Someone's Crawling.......In A Very Unsafe Environment!

Well, when you have your first baby you simply can't wait for all the "new" things they will learn to do.  Rolling, sitting, crawling, talking, walking...and so on.  I am pretty sure after you have one and realize that with each "new" thing they learn, taking care of them gets a little harder with each thing.  Other kids Lanie's age have been crawling for a month or so.  Call us bad parents, but we were not pushing for her to learn how to crawl.  Well, she no longer was content with just sitting and playing toys or standing at her play table.  She wanted to move.  It happened oh so quickly and now we are really in for more work!  At first she didn't want to crawl on the kitchen floor.  That was fine with me because at any given time there is some kind of food laying on the floor, spilled drink of some sort, dirt, cat hair, or ants....or most of the time... all of the above.  Yesterday, lucky us, she started crawling on the kitchen floor.  Please don't report me and try to take her away from me due to these somewhat "unsafe" shots.  She was under careful supervision....I promise!

 Here she is showing off a new trick, I guess.  First, please notice that she has no clothes on.  This was taken probably around 3 in the afternoon.  Yup, 3 in the afternoon and I still hadn't gotten her dressed.

 She wasn't really in the "take my picture, Mom" mood.  I think she was trying to figure out how to pull herself up some how.  All of her sisters and her brother were upstairs so she keeps looking up because she can hear them all going crazy!

 And here it is.....ladies and gentlemen... when you are #6 in the family, you have to be resorted to crawling after a plastic egg.  That is what one of the girls gave her to play with.  A plastic egg.  Not a fun toy that makes music or has fun colors, but a hard, boring, little, plastic egg.

 Then because a plastic egg isn't interesting enough, we resort to playing with the outlet.  Yes, she is playing the outlet.  No covers on it...nothing.  They were child proofed at one time....and they will be again today...but because this was "new" to us....they were not child protected.  Don't worry, she didn't  have any metal objects in her hands....but still....and egg and and outlet.   What will #7 have the privilege of crawling too?  Poop maybe?  Ha!

 And again, it sounded way more fun upstairs for Lanie.  She hasn't quite crawled over by the stairs yet so she hasn't tried that new trick out.  We don't have a baby gate anymore as the puppy we tried for 2 months chewed that us...so I guess that will be on our list of things to buy this week!

Now don't get me wrong, we are very glad she is progressing and advancing like babies should do.  However, now I have to make sure there are no tiny pieces laying around and be constantly watching where she is and what she is doing.  Before I could park her by my feet and get some work done at the computer....not so much now!  The kids are tickled pink that she is crawling and find it so fun!  Our little "chubba Wabba's" is growing up so fast!  I promise to get the outlets child proofed today and I promise to vacuum the floor.  Let the fun begin!

Things I Love to Hate

So, there are no pictures in this post.  Just plain old me typing away at 8 in the morning.  As I was laying in bed last night listening to Lanie's crib mobile play and play  and play....I started thinking about all the things that I have a love/hate relationship with.  Lanie didn't sleep well last night and after Dan had already been up with her, it was my turn.  I gave her some Tylenol....I think she might be teething.... and then put her favorite blanket on, turned her two crib mobiles on, and started bouncing her mattress.  I FINALLY got her to fall asleep and then went to lay back in bed.  This brings me to my first thing I love to hate.

#1 Crib Mobiles.   Lanie's crib mobile plays for a good 20 minutes before it shuts off.  Now, during the day when she is napping and all the kids are home, I LOVE that it plays for so long....it keeps the noise the kids are making muffled so she can sleep better and deeper.  But, in the middle of the night when I just want to sleep and it keeps playing and playing and playing...I don't love it so much.  If only we had room to put her crib somewhere else other than our room.  I guess it is time to start thinking about doing something as #7 will soon need to be in our room.  Yikes!

