Okay, I'm having one of those weeks. I'm thinking too much about everything and delving too deep into my brain which always makes me a little crazy. So maybe I'll just type it out...
I feel like the baby stork that was so kind in dropping off my little sister girl 20 months ago has snuck into my house and taken that cute little baby and replaced her with an even cuter but louder, bigger and oh my what a temper little toddler. I truly thought they didn't enter the terrible two's until they were...uhhh...TWO! But I was mistaken!
I say this all with a mother's heart full of love and adoration towards my precious little girl...you all know that right?
But oh my goodness she is running me raged this summer!!!!
Since the boys have had more free time during the week I have ventured into taking them all to more populated places by myself. The stuff I did even last summer just with a baby carrier and immobile child aboard has completely made me think twice about going ever again. Now I look like the crazy woman who is bent over (because you know mothers of toddlers don't ever stand up straight) chasing a 2 1/2 foot screaming banchi with pig tails across whatever open plain we maybe visiting: swimming pool, wooded trail, creek bed, store aisle, museum play area, open playground, our street!!! Have I mentioned that I'm a somewhat shy person until I know you? That means that having anywhere from 5 to 30 people at any given place staring at me shaking their head and saying, "oh my" as they watch me run down my little sweet heart before she 1. jumps into the deep end of the pool 2. takes some child's toy as they cling to it for dear life 3. refuse to sit any longer in the grocery cart 4. decides that kid's sippy cup looks tasty across the room 5. feels like running down our driveway at full speed with no worry of what car maybe driving past 6. decides to climb up the second floor of our tower of terror play set that Nate built the boys with it's death drop open floor plan! That is my life...
The only good thing is this...I did this with my second child, although it was 6 years ago (and you can forget a lot in 6 years let me tell you)! Everything she is putting me through...Ian already did it! And I'm 6 years more mature, 6 years wiser, 6 years more laid back! So how do I handle it now? Well, I don't cry, I don't scream at her, I don't hit her out of frustration...I simply grit my teeth, squeeze her tightly to my chest and tell her that she can not yell at mommy! I am stronger now too so I use my all powerful muscles to unclench her extremely powerful vice grip on whatever it is she has decided she needs at the moment and hold her bunking bronco legs that are kicking up a storm...then I tell her to tell me she is sorry, listen to her sweet little baby voice say sowwweeee and magically she looks at me like nothing has ever happened...until she finds another 'something' to get into.
And that is my life these days. I get frustrated because I look at my two boys and I think, "Sarah, you have already been through these "terrible two's with them and you survived and life was so easy! Now look at you silly girl...your doing it all over again while your friends watch and shake their heads at 'poor Sarah'." And then I feel terribly guilty for having those thoughts because of course I love Elizabeth so very much and she does bring such joy and laughter to me all day! I know that this is just the time of a child's life where it is nothing but hard work. I know that she is simply clay in my hands and I have to mold her into what I want her to become...I either let her scream at me and run wild while I shy away in embarrassment or I hunker down and discipline her and teach her what is acceptable and what is not and then watch as she finally learns (in about 2 more years). I accept that I do not have a shy or quite or very submissive child right now. This is how she is and how she will probably be for her whole life so my job is to take her character traits and make sure she gets the most positive life experience from them.
It's just a lot of stinking work right now...and I've been spoiled by the boys' ages...and I'm older...and I get jealous of my friends who can finally sit back on the park bench or the swimming pool chairs and watch their kids play while they talk and I think to myself I was there for years and now I have to smile as I run by them and chase my toddler! But I know that I will back sunbathing in oh, let's say two years and I know that I probably won't even remember all this running around in say four years and that's just how it works...but until then I just have to breath a heavy sigh and say tis the season...now excuse me while I keep Elizabeth from tackling that child over his cookie!
Jun 30, 2010
Jun 25, 2010
VBS on steroids
The only memory I have of vacation bible school growing up would be the summer our church reconstructed bible times in the back yard of the 1st Methodist Church of Halls. There were tents, adults dressed in robes and head pieces, some donkeys and lots of hay and of course those little round cookies that tasted horrible but on a hot summer day with a Dixie cup full of red kool-aid were pretty yummy!
Fast forward to this week...the big city of Murfreesboro and the bigger church of Belle Aire (I mean Belle Aire Baptist: did I mention that Baptist take VBS very serious?) and you've got over 1,000 people attending a vacation bible school on steroids! This was my fourth VBS at Belle Aire and it was as always a joy to participate in. I am thoroughly exhausted but this year the big difference is I'm very tan, probably a pound or two lighter and I didn't lose any children. Why you ask? Because instead of teaching: aka keeping up with 25 little munchkins roaming through the halls from center to center I was a REC TEACHER!
