Seaside

There's just something about the ocean, isn't there? We were so blessed to take the boys to Seaside, Florida for a week. Michael and I, along with our 3 loud and rowdy boys, traveled with some dear friends and their 3 quiet and sweet girls. Yes, we were a bit nervous about this combination, and I will admit that there were definitely moments when I wanted to lock our boys in a closet, but all in all we had a great time. Some of the girls' sweetness rubbed off on our boys......But I think the boys had a bit of an effect on the girls as well...
Seaside is the most perfect little beach town. Our "cottage" was right on the beach and in the center of town. It was so great to step out the back door and walk just a short distance to the beach......or to get a treat...Just so you don't think we were living in complete luxury, here's a picture of the room that the 5 of us shared for 6 nights...Beautiful, isn't it? But small and even smaller with 3 little ones. This photo was taken before the 5 of us and our 500 bags moved into the room. You can see the pack-n-play wedged on one side of the bed for Graham. One of the boys slept on the floor and one in bed with us (this was a 1st for us!). It was tight but so worth it.

The first couple of days were unseasonably cool so we just hung out in town......and explored the beach...It quickly warmed up, and we were able to spend the rest of the days on the beach. I don't know how to even begin choosing pictures to post - I'm embarrassed to admit how many there are. This might take me a while.

The boys were a bit timid at first.But trust me - they warmed up quickly.
I should have said that Levi and Ben warmed up to the water. Graham, on the other hand, enjoyed being more of an observer. He was definitely more comfortable being in my arms or playing in the sand. Ben, particularly, was a fish. He could have spent all day in the water. He had a smile on his face the entire time. It was so much fun to just watch him. And Levi loved the water too. While we expected him to be very cautious, he was actually quite comfortable in the water. I think he was "fighting the waves" in this picture (oh, and this was on the last day when it was VERY windy so the waves were a bit scary and the air was filled with sand, which made for very hazy pictures!)...
We had a lot of fun having picnics on the beach and playing in the sand.
Michael definitely had a lot of fun too.
We spent one morning hanging out in Rosemary Beach and visiting the Sugar Shack where the boys stocked up on, well, lots of sugar!...
We went out to the beach one evening before dinner and tried to get a few pics.I just love this picture... Probably our favorite activity was taking family bike rides around Seaside and Watercolor. It was so fun to ride around and explore the towns - we could have moved there in an instant. The kids really enjoyed it too, although I don't think they were admiring the architecture like me. Seriously, just look at these gorgeous homes on tree-lined brick streets. Ben was hilarious riding on the back of the tagalong. That kid just cracks me up. He and Michael are so much alike! They thought "no feet" was pretty funny. And bike rides were a great way to get in a little afternoon nap. As I've been looking through all of these pictures I've realized that the pics look like everything was just perfect all week - everyone was happy and we enjoyed every moment. Ha! This picture probably better represents the week...It was actually a tough week for us. The kids all had a virus, and that combined with less sleep and small quarters led to very cranky kids (& parents). There were many times when we wondered why on earth we were there. Sometimes adventures like this don't feel worth it at all. But I know the boys don't remember all of the struggles. They don't remember all of the whining and crying. To be honest, I don't remember much of it either. We all do remember the good times, though, and that makes it all seem worth it.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention the plane rides because four plane rides with a 5, 3 & 2-year old is always a lot of fun! They all did great, and it was actually pretty non-eventful, although trying to convince Graham that he needed to stay in his seat with his seatbelt buckled was a bit difficult. He consented, and I couldn't get over how grown up he seemed. The way back was a bit more difficult because the boys were completely exhausted. This sight could not have made me more happy...
That's all. I'll be back soon for a Halloween update!