#2.  Money.  We all want more of it....we all think we NEED more of it...and we all never get sick of having it.  If you are not careful it can become the center of your life.  I love having money, but I hate not having enough of it.  EVERYTHING costs money now and nothing is cheap.   It makes doing things with a large family almost impossible.  School supply lists are out....we only have to buy for 3 kids this year....what will our bill look like when we have to buy for 7?  Yikes!

#3.  Food.  So I am borderline Gestational Diabetic.  No fear, I had this with Kenadie and did just fine.  I also tested my sugar levels with Lanie and Gavin and have never had to take insulin.  This time around my sugar levels are a little on the high side.  I am eating everything right and doing what I should be....but I can't control my morning fasting sugar levels.  Some foods are so good and I love to eat them...some food I hate to even smell.  Why wasn't I born with one of those bodies like Dan has.   He can seriously eat or drink anything and not put on a pound.  He is still the same size as when I met him in high school.  Good thing I am the one that gets to carry his children for him so he can maintain his shapely figure.

#4.  Pregnancy.  Now this is a hard one.  I often wonder what God was thinking when he created woman.  Why is it that the woman has to carry the baby for 9-10 months, then give a painful birth to the baby, then have to recover from the painful birth, and then to top it off now breastfeed that baby for a year?  Yes, my husband does help with the care of the baby, but seriously?  Then the woman has to loose the baby weight while trying to raise the baby.  I can't say I love being pregnant like some women can say.  I don't mind it...until the last few months.  Then I am done.  I went in to just have a listen to #7's heartbeat yesterday.  My anxiety level has increased and I worry too much.  What if something is wrong? Why haven't I felt the baby move in a couple of days?  Is the baby growing?  What is that cramping?  I am pretty sure none of these thoughts pass through Dan's head at all.  I guess this is something us women can understand.  I am 20 weeks.  20 more to go.  I love that I am halfway there and I hate that I am only half way there.  Just give me a healthy baby to hold and I am good to go!

#5.  Cleaning.  I HATE to clean but I LOVE having a clean house.  About 5 kids ago, I had a clean house.  Back when we lived in Pewaukee and each toy had it's own bin or special place.  Now I step on toys all the time...toys I didn't' even know we had.  Sometimes I find myself just throwing a toy in any bin cause I just want it off the floor and I don't know where to put it anymore.  My kitchen floor is a mess.  I can sweep or vacuum it and within 10 minutes someone wants a snack or a meal and there are crumbs all over the place again.  We have ants....no matter how hard I try to keep the floor clean.  We have cat hair all over and I HATE that.  There are always dirty dishes in the sink or clean dishes in the dishwasher.  I just can't keep a clean house anymore.  I give up.

#6.  Laundry.  This kinda goes with #5.  Ok, seriously.....I love buying my kids clothes...but I HATE having to wash, fold, hang, and put away.  We are talking baskets and baskets of clothes.  I should really be doing that right now.  I know things are bad when Dan has to come down in a towel looking for fresh underwear.  I guess today I will fold and put away laundry.  We are good about getting it clean...just not so good with the folding and putting away thing.

#7.  School.  Let's just say someone is counting the days until school starts in this house.  I love summer when we can stay in our pjs! I love having the kids home with me and not having to do anything or go anywhere.  I also LOVE sending them to school.  I HATE having to wake them all up in the morning and get them all ready.   I HATE making lunches everyday.  I HATE all the hustle and bustle that goes along with school.  Homework, reading, soccer, ballet, and so on.  I will have 5 in school this year.  Gavin will go to 3 year old preschool 3 days a week.  For a few months I will just have Lanie at home.  What is she going to do?  She needs someone to play with her, or should I say be in her face, at all times.  Oh what am I going to do?  Ha, maybe clean!

Okay I have way more things I want to say, but after typing about my laundry pile I am having guilt that I am not doing that instead.  So Hi Ho Hi Ho off to laundry mountain I go.  What are somethings you love to hate?  Oh I keep thinking of more...but I...must....go..........work........on............the.............laundry.......I..... must.................

