#2

Despite my sacrifice in taking my kids to the beach in June (though I despise it myself), they didn't consider that the "real" beach.  The calm waves and small strip of sand are just my style, but, though they didn't complain, the kids were not to be content until we visited the rough and endless surf. 

On trip #1, my mom, sister, and I took the kids alone, but for #2, we brought the men along. 

There are a few things I hate about the beach:

• sunscreen
• sand stuck to my skin
• swim suits

We went late in the afternoon so we could skip the sunscreen.  Because of that, the sand didn't stick quite as determinedly to my skin...and I decided to wear a T-shirt and shorts and skip the suit altogether.  It was possibly one of the best beach days I've ever had.

Still, when we did an informal poll during our sub dinner on the beach and someone said, "Raise your hand if your favorite part of the beach is when it is time to go home," I did raise my hand.  (As did my dad.)

Another someone said, "Raise your hand if your favorite part is digging in the sand." and Alaine's hand went up.  (As did Ben's.)

Then someone else said, "Raise your hand if your favorite thing is playing in the water," and lots of hands went up (including Ben's again!). 

The girls even became boogie board enthusiasts, though they both went home scratched, scraped, and sand-burned.

There was one other part of the day I enjoyed, though it happened after dinner so I couldn't raise my hand to say I liked it.  We took a long walk along the edge of the surf to search for interesting shells.  We collected a whole bucketful, but we also found a piece of sea glass, many hermit crabs, a horseshoe crab, and huge rubbery clumps of sea weed. 

Ben's collection of black shells

Maddie's tiny hermit crab

 

Now this?  Makes me wonder if he's really my son. 

Another thing I love about the beach... after all the running and splashing and yelling and digging and climbing, not one child in my house woke before 7 am!