Beach Day #9

Today was the best day at the beach yet! Not only because our boys were back, but I would say this was the best weather we've had yet. The sun was out all day, there was a nice breeze blowing in FROM the ocean (that's where you want the breeze to come from to keep the UGLY FLIES away -- so NO flies today either!!) and we were able to spend the whole day on the beach. These are just random shots of everything that was going on today......

The ONE and ONLY shot of me on the beach. 1st, I am usually behind the camera, and 2nd there are usually NO shots of me on the beach in anything other than "regular clothes". It proves I was here & how i got my tan, but I HATE being photographed in a bathing suit!


There were sand castles to be made today, by two little princesses!

There were waves to ride.......

or be pulled through.....

and wipe-outs to be had.... poor thing... can you see the rocks/sand in her hair. She was NOT happy, but had fun anyway!!!

and more waves to ride .....

and more wipe outs to be had....

and more waves to ride???? He didn't get too far this way!!

and more wipe-outs to be had.... (just kidding)

There were naps to be taken (or try to anyway)

Looking for Sea-Glass

There was sea-glass to be found ..... by our "Master-Sea-Glass-Finder"... he would spend hours at the beach looking.... they have found a total of 127 pieces so far!!!! Beautiful shades of blue, green, white, and brown!

There was lunch to be eaten... and drinks to be shared... How Sweet Is This??? It doesn't happen often that they share w/ a happy heart (or, I should say Anne Marie has a hard time with it) so I thought this was a moment to capture. When passing out food/drinks you can ask Emerson "Who's 1st?" and he'll reply "Ladies 1st" ... how cute!!

There were even "deep" waters to check out. Mike and Jeff, and the boys went out for a while today. And when they came back Anne Marie declared it was her turn to "go out deep". But she was mad that I wasn't coming (it was still a little chilly for me - so I stayed back and took pictures). But a while later, there was a "friend" that came floating down the water...... so I defiantly didn't want to go out!!!! (Look below)

A HUGE (HUGE HUGE) jelly-fish!!! Can you see him? And NO, I wasn't this close, I took a picture w/ my zoom & them used the computer-photo-program to get a little closer.

New Fears & Beach Day #8

Today was a Beautiful - Hot - and Scary Day at the beach!! Why so scary -- well, two reasons. #1 - Flies--- Biting - Mean - Ugly - Flies!! If you've never encountered these creatures at the beach, just pray that you don't!! The day started GREAT. It was HOT today. The water was a beautiful shade of green, and the kids were very excited that the mommies actually wanted to get in the water with them. We had lunch, got back in the water again & went for a long walk looking for more sea-glass. Then, around 3'o'clock - FLIES.....Swarms of them...biting the heck out of all of us (Anne Marie still has 2 welts on her back this morning.) She is deathly afraid of flies now.... she sees a fly & starts to scream!!! *Understandably*

Below are some of the pictures I took before the flies came... I didn't have the camera out much today, because before that we were having so much fun & getting in the water so much that I didn't bring the camera out but one time.

Mira & her mommy in the water.

My "bohemian" girl (her pony-tails wouldn't stay in today) in the water

The kids worn-out from all the heat!!



Now, on to Fear #2 -- and this is all my fault!! As we were getting dinner ready, the kids were sitting out on the deck -- all the sudden we heard soft, happy, jingly music.... Robin and I looked at eat other & screamed "ice-cream-man"!!!!! We ran out on the deck to watch the truck turn down the other street, away from the house! BooHoo! We went back to getting the kids fed, but then........ we heard it again....... We ran on the deck again to see it coming down our road ----- Robin went out to wave at him to make sure he saw us. We started screaming "Let's Go!" "Get your shoes on!" "The ice-cream-man is here!!" Anne Marie had no clothes on (except undies) because we were eating pasta w/ red sauce & I didn't want to get her dress stained. So I'm also yelling "get your clothes on!" At this point I think I stressed this child to the max! I grabbed my camera & basically drug her out the front door to catch our ice-cream-man .... when.... "AHAHAHAHAHAHAA" Anne Marie had caught her hand in the door as I'm dragging her down the steps!! POOR GIRL!!!!! She's screaming "my hand!!!! Mommy!!! my hand!!!"

I felt soooooooo bad. I scooped her up and hugged her (as I'm still running towards the ice-cream-truck). She REFUSED to even go near the truck... she screamed louder the closer we got to him. He even said "poor little thing, she's so shy".... (Uh, no buddy, she's not shy, her mommy has just scared her for life!!) But, after a couple minutes & seeing all the pictures of ice-cream on the outside of the truck, she calmed down & picked an ice-cream ... (Yes, I did by the $3 ice-cream, I was not going to tell her no now!!)

As he left he said "we'll see you tomorrow" -- and Robin looked at me and said "oh, please, I hope he doesn't come back tomorrow!!" heeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Robin and Emerson and Mira picking out their treats.

