California Dreamin, Part 2

Photo overload #2.This time--same beach, different folks.

These two left on a little adventure of their own--left Annie with us at the beach and hit Disneyland for three days. This was their last night on the beach, and Karli was so excited to start having a Disney experience!

These two are three months apart, and I can't wait to watch them grow up together.

Another night. Another dance party.

More Dad video

This girl's got the moves on the dance floor, that's for sure.

Eve would make these hand "flowers" and run screaming as the water washed them away.

Beach girl

This kid never got tired of the waves. He would tread while everyone else could touch and never got too tired. He did get hammered pretty hard a few times, but after catching his breath, he'd be back out there with the rest of the big people.

And Micah is so tan that I couldn't get pictures of him in the surf.

Here are our surprise visitors. We extended our stay two nights and flew Grandma and Grandpa Tucker down from Idaho for some beach time.

Grandpa thought the waves looked fun, so he tried to keep up with everyone else.

He loved it, but he got toppled a few times.

Once he came up and said he'd hurt his hand. When he got back to Idaho on Saturday, he went to the doctor--two broken fingers. I don't think that was worth time in the ocean.

I love these pictures, because they perfectly illustrate Lily's relationships with two of the men in her life. First--her dad.

She wanted that hose so bad to get the sand off, but he wasn't giving it to her, and reveled in teasing her as long as he could.

Then, when she finally got the hose from Brad, my dad started in on it with her.

So many memories in this one moment. I hope she always remembers these fun times with him.

We ate so much ice cream while we were there. So. Much. Ice. Cream.

My mom was content to sit above the beach and watch the waves that first night.

She's in a walking boot for a foot injury, but that boot didn't prevent her from enjoying the people and the place.

I love this.

That sunset was perfect.

And the next morning, Brad and I cajoled and convinced her until we helped her navigate the slick stairs down to the water.

All she could talk about was how the best feeling in the world is feeling the ocean suck the sand out from beneath your feet as it retreats. Here was the first wave.

They were laughing like little kids. And I couldn't stop smiling about it.

Brad and I buried Micah. He said he would stay there till the tide came in.

Problem was, the tide wasn't coming in for three hours. At least.

He lasted about ten minutes.

More watching the waves in her "personal castle by the sea." I think she would have sat there more if her foot didn't start hurting. But at least she got to feel the waves and the sand.

I think Brad's turning into an old man, because he sat by the beach for hours on this trip, just watching and chilling.

It really was a fantastic trip--one more post of our family pictures on the beach. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if Ben had been there--next time.

And I'm convinced there will be a next time.