"Fun" times in Port Washington.....filled with no yelling and no anxiety!

So here we go.....

I had a thirty-one party to do in Fredonia on Saturday and so what a better time than to throw all the kids in the van and drive up by Auntie Dawn and Uncle Hugh's house.  We were totally unprepared.  Dan decided he would come with the kids about 20 minutes before I had to leave.  I am sure no one brushed their hair or teeth (well, I did...but I don't know about anyone else).  So, Dan dropped me off at my party and headed to the O'Donnell's to chill until I came back.  Long story short.....Auntie Dawn and Uncle Hugh decided to MAKE us all go to Port Washington.  Worked out nicely as that was on our summer list of things to do as well!  

 So here we are just arriving at the Harbor. Lots and lots of fancy boats and yachts to look at!  Let the pictures begin.  As I previously stated, we were so unprepared and we didn't bring our camera.  So excuse the bad quality photos...they were taken with my iPhone who I currently have a love/hate relationship with!  "ok, kids, line up so I can take a picture."  And the fun begins!

 This was only our second picture....and the moaning began.  I personally don't understand why they all don't want to pose all the time for photo opportunities...but for some reason they were not in a "picture taking mood."  Someone may have said, "go over there and get in the picture and smile or I am going to throw you into the lake."  (Sometimes Dan can be so hard on them ! :) )

 Molly came up with this idea of a pose.  Just in case you can't tell...this is a huge anchor.  Auntie Dawn told us we had to take their picture there.  So, we forced, I mean made them!

 Here is a picture from the boardwalk of the harbor.  So pretty.  And then let the anxiety begin.

 So, along the boardwalk you could lean over and try to see fish in the water.  Someone developed a bit of anxiety at this point.  So you can see the 2 white boards and then this thin little wire.  Well, what would prevent a certain little 3 year old boy from slipping his foot under and falling in the water.  No one else seemed to care.  He wouldn't hold a hand and I was pushing Lanie in the stroller.  Who would jump in?  Dan said he couldn't cause he had his cell phone in his pocket.  All I could picture was having to jump in the yucky water after Gavin because no one cared that he could fall in.  We couldn't get off that walkway fast enough.  Ok...well it got a lot worse at that point then.

So then someone had the "brilliant" idea to walk out to the light house.  To the left is a picture taken from the light house.  See that very tiny walkway that our very precious 6 children had to walk on to get out to the light house?  No railings, no sides, no barriers, no NOTHING!  Someone was freaking out again!  Dan carried Lanie, Uncle Hugh held Gavin's hand, Auntie Dawn held Kenadie's hand, and I held Abbie's hand.  Molly and Sadie were on their own.  I kept a watchful eye out for a way to climb back up incase someone were to fall off and I would have to jump in to rescue them.  Seriously, what kind of crazy people do this stuff with 6 kids?  

 So we made it to the light house okay.  Notice how the kids all ran up to the EDGE of the light house to wave to a boat?  Ummm...could we back up a little bit?  Dan reassured me that there were lots of rocks below them to break their fall.  Really reassuring as they could crack open their head when they fall now.

 Another picture of the kids on the EDGE of the wall.  We couldn't stand in the middle and take a picture, we had to be daring and stand so close to falling in!  The kids wanted to peek over the side and I am pretty sure someone turned into a crazy person forcing their kids to come away from the wall.

 And what a better idea than to perch Lanie on a bolt thingy?  Look how close she is to the water!  No one seemed to mind...well someone did, but certain someone's were not listening to her.

 I must say it was very beautiful there.  I so wish we would have had our good camera ( and that Gavin would have been in his matching shirt and shorts..but I didn't dress him this morning!)  The kids started to complain they were cold and they ALL had to go to the bathroom.  Did you know there are no potties at the light house?  We had to scurry back to shore...on the very thing break wall, walking very fast, over a very rocky surface.  Good thing someone had the bathroom on her mind the whole way!

