16 Days of Summer Vacation - Day 1

I have been looking forward to our annual summer vacation since February 1 (give or take a few days). Each year, we take about 2 weeks in Newport just to recharge, energize, get to know our kids and ourselves a little better.
I'd love to say that we just wing it and go with the flow. But who are we kidding - I'm a planner and end up putting some good thinking into each day's activities. That's not to say we don't wing it based on weather or temperament. And there are givens that happen each day - reading, napping, running or biking of some sort. We're also looking forward to great family and friend visits throughout the time we're here.

Each year, we've discovered new things on island and near by to do and have incorporated them in to the plan. I also try to do some special things - 1:1 with each of the kids as well as some time for Dave & I and some (a tiny bit!) just for me.

For me, one hope is that I can log each of our days - not so much for everyone else's benefit, but more for our family and family history.

Day 1: 

Saturday June 28 - Beach Babies!

What's a better start to vacation than hitting the beach. We loaded Sophia, our neighbor Danielle (our new 8 year old friend who's up for the month visiting her aunt next door) and I into the car with the beach stuff. Dave & Theo trucked off in the stroller for the beach by way of a run.

We met up with new summer friends Alex and her kids Avery & Crosby. The girls met a few weeks ago and hit it off swimmingly. It actually feels like it gets easier the more kids around!
Danielle is virtually a mother's helper, playing with Sophia and the other girls and engaging Theo too.

Here's a shot of the girls in action doing a sanding of Sophia!

And posing for a little snuggle time:

It was a great day full of building, playing in the water, eel hunting and rock climbing. We had lunch on the big rock (no pictures yet - maybe on another day) and headed home with some tired, sunbaked kiddos and parents.

After some recharge time, we headed out to St. Barnabas for their annual carnival. We've driven past it every year, but this year decided the kids were just the right age for it! They rode all the rides - Danielle & I rode the 2 "adult rides" - one of which brought me back to the Gravitron that I used to love in high school.
We wrapped the night with a little photo booth action!