We haven’t had as much actual beach time as we had originally hoped for, but luckily our kids have been thoroughly content to play in the big playground, and haven’t missed the water too much. However, this morning, as I walked to the bakery for breakfast, I could tell it was just the right weather for it. Brady agreed, and as soon as we were done eating, we got the kids into their swim stuff and piled into the bus.
Just you guys wait until I get home! The wifi here is really rough, so I can barely load one picture, much less five days worth, but I’ll make up for it once we’re home 🙂
It was bright and clear and sunny and gorgeous when we arrived at the beach. It was around 10:30 and very few people had made their way to the water yet. We got a primo spot and set up our blankets and umbrella. This time around, we picked a spot right in front of the water, so the kids could easily run to the waters edge without one of us having to follow right behind them. We were like seven steps from the water. It was perfect. Dekker and Laela did laps back and forth with pails full of water, and dumped them into holes Brady and I would dig. Doesn’t sound like much, but it was quite a riot for the kids, haha! Rowan took to standing riiight on the edge of the water and dumping shovels of sand back into the water, hahaha! Again, doesn’t really sound all that great but Ro loved it. Solly stayed mostly on the blanket, but braved up once or twice to go check out large abandoned sandcastles from the day before. Every time we tried to move him into the shade of the umbrella, he snuck out into the sun. Our kids are sooooo white but likely not after today! We loaded them up with sunscreen, so hopefully it did its job! I haven’t found any burns since, but its only been a few hours.
Brady took it upon himself to make his second attempt at digging a small tunnel in the sand, but it was foiled when he came upon an enormous rock and we decided to dig it out instead. It took a long time, and wiped Brady right out, but it finally worked! It became a popular spot to sit, and the hole was quickly filled in with buckets of water run back and forth from the lake.
We had a nice break for lunch right around noon, where we feasted on crispy minis, bananas, granola bars, etc. The kids have LOVED all the snacky foods, and really, so have I. We ate lots, drank lots of water, and Solly FINALLY figured out how to drink from a water bottle!! Its been a small scale nightmare getting fluids into this kid recently because, as a 14 month old, he is pretty over being bottle fed, but he has zero patience for drinking from a cup, and for whatever reason, he was just not figuring out any kind of sippy cup! Not the traditional kind, not a straw, nothing. But today, it FINALLY happened, and he is SO pleased with his discovery. His parents are also THRILLED because we are, too, ready for bottles to be done. He hates them, we hate forcing them, and we all feel sad when the kid isn’t pooping. So this wins. Period. Highlight of the day.
Shortly after the kids’ beach lunch, we packed it in and headed back to our place so the little boys could nap. Laela, however, disintegrated while getting out of her swimsuit, and there was no getting her back. She had hit a wall. It was clear she also needed a rest. So 3/4 went down for naps and Dekker snuggled up on a chair and watched a bit of tv, as did Brady and I. It was a lovely afternoon.
The kids all slept a LONG time, and I am very much looking forward to pizza for supper! With the nice long naps, I’m hoping we can do another evening walk with ice cream for everyone. We did that a couple of nights ago and it was such a win. I have so many great pictures from it, and I’m sure we’ll get some more today, too 🙂
Seriously. Today has been a wonderful day. And pizza and ice cream can only add to it. 🍕🍨 It is the perfect way to wrap up our last full day here at the lake. Laela says she likes it here better than she likes our “regular” house. I get what she means, because I LOVE being at the lake, too. But I miss my bathtub, so I guess leaving won’t be a COMPLETE bummer 😜