 Then we got subs for dinner and headed to a very nice park on the bluff.  We really wanted to see the fish gutting, but no fishermen were coming in at the time we were there.  After we played for a bit, we went for a walk on the bluff.

 There was a huge staircase from the top of the bluff down to the beach.  The kids wanted to go...the adults didn't.  We had a long day...but the fun wasn't over.  We headed down the huge staircase to the beach.  No swimming suits, no drinks, no bathroom, no worries!

 At this point Molly was done with pictures.  She was scolded to change her attitude and at least look happy.

 See that lighthouse out in the water?  Well, that just happens to be the one we walked out to!  See how far out it is?  See how dangerous that looks...with no sides...nothing to keep your precious little's ones safe?

 I wanted to try and get a good picture of them on the beach.  Gavin was being Gavin.  He was in a crazy non listening mood.  "Gavin, don't throw sand, Gavin put the sand down, Gavin, smile for the picture."  Gavin wasn't gonna do it.  Notice how my sweet girls are all smiling and striking a pose...even Lanie?  Notice my sweet , adorable, handsome Gavin-totally NOT listening.  Dawn thought this was quite funny...someone else did not!

One more quick picture of Lanie and Daddy.  He was such a trooper today and always offered to hold Lanie so I wouldn't have to.  He even put Gavin on his shoulders and held Lanie all the way up the stair case to the top of the bluff.

After a long day, we were sure the kids would fall fast asleep on the way home.  Guess who stayed awake the entire way home?  GAVIN!   Talking and yelling at me.  Guess who woke up puking this morning?  GAVIN.  I am thinking he might have gotten dehydrated and over heated yesterday.  Overall, I am very glad we went.  The kids had a blast and that is all that matters.  Someone needs to work on her anxiety....

Sisters For Sure!

Molly age 10 months

 In starting this whole blog thing....I have been able to go back and look at some old pictures.  ( Cause I totally have nothing else that I could be doing!)  Anyways, I came across some pictures of all of the girls when they were Lanie's age right now.  I personally think that Lanie looks the most like Molly did, however, I can seem pieces of Lanie in all of them.  Even Abbie.  Abbie is totally all Dan....but I do see Lanie in her as well!  Honestly, where does the time go?

Sadie age 10 months 

Abbie age 10 months

Kenadie age 10 months

Lanie age 10 months

Molly age 10 months

Sadie age 10 months

Abbie age 10 months

Ok Kenadie is on the far right at age 10 months.  I guess when you
are 4th you just get tossed in with your sisters and don't get
your own bath time!  (sorry Kens!)

Lanie age 10 months.  

 This summer I have really been trying to focus on spending a bit more time with the kids.  That mostly means taking them to the waterpark or hanging out with friends at the park or just doing fun things with them.  A lot of days I am overwhelmed.  A lot of days I am tired.  A lot of days I just want to scream and run out the door.  A lot (ok most days) my house is not clean.  A lot of days there are baskets and baskets of laundry to fold.  A lot of days I just don't know where to begin.  I do know that time has flown by so fast.  I am going to have a 9 year old in a couple of months.  I just can't believe it.  So what I encourage you to do,  is try and let some of the earthly things go.  I am really trying to do this.  Yes, I do like a clean house, but I love to see my kids have fun at the pool more than cleaning!  I do like to have all the laundry folded and put away, but I love to see my kids having fun at the park!  Now, again, don't get me wrong....I do demand that they clean up quite a bit....but overall I am trying to focus more on them and not on what needs to get done.  Before I know it...even though this seems so far away....Dan and I will be asking ourselves what we should do when the kids are all grown up!  (Hopefully we will have lots of grandkids!)  Now go do something fun with your kids or grandkids!

Let Me Introduce You To My Son!

