Beach Trip

As usual, I'm late posting pictures, but we headed to Rosemary Beach, Florida a few weeks ago for our first ever family beach trip.  By family, I mean the four of us.  We've been to the beach with my family and with friends in years past, but we've never taken a beach trip by ourselves with the boys.  We felt so grown up taking our family on a trip!  We had a fabulous time despite the fact that a tropical storm dumped crazy amounts of rain on us the first few days we were there.  I think the best thing about the whole week was the intentional time we got with the boys.  I feel like so often when we are home that we get caught up in the ho hum of everyday life.  We are easily distracted by cell phones and internet and laundry and dishes and emails and decluttering and bed making and all the unimportant things that we fill our days with.  On vacation, there was none of that, the only thing there was to do was spend time together with no schedule or agenda, and it was amazing!!!!    We kept the boys up way later then bedtime several nights to eat snow cones or watch the sunset on the beach or watch movies on the Rosemary Beach lawn under the stars.  We biked to the donut truck for breakfast several mornings and had ice cream for lunch sometimes and stayed on the beach all day instead of going in for naps.  We just spent time together and were flexible and enjoyed each day and whatever it held.  It was awesome! 

The boys loved the beach.  I was shocked at how much they loved it.  Braden would literally wallow in the sand...for hours and then run and jump waves...for hours.  Asher would dig in the sand, eat lots and lots of snacks and then sit in the chair and listen to the ipod...for hours.  It was so relaxing.  I actually couldn't believe how much we could just sit and relax.  Anyway, a wonderful memory for Austin and I, one that I hope we can recreate every year from here on out.  Here are a few pictures from our trip!

Asher ready for a dip in the pool - 

 Braden loved being buried in the sand -

 After a good sand wallow, notice the sand caked on the side of his face -

Asher's favorite spot, sitting in the chair, eating snacks -

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 Of course we pay for beach chairs and the boys want to sit on me while I'm laying out -

 Watching the sunset on the beach...such a sweet moment as Austin and I sat back and took in the beauty of the sun setting behind us and the joy of watching our boys play together in the sand. 

 Family Beach picture

 Braden and Asher's pirate face on a VERY HOT pirate cruise we took the boys on -

 Riding to the beach in style -

Perhaps one of my favorite memories from the whole trip...Asher fell asleep on me one afternoon on the beach and I got to hold him and cuddle him for way longer then I normally do -

 The lighting on this day was incredible....my beach bums -

 Asher loves to cup his hands under his chin...this picture makes me smile b/c I caught him pensively thinking on the beach one afternoon -

On our way back home we stopped at the Huntsville Space Museum since Braden is obsessed with space and astronauts these days.  It was a fun break in the long drive home! 

 And when we got home, this is the really large zucchini we found growing in our garden.  Braden thought it was hilarious how big the zucchini was -