I have finally made my way to the last post from our beach vacation over a month ago!  Are y'all still with me?  Ha!  But, I do love looking back on our wonderful and memorable week...

My little Miss Priss had gotten quite used to the beach life.  She could sit back and relax with the best of us.  Did I mention that veggie sticks were our secret weapon?  I had to get two big bags - one for me and one for her!

Just relaxin' with Buck and She She

She She and Millie Janalee coordinated again!

Family vacations.  In case you haven't been around for long (and it doesn't take very long), Russ and I and my family absolutely love family vacations.  We travel in packs.  We celebrate in groups.  We cry together too.

Russ and I want family vacations to be a big part of our own family's memory box.  So many of my favorite childhood memories are wrapped up in some trip taken as a family - usually things going far from the way they should!  Ha!  In my opinion, it is so important for families to get away from life together, have fun together, enjoy one another, and get to know one another again...better.  It doesn't have to be big trip.  You can travel on a budget.  Keep your vacation fund in the kitchen and let everyone contribute.  Everyone staying in the same room with 6 family members will probably produce LOTS of memories for years to come anyway! Ha!

Because you only get one chance to make a memory.  Make it now or lose it.

Soon these days will be gone.  And all you will have left are the memories of squeals of joy as the waves crash over her, the giggles as she runs toward her daddy to lift her up, the tiny splash of her jumping in the pool, little footprints in the sand...

And, for heaven's sake...take pictures of it all!!!  Ha!

Second beach trip as a family of three!

My Tips for a Family Beach Trip:

1.) Enjoy the naps.

2.) Play and giggle.

3.) Lay back and relax.

4.) Notice the wonder of the ocean.  Stand in aww.

5.) Love the ones you're with.

And that, my friends, is how our beach trip went down.  Perfectly!

Day 5 on the Beach

So, I don't know if I mentioned this or not.  It rained...actually POURED a few days of our vacation.  Remember how I said I don't go up.  I meant it.  One of the days (I can't remember which day it was) Clancy and I were on the beach with the babies and Clancy's friend.  Everyone else had gone up for lunch or gone to get something real fast.  Meaning they left all their belongings at their chairs because  they were coming right back.  And the bottom fell out!  Millie Janalee was asleep on me, and Clancy ran under the umbrella with Selah Grace.  The wind was blowing belongings everywhere, and whoever left their things in their chairs...well, it just got soaked.  Because mamas left alone in such situations don't care about all the other stuff.  LOL!  The rain stopped as Russ came running onto the beach to help.  He said, "I just knew I would come down and find you frantic.  But you are just chillin'."  Ha!  It actually was nice to sit under an umbrella during a rainstorm with a sleeping baby on your chest.  Not enough to bring me inside for sure.  Seconds later, the sun was shining and we were back at it!

Beach business as usual.

There was one day when the lifeguards made us go inside so they could put all the umbrellas and chair cushions up.  I'll just say Clancy and I were NOT happy about that.  So we stood under the awning and watched the storm.  It was later in the afternoon, so we ended up going on up for the day.

Since the weather was unpredictable, we SOAKED in the sunny moments!  Literally.  I think Lee kept Hughes this day, so Kristin could come down and play.  I had grown accustomed to relaxing under the umbrella, but rekindled my love of sitting in the sun with my feet in the ocean.  Heavenly!  Those moments are few and far between for the next several years I know.

How was I able to manage that?  Oh, we just left the boys in charge for a while.  "Three Men and a Baby" style!

Cornhole games commenced...around the little monkey in the middle.  Millie Janalee enjoyed chasing the bean bags back and forth as they threw them.  Once she was able to get her hand on one, she was off to throw it in the hole.

Thankfully, I had one last distraction left in my wagon.  A bubble machine!  But, did you know that bubble machines run out of bubbles quite fast?  They do.  It was fun while it lasted.

We loved when Selah Grace woke up and played in the pool.  Millie Janalee did too.  She even shared her bonnet.  We only share our bonnets with special people.

Once our distractions ran our or Selah Grace began napping, we took some walks on the beach.  And Millie Janalee adored racing toward the waves for her Daddy to throw her in the air.  She would've done that all day!

Russ and I took Millie Janalee down to the beach later that evening for some pictures.  We ended up having a wonderful time just sitting on the beach chairs as the sun set, the ocean waves crashed, and the wind blew.  Millie Janalee and I savored some snuggle time before saying "Nigh nigh!" to the beach.

Until the  next day...

