This update will be heavy on pictures, medium on words, but I don’t want to skip it.

Once again, for the 10th summer, we spent a week in New York enjoying the beach and the city and each other.

Arriving in NY on Friday!

Chase and Amaya <3

Saturday morning we went to Savta’s house for a few hours before heading into the city. Auntie came by, too.

We spent the afternoon in the city down in the village and then over by Little Island, a human made island in the Hudson River over by the meatpacking district.

The kids saw this place on YouTube and were really excited to check it out, which we were able to do because it was in the neighborhood.

Sisters!

Steven, in Washington Square Park.

We met up with Joe, Nicole, Eli, Dalia, Mike, Naomi and Jake.

Everyone! Cousins are the best.

Sunday was a gorgeous beach day. Another year at the cabanas.

As we always do, we had dinner at the clam bar one night. I was definitely missing Nana while we were there but I love keeping up traditions.

On Monday we went to Coney Island — my first time! It was amazing. The amusement park was so much fun and it’s right on the boardwalk. We will definitely be back.

We mix and matched all day. Steven stayed on milder rides. Amaya was on terrifying rides. (Same for Chase and Charlie.) Sammy split the difference.

See that ride behind Amaya, middle right of the photo, that looks like it drops straight down? It does, and she rode it.

I love rides like this. So did Sammy and Amaay.

Sisters!

Sammy, Chase, Charlie, Amaya and Steven

Back to the beach on Tuesday. Gotta dig big holes!

We had dinner at the Goldberg’s house with Savta and Papa

Back to the beach on Wednesday! Savta even made it down to the ocean… all that way. To help, she borrowed a sand wheelchair from the first aid cabana and had support from Auntie and Amaya on the way down, and Steven and Auntie on the way back.

Amaya and Savta, walking to the ocean

Savta and Steven at the ocean

Amaya slept over with Charlie on Tuesday night and on Wednesday night it was Sammy’s turn with Chase. (Steven didn’t want a turn.)

Thursday we had lunch with Papa and then I took the kids to Dave & Busters

Friday morning the Goldbergs came over through lunch and then Sara and I took all the boys to a driving range.

Photo credit for these next two pics goes to Sammy

Amaya stayed back with Charlie

And that was our week! We flew home on Saturday and had a lazy weekend at home before we dive into our week.

Have a great one!

I started a longer blog post but decided to just leave this week at remembering Nana one year later. It’s been a very difficult year but we’ve tried to live the way we know she’d want us to–appreciating the time we have and each other.

On Monday, 8/7, Jason, the kids, and I meet for dinner at a restaurant on Walled Lake that we’d been to with Nana a few times. We ate crab and lobster and mac & cheese and chicken tenders and toasted Nana and told some stories. Then we went to the dock and recreated this photo Nana took with the kids in August 2021.

<3

The weekend of 8/4, the Cline 5 took to Iowa for a Cline/Landy family reunion in Mason City. We stayed at the Historic Park Inn Hotel which is a Frank Lloyd Wright building. Pretty cool.

We got in late on Friday but, before bed, stayed up to meet with everyone in the hotel lounge where we toasted to Aunt Bonnie (Grandpa Homey’s amazing sister) and to my mom. <3

Happy Sammy with Grandma Betsy

By 9 or 9:30pm CST, Steven was asleep in my laps. I carried him all the way to bed.

The whole Friday night crew, minus Jason, who took the picture.

We spent Saturday morning, through lunch, at Grandpa Homey and Grandma Betsy’s house.

Playing cornhole with Grandma Betsy

Steven, using Aunt Ouize’s bird call app

Steven and Grandpa Homey looking at ball cards

We spent a few hours in the afternoon at the lake. The kids had a blast in the water with their big cousins.

Dinner was a walk away, back at cousin Alana and Brian’s house

Amaya and Ella – Amaya was thrilled to meet Ella who was on an episode of American Ninja Warrior!

Big cousins are the best

Sunday morning we all had brunch and then the Cline 5 headed back to Minneapolis to head home to MI.

Cecily, Amaya, Sullivan, Steven and Sammy

The whole gang!

Delayed, but happy.

Bubba and I synced up to watch Top Gun Maverick on the flight home.

It was a wonderful weekend. <3