We survived. It was our first "real" family vacation ever (I don't count 3-day weekends as vacations, more like reminders of why we never go anywhere with 3 crack-monkeys).
Spent a week on the coast, in weather 30 degrees cooler than home, in space about 1/4 the size of our house, and we are all still alive and kicking! Two kids shared a bed, one slept on a couch, and Grumpasaur and I managed to share a queen bed without inadvertently rolling one another out in the middle of the night.
The weather was gorgeous (except for that one cloudy/windy day) and the beach was not nearly as crowded as we thought it would be (except for the 4th - that was insane).
Drama & Stanky learned to boogie-board with some friends from daycare that they ran into at the beach on our first day. We didn't think Stanky would even venture a toe into the water, but throw another 5-year-old boy, a boogie-board and an adult male not related to him, and he turned into superman. He was out chest-deep, jumping waves, screaming like a banshee and acting a fool. He and his friend spent time searching for the perfect piece of kelp for tug-of-war, then proceeded to fall on their butts from yanking on the slippery stuff. It was awesome.
Drama had gone to daycare with Stanky's friends' older brother, so he too had a buddy. By mid-afternoon, he had talked his Nana into buying a boogie board for him, and he was able to ride the waves without waiting turns. Cousin Tal got in on the action with a board of her own, and pretty soon the two of them were figuring out how to ride in tandem, spin around and try flips. Again, It. Was. Awesome.
Not to be outdone, Bea and Thing traipsed back and forth building piles of sand, rocks and assorted broken shells, troughs full of water and 'bawoons' of kelp. At one point, Bea grabbed her board and headed into the surf like she's been doing it all her life. Thankfully, Uncle JJ scooped her up before she got far - especially since she decided that wet was not the way to be!
And all this while I sat in comfort yards from water I had no intention of touching, visiting with my SIL and her mom. So nice to relax for a change! Of course, those extended family days at the beach were really the only relaxing for moi, but that's just the way it is for moms on vacation. I still cooked, cleaned, did laundry and wiped butts. At least I got to do it in a nice place, without having to traipse to work and back each day.
Believe it or not, the kids rarely fought the entire trip. I KNOW! Unbelieveable isn't it? I think there was a minor tussle over the scooter, and the order in which to enter the car, but nothing like the daily bickering we contend with. It was lovely.
Thing keeps asking to go back to the "new" house...guess we'll have to plan another jaunt in that direction before school starts huh?
Sounds like a grand time was had by all - congrats on surviving it!
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