Beach day, all day, again, please!

Today was another good day on the beach. 

We started out at about 10:45, after a good breakfast of scrambled eggs and ham.  The kids were ready to get out of our room to play, play, play.  And that is exactly what they did until 6 p.m.

Instantly they get to work.  We got in the water, jumped the waves,  dug holes, looked in tide pools.  Same stuff as before.  Out here it just doesn't get old.  Or boring.   You just enjoy the earth, the cool water, the sun on your back and the sand on your feet.

Jonas even learned how to boogie board today.

He had watched one too many episodes of nature's deadliest and had been afraid to go in the water previous times.

 Yesterday we bought a boogie board for the boys.  This morning he said,  "I might not want to try it out yet."  

Grandma told him it would be okay,  there was no pressure to do anything, we were here to have fun.

When we were playing in the water,  I showed him how to hold it, which direction to go, to wait for the right time and hop on.  

He did.

  And this is what he did most of the day.

Paloma let the boys bury her in the sand!

Angus had to dig his own hole because sometimes big brother doesn't want to share his digging spot.

The joke on the beach:

"I'm digging for gold!" Said Angus as he shovels sand out.

"Angus,  don't pick your nose that's gross," said jonas.

Then I said,  "He's digging to China."

"That is just not possible," said jonas. 

"Why not," I asked. 

"Because you can't do that.  It's another country and you can't just go into another country." 

They also buried Angus and made him lobster prince.  The most handsome lobster prince that ever lived.

Paloma thinking about where she can dig next.

Au natural. 

Here we go home. Just walk up those pretty steps, NOT.

Three tired, happy children ready for dinner.

Back to camp.  Everyone has to carry something. Even if it's a my little pony stuffed animal. Someone's got to do it.

Spaghetti dinner, salad and corn on the cob.

 Thanks to chef Patricia for making us some delicious food in our tiny kitchen. I'll never forget lomy eating three chicken tacos!  They were delicious!

Sand free. Ready to eat.

Day three - a walk, a movie, a swim

Sand, air, water

Our second day on the beach. 

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a full day of work pretty much.  Work which consisted of sitting on the sand, walking on the sand, getting wet,  looking for seal life and digging, lots of digging.

My favorite thing to see when we are on a beach with my babes is watching them play together.   All there is around them is water, sand, air, and little ocean creatures.   They play and play.  There is never a dull moment.   They work together throughout most of the day,  except for the occasional sand throw. They spend all day outside and never want to leave.     They truly know how to enjoy the time we are here. 

Jonas will dig pools for he and his brother and sister.   He loves searching for crabs and other sea critters.  He enjoys touching and picking up what he finds, too bad sometimes those two things are prohibited.  He likes getting in the water, but is very cautious about it.

Angus loves getting into the water, jumping the waves and getting wet.  That is all he wants to do.  He also loves finding crabs and anemones.  He likes finding little pools of warm sea water to sit in.  

Paloma is a brave little one in the water.  She loves jumping the waves and getting soaked,  sandy suit and all. She holds the little sand crabs that dig themselves under in a second, the ones that I don't like to hold.  She is as much an explorer as her brothers.  

It is them and nature.  Nothing else is needed.  They know their way around.  No instructions required.    No need for anything else.

On the beach

We are back in Laguna.  The water last night was cool, perfect for our hot arizona feet.
The kids love it and can't wait to get the day started.   Jonas was dressed early this morning.   At 6:30 a.m., he had his clothes and tennis shoes on. 

People who live near the beach are spoiled.   Such nice weather and beautiful scenery every day of their life must be a good life.  

We are happy to be back.  We are lucky we are here.

summer sweet summer

The slow-moving days of summer are finally here.  We've been rolling along since the last day of school enjoying the late nights, warm air, and lack of bedtime schedules.  The kids ask me what we will do that day.  Most days I don’t have an answer but we find something to do.  Wherever our hearts, minds, invites or lack of planning takes us. 

We have already watched too much tv, gone to the beach, (if only for a short stay) and eaten much, too much, ice cream and popsicles.  

We have been swimming since school let out, feeling the sun on our backs, consistently.  I faintly smell sunscreen on my hands and on my children's bodies most days.  A chemically comforting smell when they sit on my lap and I get a whiff of their little heads.  

These days the weather is so strange.  It's hot, but windy or really breezy.  I can't remember all this wind in years past.  It is strange to say, but the kids have been cold after only about 30 minutes of playing in the pool. 

All three have already been sick.  It was the worst ever with them having every cold and flu symptom in the book.  With the temperature at 100 degrees outside, it was scary to feel their little bodies get that hot.  Finally all has passed.  Everyone is in the clear, but God forbid that happens again.  

All this just to type that I am glad summer is here.  

There will be no driving to and from school, four different times throughout the day, no more nightly homework harrasments, or stress over missed school events (sorry Angy, sorry Joni).  There are no more project deadlines or sheet signings and tardiness.  That can wait until august.  In august I will be more ready for it.  Or less ready, we will see. 

The house stuff is still here, like the dishes, toys, laundry and piles of bills and clutter.  The front and back yard will need to be mowed.  The plants need to be watered.  The pets that need to be fed, watered and walked, daily.  All of that never goes away.  All of that is here to remind us that we can't get too carried away with the shapelessness that summer brings with it.

Oh, sweet summer, thank you for sharing your unstructured warmth.