We went to the beach

We planned to stick around an extra day after the family reunion so we could go to the beach. Best. Decision. Ever.

The water was beautiful and the weather was perfect.

Mila had been anxiously waiting to look for seashells since June. Not that Huntington is the best beach for that, but she didn't care. Each tiny broken shell was thrilling.

Margot kept throwing sand at the waves...maybe as retaliation for getting knocked over a time or two?

We spent a lovely couple hours enjoying the sunshine and sand and fresh salty air.

David asked, "This is your happy place, isn't it?" I told him that I'm not sure the beach is exactly my "happy place" but I certainly feel more relaxed and at peace there than almost anywhere else.

Going to the beach with two non-swimming kiddos--even with a few extra adults around to supervise--is not easy. And David apparently bought a surfboard before the trip, making me real nervous while he tried it out for the first time. But everyone was brave and I think I was patient and we were all happy.

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sidways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

-- e. e. cummings