oh the beach.
i have completely forgotten how in love with the beach i am.
last year we went to hawaii but since i was pregnant we didn't spend that much time just lounging on the beach or in the sun and playing in the water.
and before hawaii i hadn't spent anytime at the beach since the summer after my freshman year at BYU.
this vacation was very much needed for so many different reasons.
let me tell you all the things i've loved:
ADVENTUROUS CASEY.
i'm so glad i have a fun energetic husband who is the first to participate in all things fun.
the first day we were at the beach with casey's family, everyone was slowly walking into the water, knowing they wanted to go further but not really wanting to go further since the water was quite cold!
there were probably about 5 hesitant family members very slowly making their way out into the frigid water no really sure if they wanted to keep going.
then here comes casey, running full speed by them all, splashing them as much as he could with his running and then diving/belly flopping into the water without a second thought.
he came up from the water with the biggest smile on his face.
that moment right then and there reminded of just one more reason why i'm so glad i married that man.
i'm so glad that first day i decided to join casey out in the waves with everyone body surfing those waves
which leads me to
BOOGIE BOARDING.
how did i forget that boogie boarding was so much fun?????
thanks to casey, i was persuaded to go out boogie boarding with him everyday we were at the beach, and i'm so glad i did!
i'm very much the woos when it comes to being cold, and the first 3-4 minutes of being in the beach water is COLD!
after that it's just fine.
but casey insisted everyday that i not be boring and sit on my rump but instead join him in the water,
and every time i was out in that water hooting and hollering during each wave i rode i was reminded how happy i was that i braved the first few minutes of the cold water to experience the fun of boogie boarding.
i hope that i won't let small, not so fun things inhibit me from experiencing the more fun things that life has to offer.
my mom is a wonderful example of this.
my whole life she has ALWAYS participated in EVERYTHING that was remotely fun, not caring if her hair got wet, she got dirty, or anything in between.
she's so rad i'm glad i get to call her my momma.
INTRODUCING MAXSON TO THE BEACH!
oh that baby boy.
he sure loved that sand.
after two beach days he finally realized not to put fistfuls of sand directly to his mouth.
putting rocks, small pieces of seaweed, wood chips etc in his mouth never quite clicked.
though his face always had lots of sand particles covering it, he loved scraping through the sand, crawling all over the sand, destroying sand castles and being by/in the water (not caring one iota that the water was oober cold at first).
he perfected his bear crawl beautifully by the 3rd day, i believe due to his knees taking enough of a beating from crawling in all that sand.
he was seriously such a fun baby to be with at the beach.
FAMILIA
children eagerly wanting to make sand castles and play in the waves really makes the beach 100 times more magical.
grandparents willing and ready to watch maxson while casey and i boogie boarded made life better.
and just being together with family at such a relaxing place like the beach was an absolutely wonderful vacation.
those were definitely the top 4 things of our experience.
ONTO THE PICTURES!!!!
and there's a hecka lot because this was such a fun trip and i don't want to forget about it all
so the first part of our california trip was casey's family reunion oh his mother's side.
how blessed i am to now be apart such a wonderful crowd of people.
so blessed.
the gathering was short but we had so much fun, so so so much fun.
i didn't bring out my camera nearly enough because i'm stupid like that.
i did but i didn't, ya know what i mean?
the first full day we went to the beach with the crowd and had a ball.
i kept telling the different people how much FUN it was to be around so many kids who wanted to build sand castles, play in the waves, and just have fun at the beach, not caring one iota about tans and books.
we all talked, we laughed, we just basked in our experience there.
i mama-beared maxson around the sand all afternoon constantly pulling his sand filled hand out of his mouth.
while he napped in his stroller (bless that stroller for naps at the beach, sure it seemed like a beast at first to drag to our beach site but it was worth all its weight to be able to put him in there for his naps) i ran out into the waves with casey and we attempted "body boarding"
*note* body boarding is willingly subjecting yourself to being manhandled by waves.
fun at first, but then not so fun once the waves just hit you from behind forcing salt water up your nose, down your throat, and into your eyes.
like a said, fun but not fun.
though because there were about 10 of us out there it persuaded you that you were having fun :)
we costco pizza'd it for lunch- brilliant idea i tell you.
grammy cutler was the funnest new person in maxson's eyes that day as she constantly loved on him.
