Crazy, Happy Summer Day

Today I took 3 kids to the local beach.  They had a sleep over the night before and didn't pass out until after I did.  Not surprisingly, we didn't get on the road until after 12.  After stopping by Rite Aid to pick up a beach chair for me, we hit the road.  It's only about 30 minutes to the beach from my place, but we made the most of it.  All the windows were down.  The kids stuck their heads out the windows like happy puppies.  We had the Metallica blasting.  Jake screaming "Master, Master.  Master of Puppets is pulling your strings".  Awesome.  Sometimes I just love being the adult who can let the kids be themselves.  They're yelling?  So what!  The music's loud and it's not bugging me!  In fact, the hype is contagious and I'm singing and screaming along with them, with a big smile on my face as the cool ocean breeze fills the truck.

We took 3 boogie boards, 2 umbrellas, lunch and snacks.  And it turns out, they weren't too old for the random bag of beach toys we brought along.  I have long since ceased worrying about claiming all the toys at the end of the day.  What they find and bring home comes home.  What doesn't, makes the next kid happy.  Whatever!

Our usual parking spaces were filled. I had already given thanks for the perfect spot before we got to the beach, so I didn't stress out, just kept on driving.  (This works.  Try it sometime.)  We cruised along and discovered a section of the beach that wasn't overcrowded, was by a restroom and a lifeguard stand.  We pulled up around the block and there was a pay lot, almost empty.  See?  3 bucks later, we loaded ourselves down with the necessary gear and set off for the perfect site.  To the right of us were some huge rocks, perfect for climbing, sunning on, and creating a "house".  "I sleep in the kitchen." said Emily, as she sprawled out like a happy cat in the sunshine.  "My bed sleeps 7!" claimed Jake.  It was indeed a huge rock. 

I had the perfect day.  The waves weren't too huge.  The kids stayed in sight.  They got along almost the whole time.  (My mantra for today was "I invite Peace in my life".  I breathed it in and out mentally and was really into the happy moments, of which there were many.  I had a book to peruse while the kids were out of the water and digging or climbing.  My dad recently visited and left a copy of T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton.  I don't usually read mysteries, but I read A is for Alibi earlier this year and really dug the main character, Kinsey Milhone.  I was happy to start another, even if I had skipped 19 books in the meantime. 

A few hours into the day, E called, wondering if he should start a new job for the day, or call it quits and come join us.  I encouraged him to get his butt to the beach.  Forget that he didn't have his board shorts or surfboard, that man needed to get his feet wet and decompress at the waterside. Within the hour, he was there, with his shirt off and pockets emptied of valuables, standing knee deep and watching the kids boogie board.  Heaven.

The walk back to the truck seemed twice as long, with tired kids hauling the oh-so-heavy stuff.  True, the toys were filled with sand and the boards were probably water-logged, but mostly the were pooped from the water and sun.  Anyway, we put on some "scary" stories from my ipod and it kept them quiet and satisfied, munching cheese-itz and relaxing on the way home. 

A fabulous day.  It may be my last beach trip before going back to work.  If so, I am satisfied.

Thanks for listening.