Taking a Sick Day at San Clemente Beach

After Samantha got sick with a random fever and tummy aches, the rest fell like dominoes. Amelia threw up in the aisles of Michale’s a few days later, and Meredith was up all night with a fever. After a few days of being homebound, the girls weren’t energetic enough to go crazy on outings, but definitely needed to get out of the house, even for an hour. We loaded up both the single BOB and double stroller and got them out for some nice ocean air as we strolled down the San Clemente Beach Trail. The blaring from the Surfliner train on the route always ruins the experience for me, but was a highlight for the girls, as was the small but mighty playground on the beach.

Stylin’ on the swings.

Samantha felt better already!

Best view while swinging your kids:

Okay… let’s go home now.

There’s nothing like the ocean to cure kids of cabin fever and get them so tired that they nap for four hours!

Lots of love,

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Beaching and Jeeping

While Grammy and Grandpa were in town for the twins’ birthdays and Disneyland, we had two Open Houses at our house and needed to be out for several hours. It was so much easier cleaning and getting everyone out with the extra help, especially after being used to doing it all myself whenever we had showings during the week. Sometimes, I’ve had to have the place passably clean and the kids out with only an hour’s notice, and have been so stressed out!

One weekend during our Open House, we spent the afternoon at Dana Point and the Ocean Institute, where the girls touched starfish and other sea creatures, toured a pirate ship and learned all about whales, while Meredith ran around the park and ate. And ate. And ate.

On her third course for lunch.

Ready to start paddleboarding.

The weekend after Disneyland during another Open House, we had a picnic and beach afternoon at Marina Park in Newport Beach. I’ve been wanting to check out this park/beach for a while now, but Newport is about 30 minutes away for us, as opposed to Dana Point, Laguna and some of the other beaches that are much closer for us. It was definitely worth the extra drive, with a wide, spacious green space, awesome nautical themed playground, and a beach right on the playground that was so perfect for little kids. The beach had no waves and calm water, just like Baby Beach in Dana Point, only this one was much cleaner! We will be back!

Meredith’s first time walking into the ocean herself!

She immediately plopped down and got soaked. I could barely stand getting my feet wet– so cold!

Like a moth to the flame, Meredith was drawn to a bouncy house someone had set up.

Coppertone baby beach bum!

The twins are playground connoisseurs and gave this one two big thumbs up.

Before Grammy and Grandpa left back to Utah, the twins spent the morning racing cars on the amazing Magic Trax race car set from Grammy and Grandpa and showing off their driving skills.

Safari with Meredith.

Waving to her adoring public.

It was a rough week adjusting back to our routine after a week and a half of non-stop birthday celebrations, beach adventures, Disneyland and having Grammy and Grandpa around to help out and join in the fun. The week after, everyone was sick, cranky, sleep-deprived, off-schedule, and complaining about preschool being “boring.” With all the excitement, I fear we’ve created thrill junkies and are going to have to get them used to normal life again!

Lots of love,

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