When we were little, my mom took us to the beach each week, even though she hated the sand. She would plant a big pirate flag in the sand, so when we got to playing and drifting a little in the current, we could look up and see the flag flying and get back to mom. She would lay out a big sheet and we were not allowed to step on it and get it sandy! We played for hours and had lunch there and just enjoyed ourselves!
When I was a teenager, so much of my social life revolved around the beach, I would take a carload down nearly every Saturday and we would work on our tans, swim, play in the sand, and of course, flirt with boys - I remember us taking turns walking up to the lifeguard to ask him what time it was - so subtle! We had lots of church youth group activities there too, the men would fill up a big metal trashcan with ocean water, put it on the fire and fill it with corn on the cob, I don't know how sanitary it was, but it was delicious! We also did some camping at the beach when I was a youth.
When I became a mother, and my kids got a little older, I took them to the beach often, back then, gas was cheap and parking was free if you knew where to go, so we'd pack lunches and take off! It wasn't super relaxing, keeping my eye on all those little rascals, but it was fun. As my kids got older, and got more involved in their own lives and friends, we didn't go so much, then when I was 40, we moved to Utah (nearly 9 years ago). Even though I go to California to visit several times a year, I surely don't get to the beach much. It was fantastic to go swimming and dive under the water and just be at the beach, the weather was perfect, the water was perfect (warm for California), I got a little reading done while feeling the warm sun on my pasty white self! So glad we went and a big Thank you to Jeff (and Vanessa) for being great hosts!
Here is a blast from the past, a cruise to Mexico 10 years ago with all of our kids!
