Newport Beach: Part 1

We had a fun time in Newport this year spending time with cousins, aunts, uncles and Nana and Papa!  Here are some of the highlights from our trip.

Saturday:  Helped Tyler and Chelsea move to Pasadena. Checked into our condos.  Almost everyone got into their room okay....the front desk got an ear full!  Megan, Ella & I went shopping.  Megan had a lesson in parking. ;)  We laughed ourselves silly!

Sunday:  Relaxed.  Some went to a battleship, others went grocery shopping to pick up food for the week.  We ate Nana's famous Lasagna for dinner!

Monday:  Beach day!  Chelsea and I took the wrong shuttle with 4 children in tow.  Dawson & Charlie's first time at the beach! Tyler wore his flippers and did the duck walk.  Megan smacked her chin on the ocean floor (OUCH!) while we were out boogie boarding.  Our family made Cafe Rio Pulled Pork Salads for dinner. 

Bridger & Emry (2.5 months apart in age) enjoyed jumping the waves together!

Dawson's first beach experience.  Lets just say he really does not like anything about the beach.  It was an interesting week for him.

Duck walk!

Tuesday:  Cars Land (California Adventure) and Disneyland!  We had a blast!  Arrived shortly after the parks opened and lasted until about 10:30 p.m.--pretty good with 2 kiddos ages 3 and under!  Bridger was so excited to be there!  He LOVED Cars Land and meeting Lightening McQueen and Mater.  He also loved meeting Mickey Mouse--we went twice to do that!  Bridger's favorite ride was Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters....which we went on 5 times?  Or was it 6?

To name a few of the other rides we rode--Toad's, Carousel, Dumbo, Pirates of the Carribean (2), all of the Bugs Life rides, Mater ride, and Luigi's Flying Tires. 

Dawson enjoyed looking around and riding on all of the rides he was allowed on.  I think more than anything he loved falling asleep in his stroller and being pushed around.  Oh, and the frequent snacks he got while we were waiting in lines. :)  Though I was worried how it would be, he was the most pleasant baby!

1st ride!  Loved it! 

Our family tradition is that you get your own set of Mickey ears on your first trip to Disneyland.  Dawson was borrowing his brother's for the photo since we didn't pick his up until the end of the day.

Enjoying the scenery of Cars Land.  It is pretty incredible how they have done it!  Annnndddd....I'm pretty sure Dave was working on his phone. ;)  

Bridger LOVES Mickey Mouse.  He was giddy.  It wasn't until after we finished at Mickey's house that he asked me with a very concerned look on his face, "Why didn't Mickey talk to me? He didn't say anything!"  I think he was so worried that Mickey didn't like him.  Poor kid.  Don't worry--I promptly made up the fact that Mickey only likes to talk when he is on T.V.....I'm pretty sure I could have come up with something better than that.  Poor parenting moment.

Bridger and cousin Emry holding hands on the way to the Buzz Lightyear line.

The 2nd time we went to meet Mickey Dawson was finally awake.  Just the look on Dawson's face..... Priceless. Ha!

Loved having a legitimate excuse to wear his Mickey ears around. 

After a long day he finally earned his "first timer" set of Mickey ears!

Right before we left the park for the day!  Fun memories for our family!

More to come....