Do you remember Rec in your childhood VBS? One lady commented this week that growing up Rec was the VBS teachers putting everyone in the gym and yelling, "yall go chase each other and here are some balls...we'll be back in 30 minutes." That's not how we do Rec thank you! Yes, I endured the 90 degree simmering heat for 2 hours each day while shooting water guns, throwing sponges at kids heads, showing children how to properly hit each other with a water noodle while acting as a samuri, and continusously yelling "hurry! hurry! Your team is about to be beat!" even though there was no prize in the end. And of course there were the 1,000 popcycles we cut open for the sweating tweens each day "you get what you get so don't throw a fit!" Although I couldn't say that because these were 4th and 5th graders and they were much too cool for anything I was used to saying around my house!
That was the other obstacle (not the cool one I constructed with a baseball bat, hula hoop, baby push toy, cones, and water guns) but the obstacle of "playing cool" around boys and girls who no longer wanted you to hug them and say "ya'll are doing so good!" or "oh, are you okay?" when they just got plummeted in the head with a dry noodle! No, if you made the mistake of doing that they quickly shot you a look of death and put you in your place. I tried to just stand back, get to the point of the game, and shoot them in the back of the head with my water gun! I tried so hard not to let them smell the fear in me each day! But all in all, despite the awkward ages of my groups, I loved being in Rec!
Back to the overall VBS on steroids though. There are choreographed dances to learn, huge stage props with actors in costume each day acting out a story the entire week to make the bible points more relevant to the children's own little lives. There was even a well planned out snack each day that went along with the theme for the day, prepared with loving hands first thing in the morning by a dozen older women in the church. And crafts...oh don't you remember the craft time when we were kids? Ha! I don't really but anyway. They have a whole auditorium with plastic wrap on the entire floor and tables lined wall to wall prepared each morning for the 700ish kids that come through every 20 minutes to make a craft. They had "youth" (7th grade and up) helpers in each class to do the running around and the 'playing' with the kids (or the keeping up with that one child that just always happens to get lost!) I had three lovely youth helpers in Rec...one boy leaving for his freshmen year at West Point, another 15 year old boy who had football practice each afternoon this week and then a sweet petite little thing who was going into 8th grade and home schooled! They made my week a breeze! Now, the idea of giving up a week to come 'work' at VBS when you are a teenager is inspiring in itself and I'm in awe at these children's devotion to being the hands and feet of Christ to these little kids that look up to them in the church! Not once did they back-hand a mouthy child for dumping buckets of water on their head in a "surprise attack"!
My boys love VBS! They come home doing the dances, singing the songs, telling me about the bible stories and the actors on stage ("Did you see the pirates today mom? They had a sword fight on stage!") They are proud of their crafts made each day and brag about what Rec games they got to play in their class. I'm so thankful that they can attend such an awesome VBS each summer and I'm even more thankful that I get to be a part of it's success! Now, I just wonder what their children's VBS experience will look like?
Fast forward to this week...the big city of Murfreesboro and the bigger church of Belle Aire (I mean Belle Aire Baptist: did I mention that Baptist take VBS very serious?) and you've got over 1,000 people attending a vacation bible school on steroids! This was my fourth VBS at Belle Aire and it was as always a joy to participate in. I am thoroughly exhausted but this year the big difference is I'm very tan, probably a pound or two lighter and I didn't lose any children. Why you ask? Because instead of teaching: aka keeping up with 25 little munchkins roaming through the halls from center to center I was a REC TEACHER!
Do you remember Rec in your childhood VBS? One lady commented this week that growing up Rec was the VBS teachers putting everyone in the gym and yelling, "yall go chase each other and here are some balls...we'll be back in 30 minutes." That's not how we do Rec thank you! Yes, I endured the 90 degree simmering heat for 2 hours each day while shooting water guns, throwing sponges at kids heads, showing children how to properly hit each other with a water noodle while acting as a samuri, and continusously yelling "hurry! hurry! Your team is about to be beat!" even though there was no prize in the end. And of course there were the 1,000 popcycles we cut open for the sweating tweens each day "you get what you get so don't throw a fit!" Although I couldn't say that because these were 4th and 5th graders and they were much too cool for anything I was used to saying around my house!
