Wednesday, August 13, 2008

The Beach

We are home! Wow what a trip! We got home yesterday and today was a day for recuperating or at least I thought....Josh thought today was a day for cleaning out closets and cabinets. I just needed some rest. Taking a trip to the beach with a toddler and a baby taught me some valuable life lessons....of course I will share them with you in another post. Seriously we had a great time. We didn't do the whole week like the rest of the family, because let's face it....a women can only go so long without a full nights sleep. We came home early enough to still love the family we went with and not scar us from ever going again. Next year we will be ready for the full week.

Meredith loved the beach, Noah hated it! Meredith loved the sand and the shoreline, she was iffy on the whole gulf thing, which was fine by me. Noah hated the sand, hated the sun, hated the shoreline and HATED the gulf. He was very content to sit in the condo and be rocked by someone or to play with his cousin Connor.

I had a good time, the beach was not quite as relaxing as I remember it. I used to head out to the beach with my ice chest in hand in the late morning and stay until the evening. This year it was in and out in and out, potty breaks, snack breaks, diaper changes, nursing sessions.....oh the life of a mom. We also only used 3/4's of the clothes I packed for each of us. I didn't get a full night sleep at the beach because Noah and Meredith decided sleep was for adults and they were kids remember!

I made my family bring denim and white for beach pics, out of 200 pics we got a few decent ones. If people would only learn to look at damn cameras! Every year we laugh at everyone dressing alike and taking the pictures. This year we joined the silly people and laughed at ourselves!

I also hit the outlets and made my husband's wallet cry and probably my husband too. The outlet is way too far to return things with my buyers remorse, so he will be returning to work soon to pay for the loot.

All in all it was a great trip and I am already looking forward to next year's trip. We also survived and came home happy and exhausted with a minivan full of sand. I think in the end we could of toughed it out the whole week, but really I wasn't ready to lose my sanity just yet.

Here are my favorite beach pics.....

The three most important people in my life.


Noah and Connor in their cage....kidding...their pack and play!
Jumping monkey on the bed!
Am I not so handsome!
Stud muffin!
One decent pictures and my husband has his tongue out! Hello....are you like 2 Joshua???

My princess and her castle, well some other person's castle but a castle none the less.
My loves!
The best picture from all the outtakes!
Seriously....the best picture, mom if you would only look at the camera puhhhlease! I can't make the kids, but you would have thought the adults could do it. In the 100 pictures at the beach the at least one adult is blinking, laughing, looking at an adorable child, or making an insanely hideous face.
Okay this one isn't bad and everyone is looking.


Us, after 200 pictures, my husband bitching not so quietly under his breath, and me ready to pop him.....awe! aren't we cute!
The three cousins! Now they are cute!
Mimi is the light of his life, and he is thinking lady I better be the light of yours too!
I can do it Mimi let go!
Look mom one hand!
My favorite girl cousin....and her favorite thing! Trying to be artsy...trying, but not real hard. I really ought to learn about my camera and photo shop.
Mom I can do it I can catch the fwawter
I got it, I GOT IT! Shit there it goes again!

I'm gonna get you fwarter!

Yay Noah is at the beach and not screaming his head off, Not so sure about Josh!

5 comments:

Amy Drouet said...

Cute pics Mandi - Looks like fun! Where were you all? We're in Pensacola right now with the extended family and I'm so sad to leave.

Anonymous said...

Great pictures Mandi! Looks like you all had a great time.

Where did you go? What beach is that? It's beautiful!

mandi said...

Hey Kim & Amy!

We went to Gulf Shores. It is only 3 hours from home which is fantastic! We did have a blast I love the beach! Thanks for stopping by!

mandi

Jaimie said...

So cute! Looks like y'all had a good time.

Olivia said...

Congrats on surviving the beach. If you are smiley enough to take those cute pics, it couldn't have been too bad:) Or maybe it was all the umbrella drinks, either way, you survived!