ONTO THE PICTURES!!!!
and there's a hecka lot because this was such a fun trip and i don't want to forget about it all
so the first part of our california trip was casey's family reunion oh his mother's side.
how blessed i am to now be apart such a wonderful crowd of people.
so blessed.
the gathering was short but we had so much fun, so so so much fun.
i didn't bring out my camera nearly enough because i'm stupid like that.
i did but i didn't, ya know what i mean?
the first full day we went to the beach with the crowd and had a ball.
i kept telling the different people how much FUN it was to be around so many kids who wanted to build sand castles, play in the waves, and just have fun at the beach, not caring one iota about tans and books.
we all talked, we laughed, we just basked in our experience there.
i mama-beared maxson around the sand all afternoon constantly pulling his sand filled hand out of his mouth.
while he napped in his stroller (bless that stroller for naps at the beach, sure it seemed like a beast at first to drag to our beach site but it was worth all its weight to be able to put him in there for his naps) i ran out into the waves with casey and we attempted "body boarding"
*note* body boarding is willingly subjecting yourself to being manhandled by waves.
fun at first, but then not so fun once the waves just hit you from behind forcing salt water up your nose, down your throat, and into your eyes.
like a said, fun but not fun.
though because there were about 10 of us out there it persuaded you that you were having fun :)
we costco pizza'd it for lunch- brilliant idea i tell you.
grammy cutler was the funnest new person in maxson's eyes that day as she constantly loved on him.
(karlee, why are you missing in the above picture?????)
that night we went to an incredible production of the wizard of oz at a local outdoor amphitheater.
i seriously could not get a single picture that showed what a fun set up it was but it was way cool.
we got there early and our crowd of 40 or so quickly ate ourselves through lots of KFC dinner.
once finished we bundled up in blankets to watch the show.
for just a "small" production they had some crazy good talent.
we all loved the show and had a great time.
maxson did great cuddling with us and watching the show until i nursed him and he then slept the whole second half.
(if you're ever in the oceanside area looking for something fun to do, i highly recommend going to the moonlight amphitheater for a show, it's a way fun experience)
we took a train to old town sandiego and went through the mormon battalion museum with everyone.
it was way cool for me to realize that one of casey's grandpa's served in the battalion!
our children are blessed with such an incredible heritage.
the end activity was panning for (fool's) gold which was loved by all.
afterwards we had a massive picnic on the grassy hill, sprawling ourselves on the green grass, lounging in the shade created but the massive tree above our heads.
again, just talking and soaking up time with cousins, aunts, and uncles.
we then walked around the old town area admiring buildings, drooling in candy shops, and laughing with one another.
2 of the nights we got to just play together at an aunt and uncle's house (and beyond gorgeous backyard) in oceanside.
these were my favorite nights because we were just simply being a family.
you know the corny mormon videos years ago when it said "family, isn't it about time?"
well it's true.
this was our family we were finally getting to spend lots of fun time with them.
we swam, we roasted marshmallows, we laughed our heads off at the corniest of jokes on popsicle jokes, we told stories, we shared good ideas, but mostly, we just loved one another's company
we had the most fantastic time with everyone.
we sure missed everyone who couldn't come and will cross our fingers that the next reunion will see more faces!
we said our goodbyes to the fantastic group of cutlers while wishing for more time
that night we went to an incredible production of the wizard of oz at a local outdoor amphitheater.
i seriously could not get a single picture that showed what a fun set up it was but it was way cool.
we got there early and our crowd of 40 or so quickly ate ourselves through lots of KFC dinner.
once finished we bundled up in blankets to watch the show.
for just a "small" production they had some crazy good talent.
we all loved the show and had a great time.
maxson did great cuddling with us and watching the show until i nursed him and he then slept the whole second half.
(if you're ever in the oceanside area looking for something fun to do, i highly recommend going to the moonlight amphitheater for a show, it's a way fun experience)
we took a train to old town sandiego and went through the mormon battalion museum with everyone.
it was way cool for me to realize that one of casey's grandpa's served in the battalion!
our children are blessed with such an incredible heritage.
the end activity was panning for (fool's) gold which was loved by all.
afterwards we had a massive picnic on the grassy hill, sprawling ourselves on the green grass, lounging in the shade created but the massive tree above our heads.
again, just talking and soaking up time with cousins, aunts, and uncles.
we then walked around the old town area admiring buildings, drooling in candy shops, and laughing with one another.
2 of the nights we got to just play together at an aunt and uncle's house (and beyond gorgeous backyard) in oceanside.
these were my favorite nights because we were just simply being a family.
you know the corny mormon videos years ago when it said "family, isn't it about time?"
well it's true.
this was our family we were finally getting to spend lots of fun time with them.
we swam, we roasted marshmallows, we laughed our heads off at the corniest of jokes on popsicle jokes, we told stories, we shared good ideas, but mostly, we just loved one another's company
we had the most fantastic time with everyone.
we sure missed everyone who couldn't come and will cross our fingers that the next reunion will see more faces!
we said our goodbyes to the fantastic group of cutlers while wishing for more time
1 comment:
Look so fun, great pics! Hopefully next time we will be there:)
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