That’s right.. we were finally headed back to the beach!
We had just seen Oma and Opa towards the beginning of May, but we were looking forward to seeing Auntie A, Uncle N, and baby cousin again!
After our overnight drive, Oma and Opa were kind enough to watch the kids so I could get some sleep- some much needed sleep! I’m not sure how long it’ll last, but at the moment, this seems to be our best practice- On our way down to the beach, we drive overnight. The kids sleep the whole way, TT Dad tries to get as much sleep as he can in the car, before I need to tag out, and I basically crash when we arrive.
Cross your fingers, because it works really well.
This trip to the beach brought a new experience- An urgent care center for the littlest guy. He had a double ear infection, and we ended up bringing him to urgent care when it appeared he wasn’t getting better on his own. Poor buddy. He was such a trooper, though!
We had an extra stowaway on this trip, too. In addition to the four of us, and the pup, we were loaded up with our new Kayak! We are the proud owners of a Hobie Odyssey Tandem kayak! So far, we are completely thrilled with the purchase. We can fit the four of us- comfortably- and there is plenty of dry storage, as well.
With a 550lb weight maximum, we should be able to use it this way for some time. We each take a kid in our lap, and they love to watch the water, as well as the wildlife pass by. The kids were so excited to get a chance to take a ride in the boat! We took a few practice paddles before taking the kids to a little island for snack one day. What a treat.
In addition to paddling, we made sure to spend some quality time in both the lagoon, and the ocean beach. For the first time, the kids were thrilled not only to play in the waves on the beach, but also to play in the sand! It was immediate.. No warm up necessary!
We weren’t the only ones with some new equipment, either. Oma and Opa surprised us with a duo-sized picnic table on their deck! The kids were happy to find many uses for the table… Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Coloring, the list goes on.
It was a perfect addition! It is sturdy enough to handle my crazy tots (and even an adult, or two!), but it was super easy to put together, and is light enough to easily move when necessary! I’m going to try to convince TT Dad we need one for our soon-to-be-finished basement!
Four thumbs up for the Little Tikes Easy Store Picnic Table! Bonus points for the cup- AND CRAYON- holders. Perfection!
After a few days at the beach, it was almost time for me to say goodbye. That’s right- this trip was an extra treat for me- I would be heading off to my college reunion!
I’d be gone for 3 nights- my longest period of ‘alone time’ I’d had in over 2.5 years. How did it go? Did I make it the whole time, or did I bail early because I missed my family? Stay tuned to find out!