This summer my family rented a beach house. I guess they've been doing it for a while, but I haven't had enough leave from work to really partake in a few years. "/ I'm glad I was able to make it work this year. It was nice to get to spend so much time with my kids, my Mom, and my sisters and not have to worry about work or swim school or any of that kind of stuff that typically eats up my normal week.

I'm having a difficult time deciding which picture to lead off with today. But, I think I might give the honors to Wallace. Wallace has had a rough summer with all of the water-based trips we've taken. He seemed to hate the lake, he liked the Frio (but only in small doses); I really didn't have much hope for the beach. He didn't like the ferry ride over, and certainly didn't want to get out of the truck, but I made him anyway. Needless to say...things weren't looking so great for hommie and the beach.

Our first evening there Jenny took the kids down to the water so they could play around in the sand and maybe stick their feet in the waves. After about an hour (literally an hour) of picking up sand and throwing it into the water Wallace stuck his big toe in. And within just a few more minutes he was 100% sold on the coast. I don't know what exactly caused the switch to flip, but I'm so glad it did!

And now...I want to buy a beach house.  I've never seen him so at ease around the water.  And of all places...the beach.  I think he's more like my Dad than I realized.  :) — And now...I want to buy a beach house. I've never seen him so at ease around the water. And of all places...the beach. I think he's more like my Dad than I realized. :)

The water on the east Texas coast is not what you might call pretty...  "/  It's really just clay and silt.  Contrary to popular belief, it's not caused by dirty people, dredging, or oil drilling. — The water on the east Texas coast is not what you might call pretty... "/ It's really just clay and silt. Contrary to popular belief, it's not caused by dirty people, dredging, or oil drilling.

I used to always walk in tire tracks too.  :) — I used to always walk in tire tracks too. :)

I decided to try to do some silhouettes of them. I don't really know what I'm doing and had to doctor them a bit in Lightroom...and then Anna walked up and said she didn't like them because she couldn't see who was in the picture. "/ whatever. I think I like them.

While they were all in one place together we got a shot of all the grand kids!  :)  Meredith was thrilled. — While they were all in one place together we got a shot of all the grand kids! :) Meredith was thrilled.

My sisters got a good strong dose of the power of Meredith's temper.  Haha!  I couldn't go in the water or lift anything since I had just had the appendectomy...so everyone else had to deal with getting Meredith out of the water when it wa… — My sisters got a good strong dose of the power of Meredith's temper. Haha! I couldn't go in the water or lift anything since I had just had the appendectomy...so everyone else had to deal with getting Meredith out of the water when it was time to go back to the beach house.

They say I used to be just like her.  So, according to my family I've got about 5 more years of this... — They say I used to be just like her. So, according to my family I've got about 5 more years of this...

We jumped back on the ferry to take the kids to the Rain Forest Cafe, and I was so excited because we got a place in the outer lane, and Wallace would be able to see the water from the car!

But look who'd had a complete change of heart about boats!  Or at least ferry's.  It was like a Utopian experience on the ferry that day, both ways.  On the way back someone gave us some bread to feed the seagulls, and they were so ta… — But look who'd had a complete change of heart about boats! Or at least ferry's. It was like a Utopian experience on the ferry that day, both ways. On the way back someone gave us some bread to feed the seagulls, and they were so tame they would take it right out of your hand!

Since Wallace and Ruthie were the only two on the back of the ferry with me when we fed the seagulls, the other kids were super bummed they hadn't gotten to do it too.... So we tried to recreate the experience on the beach when we got back to the house.

It took some time to convince the seagulls to stop eating fish.  Ha! — It took some time to convince the seagulls to stop eating fish. Ha!

They weren't as tame and the ferry seagulls though.

We pulled out the slip and slide Brittney and Duncan got Anna for her birthday!

The hose didn't really have enough water pressure to create the water effects that the slide was supposed to have.  "/ — The hose didn't really have enough water pressure to create the water effects that the slide was supposed to have. "/

It gave Wallace the awesome job of getting to spray everyone with the water hose though!  :) — It gave Wallace the awesome job of getting to spray everyone with the water hose though! :)

Cora is not the biggest fan of the beach.  "/ — Cora is not the biggest fan of the beach. "/

On Sarah's last day we took the kids to the big water slide!

Ha!  Wallace didn't seem too sure about going down feet first... — Ha! Wallace didn't seem too sure about going down feet first...

There were a few big storms while we were down there, so on our last day we spent some time walking the beach to look for shells. Anna and Jenny found a huge one, so we were pretty excited to look. My one direction to Wallace was to not get wet...

He was running down the beach on all fours like a bear.

It was my birthday, so everyone got cupcakes!  Well...the kids got cupcakes anyway. — It was my birthday, so everyone got cupcakes! Well...the kids got cupcakes anyway.

We loved our beach trip!  And now that I know just how much my kids love it, I can't wait to go back!  :) — We loved our beach trip! And now that I know just how much my kids love it, I can't wait to go back! :)