Our First Three-generation family Reunion

While Lu worked her tail off finishing out her sophomore year, I loved seeing all the BeReals and family text pictures and messages coming through as everyone started to converge in Newport. It was to be our first three-generation family reunion and we were all pretty dang excited!

Elle and Carson were in L.A. already for their first externship that was just ending. Max and Abby decided it was time for Murphy’s first trip. And Claire and Grace weren’t going to let that party happen without them.

Dave decided he’d better join the big kids early too. Because hey, did I mention baby Murphy would be there? 🙂

Elle and Carson got to meet Murphy for the first time and I’m pretty sure it was love at first sight.

Lu and I were pretty excited to get there to join them.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, there is nothing like having your WHOLE family together for those special, special days. Especially when you are all spread out. There is something about watching family relationships grow that is just so happy.

Baby Murphy Love

There was a LOT of love going on for Baby Murphy, as you’ll see throughout this post, but let’s take a little look at that gem of a girl:

…and the love of those siblings.

(She doesn’t look overly pleased about all that love in that last one…ha!)

We also showered love on our newest paddle-boarder Lucy.

She hadn’t shown off her new skills to her siblings yet and they were pretty proud.

Tinfoil Dinners on the Beach Fail

We whipped up some tinfoil dinners (our tradition is to cook them over a little bonfire on the beach):

This takes a lot of work, so we were pretty deflated after we got the supplies packed up and headed over to find no fire pits available. Dang!

But we ended up baking those dinners in the oven on Sunday which worked just fine (no pits available that night either).

We even made our s’mores over our gas stove and they were a pretty good prelude to our game night:

There is no shortage of Murphy-love.

We are living in a Murphy world I tell you.

Oh my goodness we all could not get enough of that baby. Even when she was fussy I loved that every one of those girls (well, except Lucy, Lu still has some warming up to do…), fought over holding her the whole time, fussy or not.

Everyone had theories as to how to calm her down, no one was bothered a bit by the crying. Even Lucy, who gets bugged when babies make a peep anywhere near her, didn’t seem phased.

It was so fun to tote her around, we were pretty delighted about that girl.

Taking Walks in California is the Best

Went on some walks taking on the glory of California greenery:

These two were pretty incredible to share their four-week old baby so much, and to just roll with all that commotion. They are some of the best, most natural parents I’ve seen!

Lots of Duffy Rides

It was a little on the chilly side so we took lots of Duffy rides as you can see.

All seven kids on the right below (hooray!), and grandparents with Baby Murph on the left:

We took care of Murphy so Max and Abby could have a little beach date:

Claire waiting for her to wake up:

Since baking cookies is my love language, we whipped some up I think every single night.

I put the recipe for our new favorites on the blog because boy howdy, they are good. Did you know you can add marshmallows too to make them into “s’mores cookies”? That was a good discovery I have to say.

Basking in the Sunsets

There is nothing like taking in a good sunset in my opinion. I love that my family adores it as much as I do.

We were so happy to have these two since Memorial Day weekend fit so nicely into their externship rotation.

(They are now in Palo Alto and really loving it there!)

A Little Jaunt to Balboa Island

Cousin visits after church (these two are working in California for the summer).

A big game night with my sister Saydi’s family who was there, and also Dave’s cousin Kara’s family:

We pulled together some family pictures since we didn’t know when we’ll all be together again with Claire leaving on study abroad, then a mission.

It was a crazy comedy of errors trying to get out there to the beach with a fussy baby, scrimping together funny coordinating outfits from the wrinkly things everyone brought, running to catch the light and a couple clothes-changes on the beach. Ha!

There was one little snippet of the sun peeking out where we got to take Murphy out for her first beach experience.

One last quick stop for acai bowls (our favorite), before Elle and Carson headed off on their next adventure:

And one little mother-daughter date with Saydi and Em…and game night too after Elle and Carson had to take off:

Had to fit on one more morning paddle-board with these women I love too:

Phew!

Everyone little by little packed up and headed out. Back home to our own corners of life. But oh! how grateful I am for this:

TIME. There is nothing like TIME to just be together. I love this family of mine more than I can ever say.

I look at them and wonder how in the world I ever got so lucky.