Beach Beares

So a couple of weeks ago, I posted about being a crazy woman or a cool mom .... votes were unanimous and it was determined that I am a "cool mom"! After our adventure, I would have to agree!


We all packed our bags, kids, and food and headed to the beach. It was a memorable 3 days and was sad to see it end. But we will be back next year for sure!!

The first night we took an evening walk on the beach. We already consumed sand and were soaking wet....I knew the next day was going to be so much fun!

Clayton ready to dig!

Maecie had a ball stuffing sand into the toys! And into her bathing suit!

Or maybe she just like rolling around in it...

This is my favorite picture of our beach time ... Clayton LOVED playing in the water, even though it was a little cold!

Before and After ... The Shower!

One year ago we remodeled to create a new master bedroom suite. The room and closet was finished by the time Maecie was born. However, the shower took a little longer. Here are the before and after pics. The shower is 5' x 7' with 3 shower heads, a shower bench, and ceiling to floor tile. The bathroom floor is covered in tile and is heated! The pictures don't really do justice to the luxury we are living now!

The Shower Bench Before and After

The Shower Before and After

The Vanity Before and After

Cool Mom or Crazy Woman??

I belong to a group called "Married Single Mom's". This elite group is generally comprised of stay-at-home mothers who's husbands work extremely hard to pay for and provide for their families. Their hard work generally calls for them to be away from home for long periods of time, causing the mothers to care and nurture for the kids on their own.

Summer time is the most difficult time of year for me, as a MSM. My husband is a heating and air conditioning contractor, so, living in the south, he often works 16 hour days. In order for my family to achieve some sort of vacation, I generally have to take the kids alone. If my husband can join us half way through, then he will. Otherwise, it's just us.

This week is Spring Break for many of the nearby schools. It's the first time I'm not teaching and no one else is in school. So Spring Break would not seem to mean much. However, we are getting Spring Fever!! So my fellow MSM-ers and I decided to do something about it.

Just last week, we tossed around the idea of heading to the beach. We found at least 5 other moms who were interested, so we looked for a condo to share. JACKPOT! We found an 8 bedroom condo for a great deal! We would each have our own room, with a full kitchen, a game room, within walking distance from the beach, and a swimming pool.

So tomorrow, I will pack up my kids and we will be heading to the beach with 5 other moms and their kids. No husbands are going to make it. And there will be at least 2 children to every 1 adult. We plan to visit the beach and play in our swimming suits for as long as possible. We might go out to eat one night and definitely order in another night. We plan to play games, visit the outlets and have an overall ball!

My question is ... 6 adults ... 10 kids (5 of which are 4 and under) .... 1 house ... at the beach .... for 3 days and 2 nights .... COOL MOM or CRAZY WOMAN?!

Swinging in the Spring with my Sweeties!

I have very fond memories of swinging when I was a child. I think it is the most exciting activity on the playground ... that and sliding.

Clayton's Goes First:

Maecie Jane's Turn!

I think swinging is the most fun thing to do at the park! Glad my children love it too!

Espanol and Crushes!

When Clayton was about 18months old, he would walk around the house saying, "Blow my nose!" It was the funniest thing cause I couldn't quite understand why he was saying it or what he meant. Surely no kid wants to blow his nose!

Then one day, while he was watching Dora The Explorer, he said it again. After paying close attention, I realized he was really saying "Vamanos!" This was when I realized he could memorize cartoons.

Clayton goes through phases when it comes to his favorite shows. I think we have just about made it through every kids-friendly show on Disney and Nick Jr. Lately he likes 'Jake and the Neverland Pirates', as well as 'Little Einsteins'.

Little Einsteins has 4 main characters, one of which is a ballerina named June. In the store the other day, he found a Little Einsteins coloring book. He held it and told me, "Mommy, I miss my best friend June!" Then, after watching an episode, proceeded to tell me that "June is cute!" Can kids really have crushes on cartoons?! Maybe he just has a thing for brunettes!