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Anyone with children knows that anniversaries aren't really all about you anymore.  Ha!  Ours never really has been anyway since we spend it on our family vacation every year.  But each year our anniversaries get sweeter and sweeter with this little one.  It's the only gift I ever wanted!

She She and Millie Janalee matchy matchy!

Jack was able to make it down for part of our trip.  He is in paramedic school, so we were glad for any days he could share.  As soon as he stepped foot on the beach, we put him in charge of the babies.  I'm sure they were in good hands.  Ha!

Millie Janalee really enjoyed sitting in a beach chair next to me and snacking away under the umbrella.  As long as she had food, she was content.  I know I've said this before, but we do not go up for naps.  "Ain't nobody got time for that!"  We play on the beach, eat on the beach, and sleep on the beach.  Millie Janalee didn't go to sleep as easily this year as she did last year.  And I didn't push it either.  But eventually, she was tired enough to rest.  Most of the time I was the only one who could rock back and forth just right.  Ha!  The secret is...let her play out and put her in the ocean right before nap time.  Ocean play wears the girl out every time.  Then, we changed her diaper, wrapped her in a towel, and let her snack a second before giving her the paci.

Plenty of juice to stay hydrated

The only nutritious option on the beach.  LOL!

Clancy took her out for this day's ocean play.  She had a ball jumping in the waves and going further out in the water.  I love playing in the waves, but there's a limit.  I don't go too far out.  Thankfully, Clancy and Russ are much more fun than I am.

Since Millie Janalee's favorite thing was running into the waves, we decided to let her try it sitting down.  It helped contain the wild mermaid, and it was fun to actually see her face.  Oh. my. word!  Probably one of the highlights of my week.  Nothing sweeter than those squeals of joy as the waves crashed over her legs and body.  Sometimes even sweeping her over a few feet.  Oops.

It was at this point that my phone took a dive into the ocean.  I had to make a choice - save my baby or save my phone.  I think I made the right choice even though Clancy also went in to save her.  Ha!

Alas, my anniversary gift ended up being a new phone.  It was a pretty serious situation.  Not because I needed to call anyone, but because I felt naked without access to my phone camera.  Huge thanks to Russ and my dad for taking care of me!

Seriously.  The sweetness of the day was almost too much!  I love this girl.

Since Russ and I share our anniversary with my parents (and his parents actually), we always go out to eat as a family.  It's our one big restaurant trip for everyone.  Kristin and Lee's anniversary is the next day, so we celebrate all of us at Captain Anderson's each year.  And, of course, we took the opportunity for a family photo.

Happy anniversary to us all!  And many more to come!

Praying blessings on this next year of marriage and family.

Third Day's a Charm

This sweet girl makes our beach trips so much more fun!  Busier...absolutely.  But much more fun!  Adding to that fun was her newest cousin, Selah Grace.  Selah Grace is about 8 months old or so.  By the time Hughes is older next year, our trip will be crazy with all the little ones running wild!

And years down the road, we will cherish the pictures from this trip even more than we do now.  I mean how precious are these girls!?

That's why these beach trips feel like "home" to us.  Memories and pictures of all the cousins as children running around, hanging onto Nonnie and Pops as they carry all four of us out to the ocean, building sand castles, and making memories that last.  And run together year after year.  Tradition.  Lord willing, our children will look back with the same nostalgia.

Except they won't be kids anymore.  They'll be big kids in grown-up bodies...

Our big kids

Susu was able to make it down for awhile on our third day.  She sat with Millie Janalee during lunch and snack time.  Millie Janalee enjoyed sitting in the beach chairs like a big girl.  Ha!  Such a diva!  Susu and I stayed under the umbrella most of the time after the first or second day.  I got a little too much sun, and the shade was so relaxing.  That's how you know you're getting old, isn't it?  When I sit in the sun, I like to have my feet in the water.  Not convenient with an active toddler running around...and frequently running toward the water!

Susu and Millie Janalee

Our beach crew setup

Dustin and Sheila are living up the childless life in honor of us all.  Ha!  But they sure make good helpers and playmates!  Millie Janalee loves She She and Buck!  And I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual.

Sheila and Dustin

We are all a little more active this year, and we love it.  Back to our childhood...building sandcastles, playing in the ocean waves, cuddles, snuggles, and laughter.

Building sandcastles with Daddy

Mommy/daughter time

We missed baby Hughes while he had his own quiet playtime in the condo.  He likes his quiet time I think...which may prove troublesome around this crew!  We'll try to break him in gently.  I think he was a huge fan of the salty air though.

These cousins will soon give us all kinds of trouble.  Just like we did growing up.  Oh my!

Our third day at the beach was a charm!  Perfectly beachy!