That was the other obstacle (not the cool one I constructed with a baseball bat, hula hoop, baby push toy, cones, and water guns) but the obstacle of "playing cool" around boys and girls who no longer wanted you to hug them and say "ya'll are doing so good!" or "oh, are you okay?" when they just got plummeted in the head with a dry noodle! No, if you made the mistake of doing that they quickly shot you a look of death and put you in your place. I tried to just stand back, get to the point of the game, and shoot them in the back of the head with my water gun! I tried so hard not to let them smell the fear in me each day! But all in all, despite the awkward ages of my groups, I loved being in Rec!
Back to the overall VBS on steroids though. There are choreographed dances to learn, huge stage props with actors in costume each day acting out a story the entire week to make the bible points more relevant to the children's own little lives. There was even a well planned out snack each day that went along with the theme for the day, prepared with loving hands first thing in the morning by a dozen older women in the church. And crafts...oh don't you remember the craft time when we were kids? Ha! I don't really but anyway. They have a whole auditorium with plastic wrap on the entire floor and tables lined wall to wall prepared each morning for the 700ish kids that come through every 20 minutes to make a craft. They had "youth" (7th grade and up) helpers in each class to do the running around and the 'playing' with the kids (or the keeping up with that one child that just always happens to get lost!) I had three lovely youth helpers in Rec...one boy leaving for his freshmen year at West Point, another 15 year old boy who had football practice each afternoon this week and then a sweet petite little thing who was going into 8th grade and home schooled! They made my week a breeze! Now, the idea of giving up a week to come 'work' at VBS when you are a teenager is inspiring in itself and I'm in awe at these children's devotion to being the hands and feet of Christ to these little kids that look up to them in the church! Not once did they back-hand a mouthy child for dumping buckets of water on their head in a "surprise attack"!
My boys love VBS! They come home doing the dances, singing the songs, telling me about the bible stories and the actors on stage ("Did you see the pirates today mom? They had a sword fight on stage!") They are proud of their crafts made each day and brag about what Rec games they got to play in their class. I'm so thankful that they can attend such an awesome VBS each summer and I'm even more thankful that I get to be a part of it's success! Now, I just wonder what their children's VBS experience will look like?
Jun 23, 2010
Nothing like family...
My mom and sister (with her three kids) spent the afternoon hanging out here one day this week. It was such a lovely day of watching the kids run all over the place, scream and bounce and laugh...sweat in 100 degree weather and get all red faced but never complain because they were having too much fun! Passing chubby babies around and laughing at toddlers trying to keep up with the big boys! Spraying water hoses at little half naked children bouncing on the trampoline. I love family...I love hanging out with my kids and my sister's kids...I love visiting with my mom and knowing that she doesn't mind running to my grocery store to buy us some "bread" for supper and then bringing home a key lime pie and chocolate chip cookies (with sherbet ice cream) for dessert! I wish I lived closer to them all so we could do this more often but I will cherish the days we do get to hang with each other...the Weeks' girls!
A little clean, redneck fun
In the South there are boating people and then there are boating people. I grew up a boating person: any floating device that would carry you down a river via a paddle, some arm muscles and hopefully a current. But since I have reached adulthood and much to my father's disdain I have been hanging with boating people: fast moving machines that speed through the water carrying you leisurely over a lake while sipping your Dr. Pepper! I am afraid to admit outloud that I LOVE boat people! Now we will never own a boat but we do like playing in them during the hot summer months of the South. And so Nate's family has started a tradition (I call it the clean redneck fun) of renting a pontoon boat for a day and hanging out together. Last year was our trial run of this and that was interesting...a bunch of novice boaters and a 6 month old baby with no bathroom to be found (and no map of the lake). We learned from our mistakes and didn't give up. So year two of the pontoon adventure was much more fun and pleasant (thanks to the small bathroom on board!) There was an upperdeck, a slide, a grill, a tube to pull, goodness what else could we use? Oh, and we had a map this time (not to mention two tech geeks with their blackberry gps unit)!
With enough adults to watch Elizabeth and keep her from jumping overboard and take turns keeping up with two active boys in the water...we had a great day! There is nothing like walking around, grilling dogs, feeling the wind in your hair (although it is a little slower then those speed boats we had been enjoying) and laying in a cold/hot (that was weird) lake with life jackets under you basking in the 100 degree summer heat!
Sorry Dad to go to the dark side...but I do love a little clean, redneck fun!
Jun 17, 2010
summer is all about...