Anne Marie finally able to pick a treat... if you could zoom (I don't think it will?) you can still see the tears in her eyes.

Emerson & Mira enjoying their pops

Ok -- there's nothing that ice-cream won't make better. She was fine once he left & she tasted her yummy, creamy, tweety-bird ice-cream-pop w/ bubble-gum eyes.

YUMMMMYYYY!!!

Beach Day #7

Today -- it's time to "keep it real" (as another blog-friend once quoted on her blog). It's day #8 being here.. (#7 on the beach)... and that is 8 days without a nap, eight days of sharing all the toys, food, showers, and attention.

We ended up at the beach after lunch today.. (after spending the morning paying $5 a load at the laundry-mat to clean comforters ---$5!! -- that seems SOOO expensive).

Well, I could show you pictures like This.......

Having fun in the sand.....

Or Like this............
Having a BLAST in the water.

But to "keep it real"..........

This was the nuclear break-down we had today!!! Ask me why! Really, ask! I HAVE NO IDEA!! She wouldn't tell me what this was all about. It lasted a good 15 minutes, and no one has any idea why she melted-down, but she did. I hope it's out of her system! HA!


So, we went back to the house to have dinner.....and thought we'd head back out after dinner for a walk on the beach to search for some sea-glass. (Robin found a TON of it!!) The kids had a blast dumping tons of sea-shells and rocks in their buckets.

Yummy "mini-pop-cicles" that the kids enjoyed after dinner! (they are the smallest pop-cicles I've ever seen, but just the right size for them.)

Ready to search for sea-glass

Beach Day #6

1st off we want to give a big "shout-out" to our Dads that could not be here with us today! (and Mira & Emerson's Big Brothers!!!) :o(

They are home, hard at work & school right now, and we MISS them!! We love you & can't wait to see you again on Friday!!

Today was a very "iffy" day to start. When we 1st got ready to hit the beach it was quite cloudy, and sprinkling a little bit. We decided it looked like it might pass through, so we headed out anyway, and this is what we saw when we crossed the dunes.....

This is not even a good shot of the huge waves that were rolling in. There were quite a few surfers out there today due to the high waves.

Well, we decided that it would be good to let the kids "get their ants out" -- after a very rough & whiny day yesterday, so we unpacked & told them to play for a bit.

Anne Marie wasted no time -- if you remember last year, she was out in the water on days like this w/ Mike and not scared on bit. Well, he's not here, so I was not interested in taking her too far out, but she had to at least get her feet wet.......

She LOVED it!! The big waves, and grey clouds didn't dampen her spirit one bit.

The rest of the time was spent playing in the sand, digging holes again, and playing with the sticks they found where we were sitting. How little it takes to make toddlers happy!

Mira & Anne Marie making "chocolate milkshakes" (so they said - I wasn't up for tasting one)

Our two cuties!

The ever-so-awesome sticks that were found! (They're swords, so it seems)

And a BIG P.S. -- the sun did come out (about 1 hour before we left) and in case you ever need to know, you MUST put sunblock on EVEN if it's raining & cloudy --- because YOU WILL BURN!!!! OUCH!!!! My friend Robin told me so, but I just couldn't imagine it w/ the weather the way it was today ---OOOOHHHHHHHH my arms & face & legs are SOOO red. (I had sunglasses on, so I will say that I would give any raccoon a run for it's money right now in a look-a-like contest!!! Thank goodness that I put sun-bock on Anne Marie just in case !!!)

Guess What My Girl Got??!?! (Day#5)

Notice anything different?????????? Guess what my big-girl got!!!

Today, while it was overcast at the beach we decided to hit a few of the shops again. I had to return something that I bought the other day. Well, we ran into the Clair's store in the mall. Our friend Mira has earrings, and her Mommy wanted to buy her a new pair. Well, miss-prissy found a pair of panda-bear earrings that she just had to have. Well, I kept telling her she'd have to have her ears pierced 1st. Then she just kept saying, "No it hurts like this!" (saying this as she was pinching her ears). I told her it would hurt a little but if she wanted the panda-bears she had to have her ears pierced 1st. Well, she finally decided that the "hurt" would be worth it & got her ears pierced today!! She is SOOOOO cute w/ her new earrings... I just LOVE them, and so does she!!

They started by showing her things, and cleaning her ears, then marking the spot on her ears where the earrings would go. She was a little unsure (especially when the man came to help!ugh!) But she really did want to do it .. she was just a little scared.

YIKES!! Very Unsure!!

WOOOOOWWWW!!!! It did hurt, but the tears only lasted a few minutes, and then she was so proud of her earrings.... (see happy face above..haaa) She is ready to put in her panda-bear earrings already though..I don't know how she's going to wait the 6-8 weeks they told us she needed to wait before changing them.

The earrings that started it all!! They will be so cute when she is able to wear them!