

Auntie All is here now too. Now that we are all together, we had the super-talented miss Kati take our family pictures. These are just a few previews that Mike took. It was a bit zany with all of us plus Derek was hungry and crabby. He just wanted to run around which made things a bit interesting. Miss Kati did a grand job of course. Now we are off to lunch and then the coast!