Sun, Sand and Water

Lawrence and Lydia didn't have much memory of a beach environment since they had only been as infants when we would visit Mobile.  So the very first walk and swim on Dauphin Island when we arrived with our camper was quite an experience!  After the camper was set up, we went for a walk to see the water with Reemie and Bumpa.  Lydia was so funny because she had a death-grip on Bumpa's hand.  She screamed in delight and giggled like crazy every time the waves touched her feet!  

Lawrence was mostly worried about his feet getting dirty.  They'd get wet and then *GASP* they would get sandy which was a huge problem for him.  When we lived in Cincinnati, he never, ever walked around barefoot.  It was too cold, and we lived in the city with all the outside city trash that happens to be on the ground.  So he freaked out during the first several weeks at the beach every time his feet touched grass, dirt, sand or anything that wasn't shoes.  It took him darn near forever to build a sand castle because he kept having to stop and wash the sand off his hands!

It's funny how quickly things change.  The kids are all self-taught, fish-like swimmers now, and I can hardly keep shoes on any of them!  It has occurred more than once that we arrive at a store, restaurant other such shoe-requirement place only to find that one of them forgot their shoes.  Fool me once and twice, blah, blah, blah.  So now the question is posed before cranking up the car and leaving the camper, "Does everyone, EVERYONE have shoes on their feet?"  

This is when she finally ventured in close enough to let the water swirl around her feet!

Of course, it didn't take long for the boys to become completely soaked on our walk!

Still clingin'!

Feet selfie alert!  Archie, don't look!  I was sporting flip-flop tan lines for most of the summer (well, and winter too!) and I still do!  

What an adorable Sand Angel!

Caution:  Engineer at work!

It takes hours to build a sand castle when you have to stop every minute or so to wash off your hands!

Aaak!  It's a head in the sand!

I took a regular selfie to add to my flip-flop tan lines feet selfie earlier. Because otherwise, no one would ever know I was a part of the family.  I'm always behind the camera instead of in the shot.  I always have to ask for someone to take my picture, just to prove I was there! 

Living at the beach was great because we had visitors who liked to hang out at our beach house!  My sister-in-law is swimming with Lydia.

It's so hard to get a picture of Lawrence smiling!  Every time he saw the camera go up, he would stop what he was doing and not smile.  So I told him he had to smile for me here.

Beach Badminton.  We made good use of the screened shelter my parents got us for Christmas one year.  I'd get up in the morning, drag it down to the beach and set it up for the day.  We'd have a shaded shelter on the beach all day long.