We are home after a whirlwind of a summer.

Our Bear Lake Eyre reunion is all wrapped up, as well as so many other things leading us in so many different directions this summer. Lucy has officially completed one week of her senior year of high school filled with all kinds of ups and downs already. But with the confidence of having a “real” job (albeit a short one) and a New England choir tour under her belt from this summer. Max, Abby and Murph are in the throes of back to full time work with all Max’s in-person schooling wrapped up. Elle and Carson are settled into their new adventure with residency in Palo Alto. Grace is living the good life with so much social and work going on in Provo. Claire’s earnest and sparkling (also sometimes sad) face pops up each week on Facebook Messenger from Australia. Dave and I have been to the BBS conference in Minneapolis and back since last week when school started.

Life just keeps marching on, and I’m just trying to keep up.

But for today, let’s back up to our own family reunion at Newport Beach. Because we can call that an official “reunion” if we have three generations, right? Ha! Our first was last year, but we were back this year. With, as expected, even more comings and goings.

A Reunion in Newport

It felt so special to have all our kids together aside from Claire for a few of the days we had in Newport this summer, and I did cherish it. But also I regret a few things because did I maximize it enough? I think I was coming off some pretty severe exhaustion from Lucy’s choir trip that I kind of needed to decompress right as everyone was arriving. Next year we need to organize and get some meal and daily devotional assignments. But I did just love being still and basking in the togetherness.

Elle and Carson were there with Dave when Lu and I arrived fresh from Niagara Falls and Kirtland.

We went to Coco Ichibanya (one of our favs) on a double date with them (Lu opted out):

…before we picked up Max, Abby and Murphy.

Then Grace the next day. Gosh I love these kids.

We did the regulars: biked, paddleboarded, watched the sunset, ate at favorite places and made yummy stuff at the condo.

This time around Max and Abby brought a bike trailer so we could bring Murphy along and that was so fun.

Murphy

Murphy is, of course, the star of the show.

Everyone just adores her. That is, aside from Lucy who is honestly pretty scared of her. The rest of us couldnโ€™t get enough of her Frankenstein wobbly walking and big smiles she would throw out. She learned โ€œhigh fiveโ€ and is working on labeling parts of the face and โ€œplease.โ€ Oh it is so fun, and Max and Abby are just the most natural parents.

Old Traditions

We sat and talk, talk, talked on the beach. We played cards at night and baked cookies (of course). Max led us in a workout one day and we also went to F45 with everyone in tow (I love that these kids love to work out with us). We made tinfoil dinners and had a beach fire complete with sโ€™mores.

(This was after Carson had to head to meetings for his internship and Grace’s friend joined us.)

New Traditions

But I love that this year we also added in some new.

Pickleball Tournament

We made our way to San Clemente for a pickleball tournament (Elle and Carson had won tickets and it was pretty fun to get us all in there plus Murphy toddling around).

Tide Pools

And one day I rallied everyone to ride bikes to the tide pools over in Corona Del Mar. Oh how I loved all those bikers (Murphy in her trailer, Lu on the tandem with various siblings), all like little ducklings in a row: on the ferry across to Balboa Island, passing through all those homes and streets spilling out with American flags, up the hill to those perfectly manicured little Flower streets and on down to the tide pools we had never explored before.

(This was also after Carson left, missed you so much, Carson!!)

It was so beautiful and fun to show Murphy the sea life, although she couldnโ€™t have cared less at this stage. Sheโ€™s such a good go-with-the-flow kind of a girl though and I love it so much.

Church and Fake Father’s Day

Dave had to skip back to church in the desert for his responsibilities there, but the rest of us got to go to church together in Newport before Carson had to leave to officially begin his residency.

(always fun to run into friends there)

Soaking in the last of togetherness with Carson before he left:

We had a little Father’s Day dinner for Dave when he got back since we didn’t get to be together on the actual Father’s Day.

THE 4TH of July

Elle left early on the 4th to be with Carson and we missed her but we survived.

Dave, Lu and I did a little “polar plunge” to start the day out right:

Then we headed to the annual bike parade near the wedge to get all patriotic:

Came home and made a big breakfast:

Joined by more family

Daveโ€™s sister Laurie and her family were in town and joined us for our Duffy ride to check out the 4th of July boat parade:

We docked and walked over for TK Burgers.

Sunset on the pier

We watched the sunset from the pier, the sky lit up bright orange behind the silhouettes of the palm trees.

This is my favorite picture:

Lu so loves basking in sunsets she couldn’t be bothered to get in the picture. I love that the guy who took the picture still got her in. Man I love her fascination with sunsets. She can’t see them but I believe she sure feels them.

Grace has the pics of her and her great friend Maddy (I need those Grace!) but here we are watching fireworks from the roof all snuggled up together.

So grateful for this country.

Down to just five

By the fifth of July we sent these three off back to Provo:

Yes, Lu somehow sweet-talked her way into that one and I think it ended up being a good adventure.

And it was down to just the five of us:

I got to spend some time with much Miss Murph and was pretty entertained introducing her to this guy:

Ha!

Nothing like some good one-on-one time with our couples…Elle and Carson at the beginning, and these guys at the end.

And then we all split up and said goodbye.

…that is, until the Eyre reunion the next week. But we didn’t get Elle and Carson there so it really was goodbye to them!

Thank you, Newport, for cradling us well in all your beauty!

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7 Comments

  1. Oh Shawni, we really do have different expectations and energy levels. Because if this isn’t maximising an reunion, I don’t know what is! ๐Ÿ˜€

    Good for you that you could relax a little!

    1. Haha! I think I was just wishing I had more energy. I love when we’re together and have at least a little bit of structured time, but sometimes you’re right, just so great to relax and enjoy where the wind leads ๐Ÿ™‚
      xoxo

  2. I was going to say, next year you need to plan meal and devotionals , why? Canโ€™t you just meet up and chill out? No plans, no strict guidelines, no cramming every second just chill ?

    1. I agree, just chilling is the best. But I think it’s also great to have the kids start taking charge of different things. Meals, things they’re interested in gathering other thoughts about, etc. I believe a little bit of structure first of all takes the pressure off the parents to make all the decisions and feed everyone, etc., and also helps get more insight into how people are feeling and doing in general. I just love talking deep and these people are some of my most favorite people to do that with! If there is nothing planned sometimes you leave and think wow, I just spent all that time with these people I love and I don’t even really know their worries or hopes or dreams, etc. I think this connection can happen with little to no structure, but I do love to have a little in there to get the connection happening.
      xoxo

  3. You have such a beautiful family! Glad y’all got to spend some time together. I understand it’s tricky to plan all this, but it’s so cool that you manage to! After all, if there’s no effort into putting these reunions together, they end up not happening and the bonding fades a bit. I think it’s very inspiring that you invest time and organization into this. Baby Murphy (sooo cute!!!) already seems to enjoy it all ๐Ÿ™‚
    xoxo

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