Family Beach Trip

Now that we are only 5 hours from the ocean, we decided a trip to the beach and Disneyland was a must! So Memorial Day weekend, we were off! Dean and I could smell the Ocean and what a welcome, after so long in the midwest it smelt like heaven! We choose Oceanside, CA because we had stayed there before and Great Grandma Dowlin lives there -

The kids have seen the Puget Sound while we were in WA when Zach was a baby, but they all learned how fast fun can go to fear as each took a tumble and emerged soaked to the bone. It was so fun to watch their excitement! (Dowlin and Mercedes would argue they didn't "go down" but this was just suposed to be a walk on the beach)

We learned a couple of things on this trip - #1 it's still a bit chilly in May! ~ #2 we need our own boogie boards (Dowlins belly was ripped up after riding all day ~ #3 We suck at sandcastles ~#4 should have used sunscreen! ~ #5 Sand in the crack - how does it get EVERYWHERE?

We had a lovely day with Great Grandma Dowlin -

what a treat, this is why we moved West!

We enjoyed seeing San Diego, and the coastline - I thought this view was so pretty! After I forced the kids to sit there - and they all climbed back to us - Dowlin was ticked off! I then learn behind them the rock they were sitting on was a straight drop about 30 feet down! What a stupid Mommy! This picture is a reminder to me that just because it looks great, doesn't mean it is... I"l never send them out again without checking it out first! UGH