Piles, lists, bags galore!
So OCD : )
The morning monsoon which I loaded the van up in. We left straight from church so it was now or never and I was totally regretting E saying how they hadn't loaded up their sand toys at 8 the night before and I just told them to go to bed and I'd deal with it in the morning. Ha! loading up sand toys in a small river of our backyard in the semi-darkish plus the fear of a frog or snake plus a child sized umbrella ----> right here
I only pulled over once to give A his paci because I couldn't stand it anymore. We went super barbaric with no food or drinks for 3.5 hours and it was worth every single filthy potty break we skipped!
First order of business was getting to the beach
A's number one mission was to take his hat off; consuming fists full of sand was a close second!
Uncle Kev was back in action this year!!!!
We took two trips out to the beach each day - morning and afternoon. I always terribly underestimate the amount of time it takes to get suited up and sunscreened up
A's head was getting burned so I resorted to pouring super wet sand on it and using that as sunblock
So in love with the beach and getting our toenails painted
There were quarrels and squabbles but overall they kept the peace. Our sand toys are in need of replacing since they are so loved here at home. I'm thinking St. Nicholas might come through
Uncle Kev and Grandpa Joe supervised so much of the boogy boarding and Grammy and A spend some quality non-beach time together. It definitely was a team effort keeping up with these kiddos
Grandpa Joe and I discovered this nature reserve (soon to be developed : ( of course) and there were millions of crabs in the marsh. Purple crab?
It was so peaceful
A pretty but thorn-bearing flower
Hahahahahahaha! Jokes on you mom, trying to actually get a pic of all four of us!
This boy!
These girls!!!
We went down over the 4th of July so I dragged (drug? - come on which on is it?) out festive attire
No patriotic strawberries or insanely awesome flag cake but red-white-and-blue cookies were make
If there was a major letdown of the trip it would have been in the fireworks department especially because last year we were SO CLOSE. R didn't mind being 50 miles away but E is not letting us live the fireworks of 2016 down.
By the time we are there for the second day the kids are getting pretty beached out
And we spend less time on the beach
But we keep on going because we know we won't be back for a whole nother year
The day we left E was on a hunt for a sand dollar because R has found some pretty decent half ones on a previous walk so we took a walk down the beach. The things you think about when the waves are crashing and the wind is blowing and the sun is shining... God's gorgeous handiwork
I broke down and bought 3 boogy boards which were put to go use. I MULLED over the decision and read WAYYYY too many Amazon reviews. I bought a $25, $30 and $40 on - all pink, but different. I was most happy with the $40 one. The kids like the $25 one and the $30 is getting returned because it got damaged too easily after the same wear and tear as the other two. I'm not linking to Amazon but let know if you are in the boogy board market and I'll show the ones we got
They matched themselves... not me I PROMISE
Fam-mee beach pic for the books!
Followed by our one and only ice cream run - which was actually a drive because riding in the wagon was vetoed because the lead wagon puller and other walkers. We took two cars - minivans are awesome to an extent.
No touching my ice cream!
She was the gladest to have her Uncle Kev back
What the what? Only one microscopic spoonful of ice cream!
But then I was glad we drove because we took everyone to the nature area
They'd didn't touch the crab but $10 says next year A will . And yes R is wearing her shoes on the wrong feet because that's how she rolls!
Sunset Beach 2016.. thanks for being awesome
We stopped at our friends house on the way back to break up the drive (thanks E&T for hosting our crazies) and we still need to get photographic evidence that we do in fact see each other. With 6 kids ages 6 and under... pictures wasn't the first thing on my mind. And I still need that pasta salad recipe too!
It took a small army of people to make this trip happen to whom I am indebted for helping make our summer great and carrying on the Sunset Beach tradition which E won't let us get away from : )