I'm all about going, going, going during the summer. Whether it is letting the boys go to a fun camp during the week, playing at a friend's house, swimming at MTSU's pool, or our daily swim team practices we find ourselves going a lot.
But...some days it is nice to just get out the hose, dish washing soap, and water guns! If I was to ask the boys their favorite thing about the summer it would be this.
But...some days it is nice to just get out the hose, dish washing soap, and water guns! If I was to ask the boys their favorite thing about the summer it would be this.
Jun 14, 2010
"would you like to come over for dinner?"
It's a tricky business getting together with friends now a days. No longer are the years where Nate and I hop in the van - I mean car - and hang out with another couple to the wee hours of a night, playing games or watching movies...actually talking for goodness sakes. Now are the days where we plan at least a day, preferably a week ahead of time, deciding whether to meet at your house or mine, what time, what do you need to bring, what do your kids eat...and then you have to clean - or if you know them well (more then 6 months in my book or are family) you don't clean. Well at least make sure the toilet doesn't have pee on it for pete's sake!
But I was trying to focus on the actual visiting...
You arrive (or they arrive). If you are hanging with the Callenders you probably have more then 2 kids coming over and might look a little frazzled when you arrive. Or...if we arrive, first you will be greeted by two large boys running into your house yelling for your boy(s). Then a tired but chirpy looking me (yeah...it's not at my house) holding a squirming toddler who is about TO TEAR UP YOUR HOUSE! Then my sweet husband trailing behind carrying the diaper bag, the food, maybe a pack-n-play depending on how long we used to stay (not anymore though) and maybe some toys.
And then the beautiful dance begins. It starts off with one of us talking to maybe one or both of the other adults while giving orders to the boys (use your manners, don't run in their house) "hey, what's been going on? Smells delicious". While the other half starts running through our fine friends' house grabbing anything that might either cause choking or be broken by our sister girl! You might get a smile or a shout out from that parent every now and then as they learn every inch of your house and yard!
Then we switch. We usually know when it's time...that look is given (the I'm going to get in a really bad mood for coming here and not getting to visit any minute look). And you will get to talk to the other one of us as we sit back sip our tea and snack on the chips and salsa, oh and watch our spouse running around after Elizabeth looking a little lonely and ticked off!
Of course if you have a child under three like the family we hung with last night you also will be doing a dance of your own. So at any given moment one adult maybe able to talk with one other adult for maybe a few minutes before the tag is given. If you know each other well then it works even better because all four adults can tag someone else and take a baby, run after a child, kick a soccer ball, push someone, catch the toddler going down the slide or spray bug spray at any given moment.
And if you don't get to finish too many sentences at a time it is okay because hey...it's fun just hanging out, right?
Then after the hard cooked supper has been eaten and the kids picked through their meal in about 3 minutes and made a bigger mess then anyone...and we are all too tired to pick up our plates...and wait a minute there is a baby crawling up the stairs...oh wait, the toddler has run into the front yard with the big kids...we all scatter, take our positions and start all over again.
Then if you are lucky enough to have been invited over you get to apologize profusely that you didn't help clean up much (unless you somewhat did clean up...in that case you will probably be invited over faster then we will again)and yell at your kids that "this is the last time I'm going to tell you to get in the van!" and grab the tired, crying baby while the host family waves goodbye as they are thinking "I'm about to fall over dead!"
So, that is my family's social life. It's just a known fact that you don't get invited over too often when you have a toddler; (babies are good - stagnant- but toddlers are bad!) but to those very good friends who take a risk on us we are thankful! Give it another year and we'll be hopping the social scene once again!
But I was trying to focus on the actual visiting...
You arrive (or they arrive). If you are hanging with the Callenders you probably have more then 2 kids coming over and might look a little frazzled when you arrive. Or...if we arrive, first you will be greeted by two large boys running into your house yelling for your boy(s). Then a tired but chirpy looking me (yeah...it's not at my house) holding a squirming toddler who is about TO TEAR UP YOUR HOUSE! Then my sweet husband trailing behind carrying the diaper bag, the food, maybe a pack-n-play depending on how long we used to stay (not anymore though) and maybe some toys.
And then the beautiful dance begins. It starts off with one of us talking to maybe one or both of the other adults while giving orders to the boys (use your manners, don't run in their house) "hey, what's been going on? Smells delicious". While the other half starts running through our fine friends' house grabbing anything that might either cause choking or be broken by our sister girl! You might get a smile or a shout out from that parent every now and then as they learn every inch of your house and yard!
