Family Beach Trip – Buckets of Energy
After a day in the car the kiddos were revved up to get out and burn some energy. I think they would have been happy doing anything but we decided that a good dip in the ocean would do them all some good. It takes a while to get us all lathered up in sunblock and out to the sand but we eventually made it right around the time the sun was a massive ball of fire directly overhead.
The kids had a great time playing though and I doubt they even noticed the sun. Isaac spent most of the time wave surfing and diving under each incoming wave. He was fearless in the ocean. Violet and Piper both started out running down the water line and letting the waves chase them back. As the day went on Piper became more timid and fearful of each breaking crest – granted the tide was coming in and the waves were getting bigger. She settled on making sand castles and playing at the top of the water line. Violet on the other hand had no such reservations and took the growing size of the waves as a challenge to see how fast she could run away. Eventually she settled to taunting the incoming menace and started throwing sand at it – large handfuls of soaking wet sand – most of which landed in her hair, in her clothes or in general all on her somewhere. She did decide though that it could fight back whenever she would get any amount of stinging salt water in her eyes – so much one time that we had to flush her eyes with water – ice cold water from cooler – poor girl, that was all we had. Jacob was all boy, spending time karate chopping, kicking and diving through each break with Isaac. I think he got bored though and was looking for something more challenging. Might be time for an upgrade on equipment – maybe a boogey board or beach skimmer or a snorkel and mask.
We will have more time at the beach later but this was a good start. Next time we’ll break out all the toys – Frisbee, kite, football, sand toys, Transformers, Barbie – the essentials.
After a few hours at the beach we were all hot, water-logged, and covered in sand. It was certainly time for a swim in the bath, I mean pool. It was good to let the kids get out of the sun (pool is shaded in the later afternoon) and just enjoy the water. They didn’t really get to swim at the beach and were itching for it by the time we headed to the pool. Poor Violet didn’t really get to swim at all at the pool, she was having some issues with her bottom (stubbornness was the primary issue) and she hung out on the side with Mommy Carol and I – regardless I think she had a good time as well just dipping her toes in and pushing us under the water (meanness).
Dinner was at a customary vacation dinner place for Bonnie and Carol - Aunt Catfish’s – seafood galore. They offered any type of fish you could think of, specializing in catfish, of course, as long as you liked it fried. (For the record I think they did have the grilled variety but we were looking for it 
). They also had some more traditional southern stuff like frog legs, alligator, and shark – oddly none of the munchkins were interested – kids these days… Dinner was fantastic and filling – I think I ate the equivalent of three catfish and topped off a full belly with another treat – hush puppies – YUM!
Somehow after the beach, the pool, playtime in the room, and an exciting dinner the CotC still had hidden reserves of energy they kept refueling from. We thought a trip to a local park on the way back home would burn off any remaining shred we could find. The first park we found was covered in gnats and fire ants. Second one was a tennis park. Third was a park with a fishing pier. Fourth (almost after we had given up and were headed back) was perfect. It was shaped like a castle, on the beach, and out of the sand. The kids had a blast pretending that enemy soldiers were coming, ringing the alarm bell and looking out for incoming ships.
All remaining stocks of energy were burned. Mission accomplished.
Fantastic Day!!!
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Looks like tons on fun!! The pics are so cute!! Love how Violet didnt shy away from the alligator!!
It was a fun, exhausting day – but fun. Violet did try most everything we gave her – she had her own popcorn shrimp, tried Carol’s butterflied coconut shrimp, my catfish and hush puppies – although the second piece of catfish she took, looked at, and threw back at me (guess that piece wasn’t worthy).