We're back!  Some combination of our family has been at the beach for two weeks.  And the kids and I could just move there.  Of course, I died when we came home.  I didn't realize how tired I was until I was home, but while we were there...I was living like Jimmy Buffet.  It was 5:00 somewhere all the time!

This beach trip was unlike any other we have taken.  Just like every beach trip in our future will be.  The kids are changing and so are our family vacations.  These kids.  Oh my!  These kids were at the top of their game ALL. TWO. WEEKS. LONG.

Russ and I really found our groove and worked so well together!  We haven't always done so.  [Full disclosure.]  I got the kids ready in the morning and packed the wagon, Russ did the sunscreen most mornings and packed the cooler.  We strolled our crazy family down around 10:00 every morning.  Russ and Smith were pretty ready to come up for the day for a shower and nap around 2 or 3-ish.  Leaving Millie Janalee and me down soaking up the sun and the fun.  I'm working really hard to teach Millie Janalee that we don't go up to the room til the chairs go to bed.

Tired?  Nap on your chair.  Hungry?  Look in the cooler.  Hot?  Sit in the kiddie pool for a while.  Gotta tee tee?  Walk out to the ocean.  LOL!  I had a fix for every problem and never had to leave the sand!

I think it is safe to say that the kids loved the beach.  And by the end of two weeks they had made themselves at home.  Including Smith giving in and napping on the beach a few times.

Most importantly, there was lots and lots of cousin togetherness.  And you know what they say - the family that matches together...

One thing we learned very early on was that Millie Janalee must have been a fish in her former life, because the child never wanted to leave the water.  Poor Pawpaw for being the main ocean escort.

Buck may have gotten the killer eyelashes batted in his direction, so he took her out a time or two as well.  My kids love their Buck and She She!  They also love their Kay Kay and Uncie Lee.  Well, heck.  They love the whole family actually!

Never a shortage of attention for anyone!

The summer beach nights were full of family and togetherness.  The kids played and fought and fought and fought.  The adults laughed, refereed, laughed, talked, refereed, cooked, laughed, refereed.  That's pretty much how it went at night.

But, y'all.

My summer never starts until I put my feet in the sand and listen to the waves 24/7 outside my bedroom.  Many memories were made, and complete uninterrupted family time was enjoyed.  My love tank is full!

On some beach somewhere.

Because Those Curls...

...and those eyes!!

Hello.

This is my wild man.  My precious one.  My cutie pie.  My cotton top.

My beautiful boy.

There has been so much to post about Millie Janalee lately, that I thought I would just post some snapshots I got of Smith this afternoon.  I don't know if it was the way his curls were bouncing or the way these colors made everything about him pop...but I just wanted to capture his joy.

And I wanted to capture those perfectly adorable teeth!  I noticed today that both his canines also came in.  A mouth full almost!  And they just give him the cutest look!  Oh, how I love him!

He was helping me "cook grilled cheeses" tonight for supper.  I really went all out tonight!  Ha!  And I was having him repeat different words to me: "cheee" (cheese), "beh" (bread), and "buh" (butter).  Then I showed him the spatula.  Of course, he couldn't say it, but we went and found his own spatula to cook in the kids' little kitchen across the room.  He obviously preferred to eat it.

Which doesn't surprise anyone who knows him.  He is a bottomless pit when it comes to food.

My blue eyed bouncing baby boy!

Tiny Dancers

I almost forgot to post about Millie Janalee's first dance recital.  Millie Janalee LOVES dance class!  She knows that every Wednesday when she gets in the car from school that she will ask "We going to dance class??"  She loves her sweet dance friends and her teachers are so sweet!

Let's not forget how much this child loves an audience of any kind.  Performance?  Yes please!  She can be in the worst mood, but if you put her in front of a big audience...that character comes out.  I was much more excited than she was about this dance recital, since she didn't even know what a dance recital was.  I have so many fond memories of my own dance recitals.  And I never took tap and ballet, so this made it more fun!  I was a jazz and acrobats kind of girl.  Ha!

Pawpaw arrived just in time to walk our tiny dancer in.  Russ and my sister were gracious enough to be one of the first people in line to save a seat.  If there's anything this family is good at...it's getting great seats!  Arrive 2 hours early for a 15 minute performance?  You bet!  We had perfect seats on the second row right in the middle.

Millie Janalee's little class was the first in the show.  As the lights went out, little tap tap taps were heard across the stage as the girls took their place.  Then the lights came up, and the music started as the audience said "Awwww!" almost in unison.  I have to agree.  A row of 3-4 year olds in tap shoes and primped hair and makeup is pretty much the greatest sight ever!

The girls did an amazing job!  Our little group of moms talked after, and we are pretty sure it was the best we had ever seen them do.  And at least two of us may or may not have had tears in our eyes while they danced their little hearts out to "Papa Loves Mambo."

Pawpaw had to leave at intermission to make it to the wedding he was performing that afternoon, so my sister joined us for lunch after.  She brought a special gift from Susu, Pawpaw, Buck, and her family.  A special jewelry box with a twirling ballerina dancing to the music as it played.  I had one just like it as a little girl.  Such a treasure!  There was also a special tiny lace purse that Maw Maw had made years ago.  She would have loved to watch Millie Janalee in her dance recital!  She loved all things girly!

Russ and I were so proud of this little girl.  She brings us so much JOY!  Even on her moodiest days, she's my favorite girl.  And this may have been my favorite thing we did all year!  Definitely in my top five.

This makes me so excited about all the fun things ahead!  Gone are the days of mourning each new milestone...as it only reminds me that she's growing up.  Now, I know that each stage is so much fun in it's own way.

It's such a joy to spend my days celebrating my children!