thoughts from Orange Beach

• We are having a great time.
• BUT, I am beyond exhausted. Coming to the beach with kids is NOT relaxing. It is work.
• I'm seriously thinking twice about attempting a beach trip next year with three kids. I don't know if my nerves can take it.
• My kids are fish. It's insane. Makinley can swim across the bottom of the pool from one end to the other without coming up for air.
• We have really tried to do something fun or "special" every day that we've been here. Trying to soak up this last vacation as a family of four.
• We have also hit several different meltdowns from one, or both, of the kids every day. But they aren't being caused by each other. Does that make sense?
• They have surprisingly gotten along. For the most part, there have been very few fights between them.
• Both kids have slept great all week. That part has been so nice. It's been nice not to get nightly wake up calls.
• We've been able to spend more time at the ocean than we have any other year since Tripp was born. The kids have loved jumping the waves, or just floating over the waves. However, they both seem to lack fear and/or respect for the ocean and have given me plenty of moments of stress because they venture out too far by themselves.
• Tripp has NO interest in digging in the sand. In fact, he would prefer the sand not touch him at all. So, that makes for some interesting moments. If he's not in the ocean, he's throwing ball with his daddy.
• Makinley has made friends with other little girls on a couple of different occasions and played contently with them....digging, building, riding the waves.
• Tonight, we'll do our annual beach pictures. We'll see how they turn out with two tired kids!