We started our vacation with a BANG! The last day of school ended Tuesday at lunch time. Wednesday morning we headed to the beach for the rest of the week.
We (well, actually, they) did a lot of digging!
A lot of smiling!
And a Lot of Eating!
Baby Doll did GREAT!!!
She was quit happy to sit in her stroller and watch the entertainment her brothers provided. She even took naps in the stroller.
This little Stinker got his kicks by sticking anything he could find in front of his face whenever I pointed the camera in his direction.
What's so fascinating about the bucket?
This little guy. Isn't he cute?
See, what did I tell you? Every. Single. Time.
Good. Good. Times.
Other Adventures so far this Summer included.....
Oregon Dairy Farm Days
A few refreshing water activities.
Countless Baseball Games.
An indoor camp night.
Helping Mommy make laundry soap
(serious concentration required.)
(serious concentration required.)
Swinging in the sunshine!
And lots of tasty summer treats and goodies.
Ice Cream.
Hot Dogs.
S'mores.
Y.U.M.
I was a little skeptical at first that taking our "big" vacation (I'm aware that to those of you taking 6 week trips out west, 4 days at the beach probably sounds a little lame, but it's a pretty big deal around here!) so early in the summer would be a good idea but it worked out fantastic!! (1) It was much easier for me to pack and get ready without over-excited-impatient-to-get-going boys underfoot. (2) We beat the crowds to the beach.....most schools got out later than us. (3) We jumped right into summer fun and eliminated a lot of the transition problems of boredom and relearning-to-get-along-with-each-other-while-everybody's-home-again-syndrome. It's pretty easy for us to fall into "lazy summer mode" when school is over. We take advantage of slower paced mornings and relaxed schedules and before we know it the first couple of weeks of summer are gone without any memories to show for them. Kicking off summer with some great memory making at the beach inspired me to keep the fun going for my kiddos, to make sure that I don't spend all summer doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, surviving (trust me, those things swallow up my every hour if I let them, they're never-ending!) to take time to enjoy this stage of life and the 5 Sweetest, Cutest, Most Fabulous Gifts I've ever been given! To help me stay focused (since I'm a wee bit, OK, an extreme, start-off-with-great-ideas-and-lose-steam-half-way-through-Sanguine) I set a goal to make 101 Memories this summer. (One for each day from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.) It's working! We're having a super fun summer and I have been reminded again that the smallest things mean the most to my children. Even butterfly shaped sandwiches or a watering can makes them so happy!
Y.U.M.
I was a little skeptical at first that taking our "big" vacation (I'm aware that to those of you taking 6 week trips out west, 4 days at the beach probably sounds a little lame, but it's a pretty big deal around here!) so early in the summer would be a good idea but it worked out fantastic!! (1) It was much easier for me to pack and get ready without over-excited-impatient-to-get-going boys underfoot. (2) We beat the crowds to the beach.....most schools got out later than us. (3) We jumped right into summer fun and eliminated a lot of the transition problems of boredom and relearning-to-get-along-with-each-other-while-everybody's-home-again-syndrome. It's pretty easy for us to fall into "lazy summer mode" when school is over. We take advantage of slower paced mornings and relaxed schedules and before we know it the first couple of weeks of summer are gone without any memories to show for them. Kicking off summer with some great memory making at the beach inspired me to keep the fun going for my kiddos, to make sure that I don't spend all summer doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, surviving (trust me, those things swallow up my every hour if I let them, they're never-ending!) to take time to enjoy this stage of life and the 5 Sweetest, Cutest, Most Fabulous Gifts I've ever been given! To help me stay focused (since I'm a wee bit, OK, an extreme, start-off-with-great-ideas-and-lose-steam-half-way-through-Sanguine) I set a goal to make 101 Memories this summer. (One for each day from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.) It's working! We're having a super fun summer and I have been reminded again that the smallest things mean the most to my children. Even butterfly shaped sandwiches or a watering can makes them so happy!
I could still use some great (simple) memory making ideas for the rest of the summer.......Will you share your ideas???
You have a beautiful family and those smiles tell us all what a good time they were having. Ice cream (making) and netting butterflies are memories I carry with me to this day. The boys might like simple pole fishing. We are about to do that with our grandsons. This was my first visit to your site, but I'll definitely be back. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDelete