Beach Weekend 2012

The incredible high of a long weekend at the beach came to an end as we sat in traffic for an hour outside of the Mobile tunnel earlier tonight.  The drive home was a total buzz kill, no doubt.  But, there is nothing better than 3 days marinating in salt water, exfoliating with gulf coast sand, and enjoying a cold beer under a big blue umbrella.  It is something we have enjoyed every summer many thanks to the Rentons!

It was the last hurrah of the summer for us as Christian starts back to work on Monday and school starts for the kiddos on Thursday.  I have to figure out a way to be in Second Grade with Luz and Nursery with James (yes, Nursery, can you believe this?  real school for this lil' guy already - it is breaking my heart into a million pieces) at the same time.  How on earth do people with more than 2 kids do it?  I am in awe - or maybe it is much like how I keep it together - smoke and mirrors - but on a much grander scale.

Here are a few sweet pics from the weekend of fun, which included a nice visit with Nana and Papa-T, Peg Leg Pete's, Pensacola 360, and many hours on the beach (somehow we avoided Alvin's Island entirely, much to Luz's dismay - and now I sort of regret it because one of my biggest childhood memories is shopping at Alvin's Island for junk - I know, ridiculous):

These guys fixate on the weirdest things...they were super-psyched to pack their own suitcases and be in charge of them - cheap thrills, I guess:

Boardwalk to the beach:

Jamesy, beach chair:

Dinner at Peg Leg Pete's:

Watching a beach wedding from the balcony:

Balcony sunset:

On her way to search for shells:

The haul, I love all of these:

Throwing sand, why do kids (actually, just James, Lucy never did that) think this is fun...he can do it for hours:

James and Papa-T playing whatever game it was the kept James on the beach for hours and hours (thank you, Papa):

It was a lovely, memorable weekend and, as usual, it flew by.