The Beach

So what is it about the beach that I love so much? Hmmm…I know it’s not :

Being on my feet for what seems like a year the day before we leave, trekking up and down stairs, all around the house and garage, from laundry room to bedrooms, to linen closets to kitchen, all in preparation for the glorious week ahead.

Packing up the trailer with clothes, bedding, cots, beach towels, shower towels, food, dishes, chairs, boogie boards, sand toys, firewood, and snacks for 6.

Driving for 7+ hours with the kids and gear packed to hilt in the suburban.

Pitching the giant family tent while trying to keep a solid eye on the peeps who have now found boundless freedom outside the car and are running loose amid the camp. It’s finally getting a little easier now that our youngest is four. With babies, that was always a real treat :)

Setting up the trusty 16 x 20 awning we bought at Park & Swap some 12 years ago.

Rolling out the sandy indoor/outdoor carpet (affectionately known to all seasoned beach campers as “beach grass”) with the goal of covering the entire surface of the dirt campsite in some effort to maintain a little cleanliness and sanity over a week of camping.

Doing my business in the not-so-tidy state park restrooms several times a day.

Reminding my young ones constantly to “not touch anything” as they do their business in the same glorious place.

Waiting in line to take a shower.

Hoping the 50-cents-for-3-minute shower tokens actually produce a warm stream of water while I keep my flip flops firmly secured to my feet in order to avoid catching a foot disease.

Draining and re-stocking the ice chest daily to keep our food for the week safe to eat.

Un-doing all of this at the end of the week. Departure day is not my favorite day :)

Doing 22 loads of laundry and “de-beaching” upon our return.

Nope, it’s none of those things. Shocking, I know. Although really, I have gotten so used to all that part that I’ve long since accepted it as part of the “experience.” And somehow I still love to go. As I type this it sounds a little strange.

But what I do love is:

Watching our kids have the time of their lives, playing outside day in and day out.

Taking lots and lots of pictures (one of my favorite things to do).

Spending good quality time with cousins, immediate and extended family, and great friends. This trip was one of the largest gatherings of related peeps ever. I stopped counting once the kid count topped 50. Seriously, too much fun.

Killer morning jogs while breathing in cool, ocean air.

Big, delicious outdoor-cooked breakfasts of French toast, pancakes & bacon, & breakfast burritos.

Sleeping with the sound of ocean waves crashing just below the bluff.

Sandcastles, paddle ball, boogie boarding, scooters, bikes, bubbles, snacks…

Soaking up the sun and sand (although we got robbed on the sun the first 2 days of our trip).

Reading good books. I finished “Parenting with Love and Logic” on this trip and loved it!

Sitting around the camp fire each night, visiting and catching up with family and friends.

Roasting marshmallows.

No laptop, no email.

Juanita’s: 3 rolled tacos with cheese and guacamole.

Need I say more?

Pictures to follow in the next post...