sand and sun

Thus far our holiday has been pretty amazing. Everything I hoped it could and would be. The wilds are loving every moment of it, and I'm not sure if they will ever be ready to leave. I have been soaking up every minute and have completely failed to document any of it. So today, I made myself grab the camera. I feverishly clicked away, not wanting to let another day slip away unphotographed. 

We started the day at our favorite coffee spot, Grayt Grounds. It has these beautiful eclectic gardens, with small pebbled pathways winding between flowering arches and quaint hideaways. They serve a gouda grit breakfast bowl, that is hands down one of the best things I've ever eaten. We crave them and wait all year to go back for more.

Kaleb and I have both been fighting off colds, which is annoying. So yesterday I went to a health food store to get some cold medicine, instead they gave me a shot called the heat wave. It's a mixture of ginger, lemon, cayenne pepper and garlic. It looks like melted butter and tastes horrible.  It burns all the way down, but it opens you up and I felt better the next day. Naturally, I forced Kaleb to go and get one today!

We decided to forgo the beach this morning, and let little Eleanor have a nap. She has been such a trooper but she is truly exhausted. We tucked her in, and headed outside to surprise Zain with an early birthday present.

We had been wanting to give slack lining a go for some time, and thought Zain would love it. Pretty much anything that doubles as American Ninja Warrior training, is going to be a hit with our bugs. It is awesome! If they enjoy it even half as much as Kaleb and I do, then it's a success.

After lunch, we finally made it to the beach. It's been interesting to watch our boys this week. Our kiddos have always been close and usually play great together, but the boys have become inseparable little buddies, and it's so sweet to watch. I hope that it flows into a constant and they will always remain so.

A couple days ago, the bugs befriended the sweetest couple. Their own grandkids hadn't been able to make it this year, so they took to ours as replacements. The man had promised he would meet us today to build a sand castle, and he came prepared. He had bought them tools and toys and even made flags that they could each decorate.

We planned, engineered and constructed all afternoon and into the evening, but it was a masterpiece. Complete with a covered entrance and decorated with every shell we could unearth.

We left the beach as the sun was setting, grabbed some boiled shrimp and headed to our pool to finish out the day. Needless to say, we are completely and totally spent. And all I can think of is doing it again tomorrow!

p.s. I realize I'm not in any of these photos. I so hoped, this blog would force me to be in more photos, so there might be some record that I was around, that I existed. Thus far, it's not really panned out. I have really got to teach that man of mine how to use a camera!

p.s.s. Anybody have any tips for hair at the beach? Seriously, I may as well have a bale of hay for hair right now!