Then we switch. We usually know when it's time...that look is given (the I'm going to get in a really bad mood for coming here and not getting to visit any minute look). And you will get to talk to the other one of us as we sit back sip our tea and snack on the chips and salsa, oh and watch our spouse running around after Elizabeth looking a little lonely and ticked off!
Of course if you have a child under three like the family we hung with last night you also will be doing a dance of your own. So at any given moment one adult maybe able to talk with one other adult for maybe a few minutes before the tag is given. If you know each other well then it works even better because all four adults can tag someone else and take a baby, run after a child, kick a soccer ball, push someone, catch the toddler going down the slide or spray bug spray at any given moment.
And if you don't get to finish too many sentences at a time it is okay because hey...it's fun just hanging out, right?
Then after the hard cooked supper has been eaten and the kids picked through their meal in about 3 minutes and made a bigger mess then anyone...and we are all too tired to pick up our plates...and wait a minute there is a baby crawling up the stairs...oh wait, the toddler has run into the front yard with the big kids...we all scatter, take our positions and start all over again.
Then if you are lucky enough to have been invited over you get to apologize profusely that you didn't help clean up much (unless you somewhat did clean up...in that case you will probably be invited over faster then we will again)and yell at your kids that "this is the last time I'm going to tell you to get in the van!" and grab the tired, crying baby while the host family waves goodbye as they are thinking "I'm about to fall over dead!"
So, that is my family's social life. It's just a known fact that you don't get invited over too often when you have a toddler; (babies are good - stagnant- but toddlers are bad!) but to those very good friends who take a risk on us we are thankful! Give it another year and we'll be hopping the social scene once again!
Jun 12, 2010
a night at the movies and a blast from my past!
I don't usually endorse movies or review them but I just can't help myself...
Nate and I went on a date last night and watched "The Karate Kid" - no not the old one but the updated one with Will Smith's boy. It was definitely a spring board for the child star into his Hollywood career of show business but that aside it was a very good movie. I happen to be one of the biggest Karate Kid (the old one) fans! I use to have posters of sweet Ralph in my room and had many a day dream of meeting the teen star. What ever happen to him anyway?
So I was a little nervous of wrecking my perfect fantasy of (please say it like Mr. Miagi) Ka..ra..te kid. (you didn't get it did you? It was funny in my head - sorry)
But it was actually....better! The story line was better; somehow being in China and learning Karate to defend himself against real Chinese kids who practiced Chinese (although they had a bad teacher) "there is no bad student...only bad teacher" made it more interesting! But so much of the story line was the same which made it all that more fun for us 80's fans! And the best part...Nate and I even clapped and cheered for the little man when he won the tournament (oh, come on you knew he would win right?) - maybe it had something to do with it being opening night and a sold out theater - we were pumped! I will definitely be taking Eli and Ian to see it now that we have 'reviewed it' for them.
I'll leave you now with..."wax on, wax off!"
Nate and I went on a date last night and watched "The Karate Kid" - no not the old one but the updated one with Will Smith's boy. It was definitely a spring board for the child star into his Hollywood career of show business but that aside it was a very good movie. I happen to be one of the biggest Karate Kid (the old one) fans! I use to have posters of sweet Ralph in my room and had many a day dream of meeting the teen star. What ever happen to him anyway?
So I was a little nervous of wrecking my perfect fantasy of (please say it like Mr. Miagi) Ka..ra..te kid. (you didn't get it did you? It was funny in my head - sorry)
But it was actually....better! The story line was better; somehow being in China and learning Karate to defend himself against real Chinese kids who practiced Chinese (although they had a bad teacher) "there is no bad student...only bad teacher" made it more interesting! But so much of the story line was the same which made it all that more fun for us 80's fans! And the best part...Nate and I even clapped and cheered for the little man when he won the tournament (oh, come on you knew he would win right?) - maybe it had something to do with it being opening night and a sold out theater - we were pumped! I will definitely be taking Eli and Ian to see it now that we have 'reviewed it' for them.
I'll leave you now with..."wax on, wax off!"
Jun 8, 2010
the start to our summer break
It's been how long since I have blogged? I guess this is my third week...and I was doing so good! What does that mean? It's summer!!!! I like to hit the road running when it comes to summer vacation. For one I'm that crazy mom that starts planning out her summer in April, signing up for all the camps that I can budget for and lining up vacation times! Six weeks of break go by very fast thank you!
We took the boys out of school for the last week (really three days of school and please...you know they don't do squat - well have fun with their friends - but we didn't tell them what they were missing) to go to the beach with some friends. It's been two years since we've been so we have all been very excited! Here are some pictures to tell the story of the week. In a nutshell it was a lot of fun and the boys loved swimming in the ocean. There were no jellyfish like last time, only stingray but that was very exciting for my adventurer husband! And no oil at the time, although I just heard this week that they closed our beach due to it. Elizabeth loved being in the ocean and riding over the waves while held securely in our arms. She learned to spit the sea water out like a champ! She was not too keen on sitting still on the beach and 'digging' or 'playing in the sand' like most little kids. So we took turns following her around back and forth from our hangout to the ocean. I'm not complaining though, it was exhausting but it was so much fun to watch my kids enjoying themselves. The big highlight was when Nate got the boys' nets and caught about 12 giant crabs in the ocean. He was hilarious to watch diving down and chasing these crabs. He got a lot of attention from local bystanders. We ate them up that night and they were the best seafood I had ever had.
Oh, and please enjoy the posed and not so posed pictures of our family all dressed up on the beach. That was the dreaded morning that we planned the photo shoot with our friends. I had slaved over picking out the right matching clothes before we left; we got up at the crack of dawn and got dressed before breakfast to catch the perfect light. Thank God the kids actually did okay for at least one or two good family shots on the blanket and the rest were just candid walking - I like those best. Even though everyone hates them they make great memories of the kids for me.
So, now the beach is nothing but fond memories of salt water, sand in bathing suits, chasing crabs in the night and watching stingray swim beside us (and trying not to rip out Nate's neck as I crawled up him!). And dreams of what the future beach trip may hold in whatever year we decide to return...yes, that dream includes me and Nate sitting on the beach reading books while all three kids play by themselves without getting washed away by the waves! hee hee...
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilv9hPuhZmeEsh1rD-riZC4YMijXYOEdPsQO7U9yIf8Nie4yQm1roRJ1CSydemfJ3FiGa5ezTiLgpTdp7aCNKq3lvbc4Apxmn1y194vw7gxwqRHNacsqWXoyvjN6NK1P7dMrD1jIQ2xhg/s1600/DSC03677.JPG">
We took the boys out of school for the last week (really three days of school and please...you know they don't do squat - well have fun with their friends - but we didn't tell them what they were missing) to go to the beach with some friends. It's been two years since we've been so we have all been very excited! Here are some pictures to tell the story of the week. In a nutshell it was a lot of fun and the boys loved swimming in the ocean. There were no jellyfish like last time, only stingray but that was very exciting for my adventurer husband! And no oil at the time, although I just heard this week that they closed our beach due to it. Elizabeth loved being in the ocean and riding over the waves while held securely in our arms. She learned to spit the sea water out like a champ! She was not too keen on sitting still on the beach and 'digging' or 'playing in the sand' like most little kids. So we took turns following her around back and forth from our hangout to the ocean. I'm not complaining though, it was exhausting but it was so much fun to watch my kids enjoying themselves. The big highlight was when Nate got the boys' nets and caught about 12 giant crabs in the ocean. He was hilarious to watch diving down and chasing these crabs. He got a lot of attention from local bystanders. We ate them up that night and they were the best seafood I had ever had.
Oh, and please enjoy the posed and not so posed pictures of our family all dressed up on the beach. That was the dreaded morning that we planned the photo shoot with our friends. I had slaved over picking out the right matching clothes before we left; we got up at the crack of dawn and got dressed before breakfast to catch the perfect light. Thank God the kids actually did okay for at least one or two good family shots on the blanket and the rest were just candid walking - I like those best. Even though everyone hates them they make great memories of the kids for me.
So, now the beach is nothing but fond memories of salt water, sand in bathing suits, chasing crabs in the night and watching stingray swim beside us (and trying not to rip out Nate's neck as I crawled up him!). And dreams of what the future beach trip may hold in whatever year we decide to return...yes, that dream includes me and Nate sitting on the beach reading books while all three kids play by themselves without getting washed away by the waves! hee hee...
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilv9hPuhZmeEsh1rD-riZC4YMijXYOEdPsQO7U9yIf8Nie4yQm1roRJ1CSydemfJ3FiGa5ezTiLgpTdp7aCNKq3lvbc4Apxmn1y194vw7gxwqRHNacsqWXoyvjN6NK1P7dMrD1jIQ2xhg/s1600/DSC03677.JPG">
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