Port A 2014

We went back to Port A all together to the same place as last year, except this year, we had one more family member....Lola (aka, the easiest baby ever!).  I have had people ask me if it irks me that she is so easy and such a good sleeper since all three of ours we beyond awful sleepers.  Not one bit, and here is why--  If she was as bad a sleeper as, say, Eli, then Rachel would be the biggest B you can ever imagine (she does NOT do well on little sleep) and I would hate being around her and not get to hang with this sweet girl because her mom would be a terror to be around.  This way, I get to have my sister, well rested and sweet:) I am thrilled for her that she has such an easy baby, although I am still struck by the ease of putting her down for naps and bedtime!!!!

We all headed up on Thursday morning, with the exception of Hobo arriving late that night and my Aunt Carol coming in on Friday.  We had such a blast this year, and the boys have been asking when we get to go back, so I am thinking they had as much fun as I did!  My mom was having a really hard time, not feeling well, and having a lot of pain in her leg, so unfortunately, she spent more time at the house than we all wish she had.  We all sure missed having her down at the beach every single day!
The seaweed was awful this year! But we did not let that ruin our time.  We brought a rake with us, and just paved ourselves a little path each day down to the water!  We usually spent half the day at the back and the other half at the pool and just hanging out at the house while Cash napped and we all relaxed.
My Dad took all the guys on a guided fishing trip Friday morning so we headed down to the beach with my mom while the guys were out and Rachel was at the house with Lola napping.

The guys caught some great, yummy fish and that evening we went to a restaurant who will cook up the fish that you catch and had a great dinner.  We snapped a quick pictures of all the kids before heading out.  One day we will get a good one!

                                  

On our second day there, we met up with Becca and her family and let the boys play together at the beach for while.

The big boys spent most of the time being pulled around in this float, and Cash stayed on land with us playing with Ethan, until a nice man started playing soccer with him and let him use his soccer ball. He was in heaven.

Did I mention that there was A LOT of seaweed this year?!?!?!?

Saturday we spent some time at the beach and then celebrated Ethan's birthday.  Becca and her family joined us for dinner that night too.  Carol is the queen of sandcastle building and the boys had really been looking forward to being with her at the beach.

Speaking of Ethan, I know I have said it before, but they absolutely, LOOOOOVE him!  The connection they have with him melts my heart.  They immediately are all over him the second they seem him every time he comes home and always want to be with him.  He takes the time to play with them and be silly with them and make them feel smart and special all the time.

After each beach trip, we headed back to the pool for a bit and then to the outdoor shower, possibly one of the boys favorite things about this house.

On Sunday morning the boys were ready for a break from the sand and water so we headed to the Aquarium with Carol while everyone else stayed home and enjoyed the quite time without our crazy boys running around.

 We first stopped for the dolphin show!

 The shark tank was hands-down their favorite spot.

We had pulled out the boogie boards on Saturday.  Eli was really pretty hesitant at first, and was really bothered by the seaweed.  Being the cautious kid he is, it took him some time to warm up to the idea, but I was so proud of him for being so brave and really giving it a good try and he ended up LOVING it!!!! He was going out in the ocean alone, pretty far out, and would just keep trying even when he would fall off.  The difference in him from last year was amazing to watch, I was just to proud of him for putting himself out there!
So Sunday afternoon we headed back out with the boards!!! Because Eli only asked about 97 times that morning when we were going to get to go again.

The boys had been begging my dad to take them fishing on this trip, so one morning, he obliged and took them out for a bit.

getting the poles ready

checking out the bait

We had some wonderful times at the beach, but some of the best memories were spent just hanging out at the house all together!  This uninterrupted time with my family is my absolute favorite time in the whole, wide, world.

These boys loved the beach and are asking when we get to go back!!!