Beach House Memories. . .

We made a decision as we were leaving the beach house that we would no longer be visiting the beach house in September. It was just too hard to take the kids out of school now that they are getting older. So we made the decision to be put on the waiting list for a week in the summer. The advantage to the summer is you get 3 extra days . . . the disadvantage is you only get to come every other year. . . but we made the decision and it paid off.

We made the cut and will now be visiting the beach house in JUNE!

So here's our last year at the beach house in September,

and like most things this summer we did it but it wasn't as well documented as in years past. See I was still sick at this point. Although the cool ocean breezes does wonder for morning sickness. They should just make the beach a doctors order for women suffering from pregnancy induced sickness!

Here's a recap of all the things we did!

The girls still made the "first day Costco run" to feed the whole crew for a week!

The kids still spent most of their days running to the beach and running back to the comfort of the Hot Tub!

Look at all those boys. . . and my one little girl with the pink floatie!

We still played some mean games of 13 card draw. . .

(I won this game!!!)

These two put on another fantastic year of "Christmas in September"!

The girls still went to town for their day of "thrift shopping" and found the best little cupcake shop!

Pretty sure my husband wouldn't mind watching the kids more often if this is how it could be every time!

The kids sure found time for the annual

SAND WAR with the Uncles!

This might be my favorite picture of the entire trip.

While all four dads are shoving seaweed down my oldest son's wetsuit

little Lucy is the only one of the 13 cousins to defend him!

Go Lucy!

And then the dad's got this crazy idea. . .

to emerge out of the ocean as sea monsters and scare everyone!

These two were inseparable!

Whether they were building sand castles. . .

Or playing frisbee with Aunt Sheena. . .

Or spending time with Grandma. . .

and Grandpa. . .

They were pretty much together everywhere they went!

(except the ocean for the first half of the week, it took Kara a good three days to get brave enough to get her feet wet)

He tried and mastered surfing again this year!

This one was bound and determined to do it too!

Next year buddy - bring on the big board!

Above everything,

the kids just lived in the ocean!

Grandpa even organized some boogie board races this year!

And the kids loved it when grandma would call for them to meet her on the wall to watch the sunset!

And. . .

because it was circus year!

It wouldn't be complete without a picture on the wall of all 13 little clowns!

Here's my boys saying goodbye to the beach one last time before we headed home!

See ya in 2 years Ventura!

Ahhh. . . I miss it already!