The Beach

Most of the time we spend at Newport is spent on the sand. This was Ryder's first experience in the sand and the water and he loved it.

Tanner is usually the first one out in the morning and he will stay all day.

Cade is usually looking for some sport to play and baseball is always a favorite.

There were a few days this year that it was way too crowded on the beach to play baseball so we had to fit it in when we could.

Grandma and Ryder watching the game.

Matt safe at 1st.

Please don't peg me! Cade can throw it hard now. Ouch!

The best games are always boys vs. girls. Of course the girls win every year :)

Weston will stay in the water all day. He's a fish.

The evenings are spent in the plaza hanging out and watching the sun set.

What a priceless picture of Grandpa & Ryder (and Kyle).

The last night was cousins night at Balboa. No adults allowed, unless you count me and Matt who were a decade older than any other cousin. Talk about getting old.

We closed down the arcade with a game of Deal or No Deal. Go Rob. I think he won a lot of tickets. It was so funny.

This year will be known as the year Wayne guaranteed perfect weather. And he came through. It was perfect every day.

911 Emergency!

How come there is always something exciting happening when you have kids? I'll tell you there is never a dull moment. Yesterday Cade had to be picked up 15 minutes early from school because he is on the school football team and they had an away game. So there I was with Ryder signing him out of school. It was a super hot day 97 degrees. We walked up to the car and I opened the back hatch so that Cade could get out his football clothes because he was going to change in the car. I started putting Ryder in his car seat and I was feeding him his bottle as we were waiting for Cade. I put my car keys on the front driver's seat and Cade opened his front passengers door. Then he said out loud, " I don't want to change in the front seat." As he was saying this and closing his door I was also closing Ryder's door. I heard the doors lock as they closed. What!!! Cade must have accidentally hit the lock button as he was closing the front door. I frantically go around trying to open each door but no luck. Remember my keys are on the front seat and now Ryder is locked in a boiling hot car. My first reaction was to break the window. But then I told myself to stop and think. I tried calling Matt but the call didn't go through. The service on my phone wasn't good in that spot. I left Cade standing next to Ryder's window. I ran into the school and asked them to dial 911 because my baby was locked in the car. The desk lady did and then I ran back outside. I tried calling Matt again and this time it worked. Thank goodness. I told him he needed to run home and get the spare car key and meet me at the school because I had locked the baby in the car. I always wondered what he must think when I call him with these crazy stories. Suddenly we had two school administrators at our car with us. They were really nice. Still no police or emergency people. I didn't know how long Ryder would last. Luckily he wasn't crying at all and he had his bottle. But still imagine how stuffy and hot the car felt. He just sat in his car seat looking at us. I would say after 10 + minutes the police finally arrived and it was just when Matt drove by on his way home. The police tried to open the door with some tool with no success. Then about 4 minutes later Matt pulled up and saved the day. My poor baby. I few more minutes and we would have had to break the window. Cade and I were both a little frazzled but a bad situation turned out OK.

Beach House Year #17 - Sunday

One of the best weeks of every year has to be the week we spend in Newport Beach. It is the Hart family tradition and this was our 17th year. We are all lucky to have Grandma is our lives and since she and Grandpa started this whole family I thought I would give a shout out to her. I've often thought that if everyone in the world had a Grandma like her the world would be a better place. People would be kinder and think more of others. They wouldn't judge others-just like Grandma has taught us.

Ryder's first year at the beach house!

Sundays have become one of my favorite days at the beach. After church we eat a family dinner and then it seems like the tradition is to go to the park at Newport Elementary. A school and park right on the ocean! What could be better?

I love these next two pictures. The first one the brother-in-laws are relaxed and spread apart. Enjoying some peace and quiet.

And now they have some company.

We usually play a game of baseball or duck, duck, goose.

I think the kids were waiting and begging for the game to begin.

It is so much fun to spend time with our families. Now Sara and Mike live far away :(

We will miss seeing them as often.

I'm already dreaming about next year. How about you?

Back to Cali

Now that school is back in I feel like I have some time to catch up on what we did this summer. We had the best summer! We were able to see so much family and visit a lot of great places.

Haylie turned 14 while we were in California. We spent the day at the Santa Monica Pier and ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Haylie is such a great young girl, really just the perfect daughter.

We had so much fun seeing our cousins, even though we live by them now. But it was fun to hang out with them in the early morning hours. We had fun seeing our "old" friends and catching up with them. We miss our California buddies.

Oh how we love California. We were able to go back for a visit in June/July. It was strange to be a visitor instead of living there. Everything felt so comfortable, normal, easy, and familiar. More on the beach house in another post.

Ryder at 9 months

Ok so I know people always say that time goes by so quickly but really the past nine months have flown by.My favorite part of any day is watching my big kids interact with Ryder. All of the kids call him "baby" and it is just so cute.
He literally lights up when the kids come home from school. Sometimes is just goes crazy with excitement.
We often have to tell Tanner to stop tickling him.
I've also enjoyed that Ryder has not reached any milestones too quickly. I think he enjoys being the baby. He still has no teeth. And he is barely starting to figure out the crawling thing. I'd love to keep him young forever.
I love this serious face.
This guy spend a lot of his day in the car. Only appropriate that he is driving one.
When I think about how much our lives have changed in the past nine months all I can do is smile. A new baby, a new house, a new state, a new life.
One of the Young Women at church took all of these pictures. What a talented young lady.

So big

I just want to freeze time...I can't get enough of this sweet little boy. His squishy thighs and his warm cheeks.
I just love being a mom...again.
What greater joy are we given than being with our families? I've been so blessed.

Easter

The kids on Easter morning

Coloring Easter eggs

The cupcakes that we made from a kit that Aunt Susan sent.

I think these two look a lot alike-what do you think?Haylie and Cade joined the track team. They both have done a great job. This is a picture of both of them running the mile and they are way faster than me!