Beach, days 2 and 3

Our week at the beach is almost half over.

Yesterday, we spent a few hours out on the beach, came inside to clean up and eat and relax for a little while, then went back out on the beach for another few hours.

Today, we went out for a little shopping this morning. I bought each of the kids a TopSail Island t-shirt, found them for 2/$5!!! We also picked up a garden hose and a tiny kiddie pool to keep on the deck to help rinse off when we come inside. The outdoor shower is right at the edge of the sand dune, it's full of 4 inches of sand, it's a terrible place for the shower!!

We had sandwiches for lunch, and then Aunt Lori arrived.

We spent a few hours out on the beach.

Dragged the kids around on the boogie board.

Looked for seashells and then had to fight with the kids to leave them alone.

Picture me telling the kids "NO, those are MY shells, find your own!".

I was laughing at myself.

At one point the sky turned really dark and it started thundering, so we packed up and headed inside.

Must be the animals can sense a storm approaching... the dragonflies went nuts.

Dozens of them.

Everywhere.

I have never wished so badly that I had a video camera.

It was AMAZING!!!

Mom roasted a chicken and made some salt potatoes for dinner and Aunt Lori made a spinach salad with olives, feta, and grape tomatoes, and a fruit salad with watermelon, canteloupe, and mango, and baked up a tray of 'baked fudge', aka YUMMO.

Tonight, the kids are crazed, it's after 10:30 and they're still up, fighting, crying, yelling.

The air conditioner in our unit isn't working, and it's 84 degrees in here.

I'm sunburned.

There is sand in places sand shouldn't be.

And I am still loving every freaking minute and I wish we could stay forever.

Seriously.

This is the absolute best vacation we could have possibly taken with the kids.

Kids love nothing more than sand/dirt and water.

Here we have both, and the water even moves!!

Anyway, here are some (ok, a lot!!!) of the latest pics :o)

The little smears on the following pics are dragonflies... later in the evening... I sooo wish I had had my camera out when there were four times as many!!