The Beach

Ok so like everything else I have to learn THE WAY. If we had moved here by ourselves and didn't know anyone then it would be different but because we know people who have lived here for EVER and so they have a way and we have to learn it instead of doing it however we want. It is good in lots of ways but it definitely has it's disadvantages. Well today was no different.
It is April and we are on our 2nd vacation since we moved here. That seems to be a lot of time off but what do I know. Since we have so much spare time to fill we get to explore all the new things around us (new to the kids and I anyway).
Today the high was 91 so Joe (or Joseph as he's known in this zip code by everyone) said we should go to the beach. I got super excited because we have never been able to just say randomly "let's go to the beach". I should have known better. Anyway, we mentioned this to ThaTha who told her friend and to Joe's cousin, Bobby who has a 5 year old. Next thing you know we were all going.
We got up at our usual 6:30am but for whatever reason we didn't get out of the house until 10:40 (that's the WRONG time I will find out later). Sheila left the house to pick up her friend and meet us there then we called Bobby and set up the time to meet- 11:30. Traffic was horrible because 1-it's April vacation, 2- it's 91 out, and 3- it's Patriots Day (a totally made up holiday that they only celebrate in MA, and another day off). After 5 phone calls from all of our large party, we got to the beach. Joe dropped the kids, me and all of our beach gear off because there was no parking and we would have to lug it.  No one else was there so I took the kids down- a ramp (also wrong I would find out) and set up in one of the only empty spots. After another 6 phone calls from our party everyone was there. Sheila was annoyed with me because I told her "we are at the bottom of the ramp by the bath house to the left. She probably only heard ramp. There are at least 4 ramps in different directions there. When she and her friend got there they said "this is the WRONG ramp". I was unaware there was a right ramp- O Well, now I know.
We settled in and observed the beach goers. It was so crowded- did I mention that? Bobby and Sheila now tell me that we can never come at this time again because you have to leave your house at 7 and get here before 8 so you don't have to pay for parking and you get the RIGHT spot. These are the things I guess I have to learn.
It's really hot so we venture out to the water. Joe told me it would be really cold but I thought he was exaggerating. He wasn't. Picture: It's hot out, you go to get into a hot tub which you expect to be warm but instead it's filled with ice water- BRRRRRRRRRR! The kids definitely didn't mind. They ran around in it all day. They had a blast! They spent more time in the water then they did in the sand but I made sure I got my sand time in....cue the picture of my amazing castle.
Now if you've ever been to the beach with kids, you know it's a lot of work. If you haven't I can tell you it's a lot of work. Getting ready, packing extra clothes, packing lunch, walking back and forth to the water, getting the sand off them, taking them to the potty, making castles, moving your chair and theirs for the tide, walking to the car, anyway you get the point.
I was really nervous because "I'm new" and I got scared I would lose somebody. While we were there a boy Noah's age was lost for so long that 5 officers were called and were all searching for his parents (who happened to be swimming and not even worried he was lost). I couldn't relax I just kept doing head counts and seeing if everyone was ok. This was wrecking havoc on my ankle (sand and newly healed bones do not mix).
After a long day and a ride on the carousel it was time to go. So here are the things I learned (whether I wanted to or not). Get there early! Sit by THE RAMP not just any ramp (at least when you are with those people). Don't bring so much stuff, "when Joseph was a child I wouldn't even let him have a chair or a towel". Get a rolling cooler. Get better beach chairs because hers are really old.
All in all it was fun and I can't wait to do it again....in 2 months.

My castle- I was impressed, nobody else cared.

Mady eating lunch

Noah getting burried by Daddy

The kids making a tide pool with Brie

Noah digging for gold (or something)

more digging

Mady's turn, she will never be doing this again because she got to learn about sand in parts of your body you don't want it and how hard it is to get it off :(