When Dan and I met in high school we talked about getting married one day and having kids.  You know, young love.  Everyone talks about getting married and having kids in high school....and then 2 weeks later they have broken up.  Anyways, if you don't know me or my family, my sister and brothers, and I are really good at having kids.  My sister Dawn has 4, my brother Brian has 5, my brother Matt has 4, and then I have 6 1/2.  Well, when we were dating is when my sister and brothers were busy starting their families.  They were really good at making boys.  I so desperately wanted a niece, but baby after baby was a boy.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my nephews to pieces and and so thankful for each and everyone of them.  My sister FINALLY had a girl a few years into our "dating" life.  Therefore, Dan and I were convinced that we would have 6 kids which would all be girls.  I even put that in my 10 year senior will plan we filled out.  "I will marry, Dan, and we will have 6 kids...all girls."  So like 16ish, right?  What did we really know back then?  We thought we knew it all, but in reality we didn't have a clue.  Jump ahead now about 10 years.  We found out we were expecting our 5th child...not too long after having our 4th.  Can you say, SHOCKER?  Anyways, we had already had 4 girls and were convinced that perhaps Dan could only make girls!  I bought a pink onsie that said "little sister" and a blue onsie that said "little brother."  I put each of the onsies in it's own gift bags that were identical.  We had the doctor do the ultrasound and asked her to not tell us what it was.  She then left the room and brought in the bag with the "appropriate" onsie in it.  

You cannot believe how SHOCKED we were when Molly and Sadie pulled out the blue onsie.  They screamed, "It's a boy!"  I screamed, Dan had the hugest shocked grin on his face.  We simply could not believe it!  What were we going to do with a little boy?  

M

Abbie lost it.  She fell on the floor and had a temper tantrum.  She wanted a sister.  She cried and cried.  We tried to explain to her that she already had 3 sisters, but she was so upset at the fact the baby was a boy.  I can't explain the feeling or emotion.  This little boy would carry on the family name.  We could stop hearing, " oh maybe it will be a boy this time."  Boy oh Boy, we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into.  Now, I am convinced that God truly does know what he is doing!  Some people are meant to have girls and some people were meant to have boys.  Some people can handle girls and some can handle boys.

NOW FAST FORWARD 3 1/2 YEARS!


I am now convinced that I was meant to handle girls.  Please let me introduce you to my wonderful, naughty, sweet, moody, angry, happy, loving, moody, charming, smiley, moody, pleasant little son, Gavin

 Gavin, Gavin, Gavin.  He is the child that makes me laugh the most.  He is the child I have to yell at the most.  He is the child that cuddles with me the most.  He is the child that I have to put on a time out the most.  (actually he is the only child I really have to ever put on a time out!)  He is the child that hugs and kisses me the most.  He my only child that hits, bites, and kicks the most!  He is the child that helps me cook the most.  He is the child that takes all his toys out and doesn't put them away the most.  He is the child that still likes me to sing to him the most.  He is the child that tells me he doesn't want to be my friend the most.

 I am so new to this boy thing.  My girls can all play very nicely together.  I can ask them to go to their rooms and play quietly and I won't hear from them for hours.  They will set up villages and cities and play a story.  Then there is Gavin.  His idea of playing is going in his room, taking all his toys out, and then telling me that his sisters don't want to play with him and he is bored.  Well, I wouldn't want to play with him either since he tends to kick them, hit them, or pull their hair when they don't do what he wants them to do.

Then there is the super sweet and loving side to my little guy.  He will pose for pictures for me.  He will help me cook.  I can ask him to do something for me and he will say, "yes, mommy!"  He will come up and ask me for a kiss out of nowhere.  He will come sit on my lap or ask to hold my hand.  He will be sweet as pie!

