Beach Trip ~ Day 3

Our 3rd day at the beach (or Daddy's first full day) was a Sunday.  We awoke to beautiful sunny skies and immediately dressed to spend the morning on the beach.  While the sunny weather makes for a great day on the beach, it can often make for difficult picture taking because of the brightness. Most of the pictures I get of the boys are of squinty eyes and faces.  Still, they had a great time playing in the water and sand.  After the boys had their share of the beach, my sweet husband walked up to the hotel's poolside bar and bought me a yummy fruity smoothie to drink on the beach.  He took the boys to the room to eat and then to play in the water park while he let me relax alone on the beach with my drink and a book.  And yes, I did take a little nap.  It was wonderful!  He even came back to get me and the rest of the beach stuff, and I then went to join them in the water park.  That night, we enjoyed our last dinner with Eddie's family before they left the next day.

Brody started his morning playing with cars.

Grady enjoyed a stroll in the water with Papa James.  Papa James could only endure the heat for a little while so they headed back to the room to rest. 

A dark picture is the consequence of the too bright sun. 

Evan often chooses just playing in the waves opposed to boogie boarding.  He did this pretty much the whole morning on the beach.  He likes to pretend the waves are his adversary, and they are fighting an intense battle.

I tried helping Brody boogie board.  We weren't as successful this day.

The boys playing in the sand together a little.  Evan didn't last long at this.

Grady enjoyed playing in the sand too.

He's getting so big!

It was like attack of the birds when all these seagulls suddenly showed up.  I think someone threw out some food.  

At the lazy river again.  

Still loving the "water fall" as he calls any water than falls or pours or moves.

More sliding fun.

Yep, Daddy caught me going down.

I was a little nervous when Brody turned himself completely upside down going down the slide.  

Then, he rediscovered the submarine.

He loves any water splashing on his head.

Driving the submarine.  I think the first year it actually had steering wheels, but I guess they got broke off and were never replaced.  Sigh.

Daddy and Brody swimming together.  Most of the water in the water park and indoor pools feels warm and is heated, but this pool was crazy cold.  We didn't use it much.

Sweet boys.

Brody not wanting to smile when Evan got in the picture.  

Beach Family Photos ~ Session 1

We attempted our first beach photo session while Grandma and the family were still with us.  While Brody refused to fully cooperate, we still really like these pictures.

A family shot.  Nope, no smiles from Brody.

Squint from Evan.

Daddy trying to get Brody to smile.

A couple shot.

Trying for one of Grandma and her boys.  Brody and his infamous pouty lip.

Grady said he was done with this photo session and was off to the beach.

Aunt Naomi and her little man.

Grady was copying Evan here.

One of Grandma and Aunt Naomi and the boys in which Brody smiled a little.

But Daddy got in the picture and the smile disappeared.

Brody giving the camera a sneer.

Trying for one of the cousins.  Brody was not digging Grady's hugs.

He was trying to escape.  Of course, he was just getting pay back.

Silly beautiful boys.

Beach Trip ~ Day 2

The next morning, we got up and got ready to head for the beach.  Brody couldn't wait to make castles.  Evan wanted to try out his boogie boarding skills again.  The day was actually overcast, but it felt really nice and not too hot.  We got to spend a couple of hours on the beach before it started to rain.

Both boys jumped right in to the ocean as soon as we arrived.  I was still setting up our beach gear.

Brody didn't mind falling down in the waves.

Brody was so excited to play in the waves.

Running from the waves was so fun.

Smiling for the camera.

Just strolling along the beach.

But he couldn't stay out of the water for long.

We started seeing the fish jumping closer to shore and thought that probably signaled some changing weather conditions.

Evan has always been a beach bum.  He could stay in the water all day.

A picture of Grandma and her boys on the beach.

Evan showing off on the boogie board.  We did have to buy him a new board this year.  His has lasted several years and finally broke in the middle.  It has gotten a lot of abuse as a snow sled. 

Still a pro.

Riding the waves.

Playing in the sand.

Cousin Grady liked playing in the sand.

Just doing some digging.

Little man did a good job digging and filling his bucket.

Cousins playing "together."

The water got them.

Just having fun on the beach.

Brody is a forager.  He is always on the hunt for food.  He was sneaking into the cooler.

Grady got brave venturing into the water.

Enjoying snack time on the beach.

Daddy was scheduled to arrive around 5:00 p.m. from Chicago.  After we ate lunch in our room (I had already been to the grocery store the previous night to buy food for breakfast and lunch for the week), we decided to just rest and then get ready to go pick up Daddy before going to eat dinner. Evan still wasn't completely aware when Daddy was arriving although he had overheard me saying Daddy was coming back early.  He was super excited when we arrived at the airport.  The boys and I headed into the terminal to meet Daddy.  Daddy's plane was a little behind schedule, but we watched it arrive on the monitor and waited for him at baggage claim.  Evan suffered a little casualty while waiting because he was being silly and running on the slick floor in his slick crocs and fell.  We got him calmed down before Daddy arrived though.  The boys met Daddy with big hugs.

Walking in the big airport terminal.  Evan was way up ahead. 

Brody enjoyed using all the space to practice his dancing.

Daddy's plane is the red one.

Happy boy.

Brody gave Evan big hugs to cheer him up after his fall.

And here comes Daddy!

Evan made it to him first.

But Brody wasn't far behind.

Three happy boys!

We chose seafood for dinner, of course.  

My crab legs were super yummy.

After dinner, Daddy obliged the boys and went with us to play putt putt after dinner.  I played this time, and he just watched and tried to take some pictures.  The camera battery died so we didn't get very many this time.  This course has actually been one of my favorites since I was a kid.  It is a pirate themed course with a pirate ship and a pirate cave.

Evan practicing his putt.  

Brody still mostly takes his ball and puts it down by the hole to hit it in.  He did play the whole game with us though.

Grandma stomped us all!  She got mostly all 2's and a couple of hole in one's.  

I did consistently mediocre as usual.

Posing for a picture with the boys.

Little golf champ.

I wanted a picture of us at the helm of the pirate ship, but the camera died.  I had to settle for a not great picture from the phone.

The boys liked operating this little mining car at Long John Silver's mine.