Fun in the Sun

I love the simplicity of our beach trips.

We have so much fun doing the same thing day after day.

The kids and I drove with my mom there.  It was long.  We survived but not without some significant discipline issues.  Essentially, a certain cute little someone disobeyed his Mommy or talked back in every state except Mississippi.  Bless our hearts. And we had to stop so I could nurse Ellie in every state except Mississippi and Alabama.  What a long two days.

Here's some final fun pics from our week at the beach!

Cookie, Lovie, Ellie, & Will at sunset

 Ellie would take her morning nap at the beach.  This gave me good playtime with Will - something we've both really been needing for awhile as I've been too consumed with moving and unpacking and Ellie's care

 sound asleep on the beach

 Will was very busy playing sea animals for hours

 He also began making sand angels.  This kept him busy and quite sandy.

 Little Diva

 It didn't take long for Ellie to discover sand.  She loved it!

Ellie enjoyed her first underwater swim!

 Will loved jumping & diving

 We enjoyed breakfasts made by Cookie & Lovie every morning on the balcony

 sunset swimming

another morning nap on the beach

 and more playtime on the beach

 Mr. Cool in his googles
(he was playing superhero)
(People all over the beach began calling him "Super Will")

 Ellie enjoying the view
(yes, thats a bonnet.  I love it on her!)
(I can't wait to read Little House on the Prairie to her now that she is out of the belly!  (Remember, that is something I read out loud to her while pregnant with her in case I never got to hold her in my arms long enough to read it.)

She could keep very busy just playing with sand in a bucket

 She enjoys long walks with her Cookie

 This boy has worn this "B's" hat on this beach now for 4 years!

 We played lots of monster catch

Lovie & Ellie chillin on the beach

Will digging for sand toys

Lunch on the beach

Just before afternoon naps, we would head to the pool for a short swim.  Ellie loved swimming!

Last summer, Will learned to dive to the bottom for toys.  He enjoyed practicing that skill again this year.

swimming with her Lovie

I got the kids dressed up for our annual beach pictures one evening.  Just as I finished, Will plopped down in the sand to make a "sand angel."  

This is his hair after making a sand angel.

Playing sea monster in the ocean

A bucket of animals and she was content for a long time with her Cookie

One day, Ellie took an inbetween naps doze on her Lovie on the beach

Some days the water was too cold to take Ellie in but our last day was perfect.

She loved swimming in the ocean!

Mr. Social made several friends on the beach -

they enjoyed watermelon

& Will gave sand angel lessons

first time ocean swimming with my Ellie girl

my little loves

playing sea animals on the beach together

(aren't they cute with their sunglasses on?)

reading stories with Lovie at bedtime

I love the simplicity of beach trips (especially with my parents along to make it more simple on me!)  My mom made delicious dinners of seafood (yum!)  and we watched old Disney movies like Castaways & Swiss Family Robinson.  We read books (I read 2.5!!!)  and took daily naps.  We laughed and enjoyed time just being together  - playing and relaxing in the sun.  It was so good for us. 

Unfortunately, R couldn't make it this time but he'll be on our family vacation (just the 4 of us!) in a few months!

1 more beach post coming up - pics comparing Will's first beach trip (2008) with Ellie's!