Summer's End

Our annual mid-September beach trip happened a few weeks early this year since Hayden will be starting Kindergarten! There were a few more people than we were used to, but we still had a blast!

How do you occupy yourself while waiting for everyone to get ready for the beach? Do you sit in a baby car seat backwards, on top of the bed and read the hotel Bible? Hayden does!

 I just can't get enough of my beach baby! She wins the award for the best traveler this weekend. Even though she was cutting her top two teeth, she still smiled and had a blast! She missed the first beach day because she was inside the hotel with daddy napping, but she sure enjoyed day two!

 Our little swimmers are doing so well in the water. Hayden will jump or dunk his own head underwater with no problems. Abby got more comfortable in her floaty by the second day that she swam freely with it and did not need one of us holding her. 

 And this little cutie pie also loved swimming in the water. The water was so warm, it was like bath water so we had hours of fun!

 This trip was also huge for the kids at the beach. In years past, they would get their feet wet and run out as fast as they could. This year, they sat down or laid down in ankle deep water and let the waves push them around. They even got dunked a few times! These were the biggest waves we have seen. When we left on Sunday, they were flying red flags because it was too dangerous to go swimming.

 Windy afternoon at he sand dunes!

Once we got to the beach, we learned that they have Friday night movies in the park and tonight's move was FROZEN! We also knew there was a chance of rain so we told the kids we had a surprise for the evening but didn't want to tell them what in case the rain would cause us to come up with plan B. But no rain so we got to go and enjoy snow cones before the show. 

Oh my gosh, we had no idea that Anna would be there!

 Then Abby saw Elsa walking threw the parking lot, she was so happy and excited that she hugged and tackled daddy.

 Of course all of Abby's smiles and excitement went away when it was her turn to actually met them. Then she got shy and I had to practically push her in front of them for the picture.

 Then we got to sit back and enjoy the show! Abby, like most of the girls at the show, sang all the songs along with the movie, it was so cute! Both kids fell asleep 5 minutes before the movie was over and Kensley had been asleep for a while at this point. Brendan and I looked at each other trying to figure out how to carry three kids, a blanket and two pillows back to the car. Thankfully the kids were able to sleep walk with us!

Of course, the annual Capt'n Franks Pictures. 

Mr. Photographer Hayden took the photo below!

 Then a nice lady offered to take our family picture!

Mini Golf! Hayden actually did really well this time. He actually tried to hit the ball correctly and play by the rules of hitting the ball from the last place it ended up, instead of hitting it and then placing it next to the hole for the second shot!

Kensley and Mommy got the first hole in one!

 Daddy got the second hole in one...

 Hayden even got a hole in one. He did not actually start from the beginning, but it still was about half way and rather impressive. 

 By the last few holes, Abby got a hole in one every time. She just walked up and put her ball in the hole and went to sit on the bench and wait for the next hole. She did try to hit it with the club at the beginning. Her techniques is to hit it more like the way you hit the que ball in pool.

Another successful trip to the beach! We all had so much fun. Bye beach, we look forward to seeing you again in May 2015 when the whole Ludemann and Hukee bunch are joining us for a week again! So much fun to look forward to!

Now to go finish three loads of laundry and pack everyone up for school tomorrow...yawn. I need a vacation!