Then within an instant something sets him off and watch out!  He is more moody that all of my other 5 girls combined.  For instance, last night we took the kids to get their free ice cream cone from Mullens.  They are in the reading program in Watertown and that was one of their prizes.  Gavin choose to get cotton candy ice cream. Well, after a handful of licks, he decided he didn't like that flavor and wanted Abbie's Blue Moon ice cream.  Abbie offered to trade, but she really doesn't like cotton candy so it wasn't fair to her.  I could sense a break down coming.  (Now keep in mind, long morning, then Chukee Cheese, then library then ice cream...did i mention no nap?  So I took him outside and he was mad and crying.  Then he says, in only a way Gavin can...."God is going to destroy you and Daddy both...I really mean it."  Ummm what?  So he said it again.  I asked him why God was going to destroy us and he said cause we were naughty to him.  So, I didn't choose his flavor of ice cream and I am not having a crying fit...but yet, God is going to destroy me.  Ok then.  So I took him back inside and told Dan what he said.  We both were laughing and that made Gavin even more angry.  Then he asked for his cone back and bit off the bottom of the cone.  Then when the ice cream started to drip out of the bottom, it was all my fault again.  I should have gotten him some napkins, I should have gotten him a different cone, I should have...the list goes on.  So Dan took his cone and tossed it in the trash.  We knew that was our cue to leave.  Can you say right to bed?

I just can't seem to figure him out.  There is a reason why God only gave us one of him!  Now don't get me wrong.  I love him beyond words....I just can't figure him out!  Everyone tells us to wait until the girls are teenagers and he will then seem so easy.  That could very well be the case.  However, I am really trying to raise my girls to be respectful, kind, and caring little girls and hopefully the good foundation they have will lead them to be strong Christian young ladies and women.  So as we are so close to being able to find out what baby #7 will be.....I have mixed emotions.  I would LOVE for Gavin to have a brother.  I think it would be good for him.  I also LOVE having my girls.  Lanie is a little needy, but she is getting much better!  I am so happy we had her and that she was my 5th girl!  I simply love having girls.  I know God has a plan for #7.  I just pray his plan, if it is to be a boy, would be that maybe this boy would come out with an instruction book !  Gavin had another break down at the water park today over an ice cream sandwich.  So embarrassing.  I am sure my friend, Amy, who was there with me thought, " oh I am glad I have 2 girls!"  We left a few minutes later and headed home.  All 6 kids are sleeping peacefully now.  I always have to wonder, will Gavin wake up wanting to kiss me or wanting to hit me?

A Family of Pickers! (July 17th, 2011)

Sometimes in life you find someone who was so made to do what they do.  They enjoy what they do, they are amazing at what they do, and they do what they are supposed to do!  That is how we feel about Mrs. Schempf.  We met Mrs. Schempf when Molly was going into Kindergarten.  We had just moved to Watertown and Molly was our "baby" girl.  We were so nervous about sending her to full day Kindergarten and had many reservations.  We met with Mrs. Schempf and she put us right to ease.  She is an AMAZING teacher.  Molly, Sadie, and Abbie have all had her now for Kindergarten and you couldn't ask for a better teacher.  We Love her dearly!  She is a kind, loving, and supportive person and friend.  She has such a positive outlook on life.  She has raised her children to be beautiful people both inside and out.  Her entire family is so kind and caring.  I just can't say enough positive things about her and her family!  Anyways, she called us on Sunday and told us her raspberry patch was overflowing and needed some pickers!  We headed over to her house on a very hot Sunday night to fill our buckets with raspberries!  I knew Gavin and Kenadie should have stayed home with Dan and Lanie, but they INSISTED that they would help.  Hmmm, is it ever smart to listen to a 3 and 4 year old?  No, not really. The kids had to wear long pants and put a light sweatshirt on so the branches wouldn't poke them.  Here are a few photos from our picking!

 We had to start by "trying" out their tree house.  Mr. Schempf built this all on his own.  Mrs. Schempf brings her kindergarten class here every year, but Gavin and Kenaide hadn't had a chance to see it yet.  So the older girls had to show them the ropes.  What a fun thing to have in your backyard!

 Mrs. Schempf showed the kids what to do.  Notice how they are all paying attention and listening?  She has this magical way with them that they ALL listen to her....even Gavin!

