Beach House Pt. 2: The Beach Pictures

A couple of funny things about our time on the beach...

• The water was pretty dang cold and any time I tried to go under the waves, I had a hard time holding my breath because it was so cold my automatic reaction was to suck in air.  
• There were a couple of times where Lyla had to go potty.  We didn't want to go all the way back to the house, clean off all the sand, etc., and then head back to the beach.  Usually I would just have her do it in the ocean but the waves broke pretty close to the shore so it was not happening. So Lyla and I walked up to the shoreline so she could go potty there, but she didn't want to go in her bathing suit.  So instead, we stepped off to the side, stripped her down butt naked and she peed right there out in the open.  I have pics, but I'm pretty sure they are NOT internet appropriate :)
• I am pretty sure Ruby ate so much sand.  There was always sand around her face and mouth.  It was inevitable so I just tried not to think about it.
• I could stay out on beach for hours a day and I did my best to get my fix before we moved to Seattle of all places (which we are loving, but still).  
• The sand here is sooo nice and soft I could just lay in it all day long.

Anyway, here are a bunch of beach pictures...

Ruby chillin' under the umbrella.

Rachel and Lucy

Stacy and baby Reese

Aren't Ruby's curls just awesome?

Love those curls and that little babe in her bathing suit!

A bunch of the kids digging huge holes and sitting in the water that would collect there.  

Annabelle and Lyla

Vhari looking fabulous after having her baby only about 3 WEEKS before!  I seriously love this girl!

Outer Banks waves.  Nothing like California but still fun.

Me and my Ruby girl.

The first couple of days we found so many sand crabs and the kids (especially Lyla) absolutely loved them!

Lyla and I digging for sand crabs.

Me and my mini-me :)

I absolutely love her!

Such a cute pair!

And I absolutely love this happy girl, too!

One day we all decided to have some fun burying the kids...

Rex is just loving life in this pic.

I'm not sure if Carter wanted out or if he was having fun.  I think it was the latter.

My girls wanted in on the action.

 Nate decided that I needed to be buried as well...

Kisses!

Ruby loved rubbing sand on my neck.  Nothing like a good sand scrub, haha!

 Our family on the beach (aka one of my favorite places of all time!!!!)...

Lyla and Ruby loved their little princess chairs...

Nate catching some rays.

She cracks me up!

Ruby's hair grows in one direction and that is forward.  She constantly had sand and food in her hair this trip...

Ruby laughing with her dad.  At least I think she is laughing...

Lyla and her beach treasures.

 Anytime I tried to lay out while the kids were around, Ruby would immediately come over and either 1) kick sand all over me and my towel, 2) come sit right on my stomach or legs, 3) lay right on top of me, or 4) steal my glasses.

This picture is way off but it's one of my favorites!

We honestly had so much fun on this trip.  It was so fun bonding with all these families and getting to know them even more.  It's kind of sad though because just as we REALLY got to know everyone there, all (except for 1 couple) were 2nd years and are spreading out all over the globe (Virginia, Iowa, SOUTH KOREA!) and leaving us 1st years.  We are seriously going to miss these guys!

BIG thanks to Josh and Emily organizing this whole trip... we absolutely loved it!  Thank you, thank you!