Sun, sand, sea, and more sand...the BEACH!

A week ago today we surprised the kids with a "Mystery Ride." Generally, when we take a Mystery Ride we go out for ice cream or some other little treat. This time we had been talking for a few weeks about a special Mystery Ride we were going to take for Sophie's birthday. We had thought we might celebrate her birthday at the lake, but it didn't work out, so I planned a little beach get-away instead! It actually worked out very well because out of everyone, Sophie has been asking for months, "WHEN can we go to the beach???" We used to go for a week every summer, but we didn't go at all last year since we spent so much time at the lake. Anyway, back to the mystery ride...the kids knew it was bigger since we were packing bags & such, but they never guessed it! I also didn't give any clues or even say whether their guesses were right or wrong. I did say we would spend at least one night. We had packed the pails, shovels, and sand toys in the car the night before, so they didn't see that stuff going in. Jack said, maybe we are going to Disney, and I did tell him that we were not going to Disney! So eventually they settled on either going to the Lake or to one of the grandparents' houses. I worked like mad last Thursday to get everything packed up while keeping the kids from pulling things back out & making huge messes all over the house! We had the girls' last swim lesson at 2:40 and the goal was to have everything packed & leave straight from there...which meant we needed to be in the car ready to go by 2:15. Jeff got home from work around 12:30. Somehow, we got it all done & everything loaded into the car, praise the Lord, and we were off!

After the swim lessons, the girls changed into dry clothes & we were on our way! The questions started again, but soon enough they got interested in their movie, Air Buddies, and we had a reprieve. When the movie finished, the questions started in earnest (Jack does NOT like surprises...or he doesn't like not knowing what we are doing!) Everyone was getting hungry, so we stopped for an early dinner at Burger King in Bennetsville, SC...we joked with the kids that we just drove 2 hours to eat at Burger King & that was the Mystery Ride...they didn't buy it! Soon enough we were back in the car & on our way once again. Jeff & I started to get worried that they would figure it out because we started to see signs that said "Beach Traffic" this way, but they started watching another movie, this time Air Bud & the 7th Inning Fetch. The timing was perfect, the movie had finished up & the kids were talking or reading (I think Drew & Darcy were alseep) and we turned onto the street where the hotel was. After 2 blocks you could see the ocean ahead & we told the kids, "We're here!!!" They looked up & saw the ocean ahead & Sophie was soooooo excited, "We're at the BEACH!" she exclaimed! Jack, actually, developed a sour attitude & said, "I knew it was the beach & I don't like the beach! This is no fun!" He whined & carried on a bit, but we told him he needed to change his attitude or it wasn't going to have fun at all. Darcy didn't really remember being at the beach because the last time we went she was only 1. Drew had never seen the ocean before.

(Side note: As we were unloading the car, he did come up to me & sincerely apologize for having such a negative attitude. He said he was sorry & asked for forgiveness! Praise the Lord, I am so thankful that he is starting to mature enough sometimes to recognize his sin & repent!)

We all piled out of the car & headed straight out to the beach. It was almost 8:00pm, but it was still light. Here are a few pics of those first moments on the beach. 

Then we unloaded the car & got everyone settled in bed so that we could get started early the next morning!

For the rest of the trip, we pretty much just enjoyed ourselves either on the beach or in the pools! Our hotel had complimentary hot breakfast every morning, we ate simple lunches on the beach or in our room & then enjoyed dinner out each night. Here are lots (and lots & lots & lots) of photos from our trip...(this could be a record number of photos, so get comfy!)

This is the first of many photos of Drew playing in the sand...Drew LOVED the sand, he crawled in it, dug in it, threw it up in the air, ate it & succeeded in covering 98% of his body with it!

Drew made this face a lot, I think he could taste the salt on his lips.

Sophie loved playing in the surf & was much more daring than I would have liked...she kept going out further & further, then we would call her back, then she would creep out further & further again!

Darcy was a bit timid the first day, but quickly got her sea legs & loved the water, too!

Despite his grumbling start, Jack had a GREAT time in the water each day!

Where's Jack?

I love this photo of Drew & his reflection on the wet sand.

There's that cute face again, licking the salt off his lips!

Building Sand Castles & just digging in the sand...

For dinner the first night, we wanted some good seafood & stopped at a place with a big sign...well we didn't read the smaller print on the sign that it was an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet with over 170 items! There was LOTS to choose from but dinner involved getting up from the table about 100 times to go get food for everyone...most of which the kids didn't eat (until dessert!)...and it ended up costing us over $100! Adults were $26.95 each, kids over 4 were $11.95 & kids under 4 were $2.95...needless to say we did not get our money's worth out of dinner that night, but judging by the lines at the buffet & the people with plates piled high walking by our table over & over again...we were the only ones there that didn't eat "all-you-can-eat"!

The kids outside the restaurant in front of a pile of huge ship anchors.

Day 2 (Yes all the previous photos were from the first day!) Getting ready for breakfast.

Drew really isn't attacking Darcy with the shovel!

More digging in the sand...

Jack & Sophie trying out their new boogie boards!

One worn out little boy! He fell asleep while I was holding him out in the surf, so sat down under the umbrella & he slept for at least an hour...it was the only time I sat down in a beach chair all weekend!

Kids relaxing a bit before dinner, worn out after another great day on the beach!

Day 3: To change things up a bit, we decided to play putt-putt golf after breakfast on Sunday. What we didn't realize was exactly how HOT it was outside...here is everyone excited & perky before the first hole...

Drew has his own putter!

Darcy has her purple sunglasses, purple golf ball & purple putter!

I think this is the 2nd or 3rd hole...and it was at this point that I took Drew & Darcy back to the car to sit in the A/C while Jeff finished playing with the big kids...it was just TOO hot & they were miserable!

Sophie at the beginning...

This is Sophie towards the end...Jeff took 2 photos & this is actually the one after he told her, "Please try to look like you aren't sick!" She was really hot & not feeling great by the end of the 18 holes! (But she felt fine again after cooling off & drinking some water!)

After golf, we hit the beach again for our last chance to play in the surf & sand!

And then we spend several hours playing in the pools & lazy river... 

I can't tell you how many times Jeff walked around & around this river with the kids, pushing floats, but he was worn out! I love all of these photos of Jeff with the kids though because they show exactly the kind of wonderful, hands-on, fun, loving Dad that he is! I love him, Happy Father's Day, Jeff!

Drew giving the big tubes a try!

Darcy liked to play peek-a-boo!

And Sophie liked to play whack-a-mole!

Drew getting a ride

General craziness

And I'm sure that after looking at all of these photos this is pretty much how you feel, too! 

Now that you have looked at ALL of these photos, I'm sure that you feel like you were right there on the beach with us! The amazing thing is that I really felt like I didn't take very many photos...there were SO many times spent playing in the ocean & the sand where I wished I had my camera handy to capture a special moment, but I realized that those moments will be priceless treasures in my heart. And I kept remembering that line from an ee cummings poem that goes "whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it's always ourselves we find in the sea."

maggie and milly and molly and may

by ee cummings

maggie and milly and mollly and may

went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang

so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star

whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing

which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone

as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)

it’s always ourselves we find in the sea