 She worked with Gavin and showed him what to do, what berries to pick, and where to pick them from.

 Gavin didn't make it past the first few minutes.  The tree house was calling his name!  I was proud that he helped for a few minutes!

 Kens didn't last too long either.  She was very excited to give it a try, though!

 Kenadie was brave and was the first one to actually attempt to go into the patch.  Even with the bugs and spiders!  Shortly after, she lost interest and joined Gavin in the tree house.

 Sadie pushed her way through the thick branches and got all the way to the middle.

 Abbie was my helper.  I was so proud of her as well.  She got right in there with me and was an awesome picker!

 Molly worked with Mrs. Schempf.  I could hardly see her overall the tall branches!  She got a huge bucket full!

 It was SO hot and thankfully Mrs. Schempf had freezy pops for us to cool off with!  We were all sweaty and sticky!  It was a nice break, but then we were back out to the patch to pick some more.

Well, at least some of us headed back out to pick....some of us, that would be Kenadie and Gavin, stayed and played in the tree house!

We left with two huge flats of raspberries!  We have enjoyed them so much!  My plan is to make some jam today with what we have left.  Mrs. Schempf and her husband are heading out of town this week so she said we could come back on Thursday to pick some more.  This time I know who I will be bringing with me and who can stay home with daddy!  We are so thankful to the Schempf's for allowing us to come and pick raspberries!

Harrington Beach Fun! (June 25th, 2011)

My nephew had his graduation party at Harrington Beach in Belgium.  Going to the beach was on our summer list so we were so glad to cross that off the list.  I love going to the beach as long as I don't have to touch the sand.  I am not a fan of the sand.  However, you can't really go to the beach without touching sand, so I had to suck it up!  I even helped dig some holes in the sand!  

 Kens loved being at the beach.  The water was freezing but the kids didn't seem to mind!  It didn't take them long to find something to do!

 Sadie and her cousin, Emily, started making a small pond to put the fish in that Molly and her twin cousins were catching.  They worked very hard and even made a little river that drained into the pond.

 Lanie even gave it a try.  She is more like her mommy and wasn't too sure of the sand.  She started to scream a second or two later!

 My nephew, Daniel, buried himself up to his knees and then found strange ways to bend.  Dan and Daniel found this quite amusing!

 I know Lanie isn't in this picture, but I still had to get one of them!  They are honestly pretty good troopers when I ask them to take a picture.  The quicker they cooperate, the quicker they can get back to playing, right?

 Gavin HAD to get buried as well!  He LOVED every minute of being at the beach.

 Here Gavin is in the pond Sadie made and holding wet sand.

 The kids worked with cousins to make lots of holes and rivers.

 Oh, Gavin figured out he could twist his body and toss the sand.  He spend a good half hour doing this. Probably not the best thing to do by throwing sand, but he was having fun!

 Kens was amazed that they could catch fish with their hands!  Except, they all died!

 There was a sand bar 50 feet out or so that everyone liked to play on.  1, 2, 3, JUMP!

 Dan and our nephew Daniel are two peas in a pod!  They were standing on the sand bar "playing!"  I said,  "hold hands and jump!"  So they did.....I got an awesome picture!  What a bunch of goofs!

 Yes, that is my husband doing a cartwheel on the sand bar.  He is a kid at heart still and he loves to do goofy stuff.  I love that he doesn't care what anyone thinks...he just does!

 TAH DAH!  I don't think he kept his legs straight, but not bad, right?

 Gavin had to get in on the fun on the sand bar.  No tricks from him yet, though!

 Honestly, this little guy just can't get any cuter.  Here is one of his "faces!"  He is just a joy! (most of the time!)

 Look at the pretty mermaids that washed up on shore to play with us!

Overall, fun was had by all at the beach.  The kids have all asked to go back...they have asked to go back A lot!  If it wasn't so far away we would go there a bunch.  Hopefully we can make it back there one more time this summer!  Yeah for sand and fun!