Beachin’

It’s been a whirlwind Summer and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to slow down anytime soon.

We wanted to spend a few days at the beach with just our little crew and the best week to do it was the week after the 4th. We’d hoped to space out our fun a little more over the summer, but the way things worked out this year, it all kind of fell in July. Either way- fun is fun- and we’re always glad to have some. ;)

DW took a couple days off work – he’d hoped to take 3, but he ended up having a project he needed to finish up, so he only took 2. Still, we’ll take it! ;)

We went down on Saturday morning, after we stopped for a big Cracker Barrel breakfast. Our kids aren’t big breakfast eaters, but they love to go to CB for it.

We made it to the beach and hit Publix for necessities, first. Our kids don’t consider being at the beach, until they’re at the condo- THEN they’re at the beach. (They also call it “Pappy’s Beach” – which is something AB called it from the time she was 3 years old and it’s just stuck). Anyway, Mamie was a little put out that we had to stop at Publix first, she was ready to BE AT THE BEACH, and I about died when she said so seriously, “Momma, you’ve just turned into a big old lady who wants to go to the grocery store all the time.” HA!

We had dinner at Red Robin, which is always the girls’ pick.

Nie-Nie had left the kids a prize to find when we made it to the condo. They all loved their “REAL Moana” necklaces – and Tuck loved his sharks tooth. Pappy & Nie-Nie give us a place to vaca and even provide the souvenirs. They’re good to us for sure! ;)

When we got back from dinner, the kids were looking out the window down to the pool and the girls were freaking out saying we had to come look at the man swimming. When I saw him, I was freaking out too on the inside, because there was no way I was swimming with all that hair. I knew right then, our pool time just got cancelled for the trip. The pictures don’t give the best picture for exactly how long this hair was. I’m not kidding when I say it was easily floating over six feet away from the man’s body and when he was standing, parts of it were touching the ground. I’ve never in my life seen hair that long. It was floating all on top of the water and I could only imagine what kind of hairball the pool filter was going to be clogged with. Gag. I’ll admit, I get grossed-out fairly easy and yes, everyone has a right to grow their hair the length they choose… however, if you’re swimming in a pool with a dozen other people (and said pool is not at your house, and said people are not your friends and family, then do everyone a favor and put that mop in a pony tail or bun or hair net or something…) All I could picture was one of those braids floating by and rubbing me on the shoulder. Lord. Have. Mercy.  My gag-reflux is kicking in just thinking about it. I had to take a picture and text it to Nie-Nie to tell her Samson was at the beach and I was hoping Delilah was going to get ahold of his hair before morning, because there was NO way I was getting in the pool with that hair. ;) 

On Sunday morning, we had breakfast at the pier and spent the sunny part of the day on the beach. The rain clouds moved in early, so we all took naps and I don’t know if there’s a better place to wake up from your nap than the beach.

We went to dinner and to Super Target, because I can’t make the trip without a stop at the Super Target there. I always find stuff our Target never has.

Monday we beached again all day and since there’d been no Samson spotting since the first night, we hit the pool, too. Ha! Seriously, we never saw him again after the first night.

The little round (non-stinging) jellies were abundant and the kids couldn’t keep from collecting them. An older lady, who was definitely not a native Floridian (ha) stopped and warned me that the “jelly fish were EVERYWHERE on the beach today and I better watch where I stepped..” and just then, up runs Mamie with a hand full of them. ;) We got showers and went to dinner a little early. We had Aunt Catfish’s that night, which is always a fave. We finally have some pictures of just DW and I! AB is old enough now to take pictures and she loves to. 

We took an after-dinner walk on the beach afterward. When we got jammies on that night, Mames declared it makeover time. The girls always love playing in Nie-Nie’s box of clips. They’ve been around since Kelsey was little and Nie-Nie always lets them put 500 in her hair when we’re all there. Since it was just us, Momma got nominated for a new ‘do. Tuesday was another repeat and Tucker was happy to still wake up with an ocean view. So were the girls, and “Willa & Shelby” ;)  They all looked super cute in the matching swimsuits we got from our trip to AG during Spring Break! We spent all day on the beach and in pool… 

We packed up late that afternoon and had dinner before driving home.

It was a great few days away and by the end of July, I think we’ll all be tanner than we’ve ever been before! ;)

~amw~