Last weekend we got together with my family to spend a day or two at Crystal Beach. Although the drive to and from was longer than we would have liked (about 2 hours seems to be the max amount of time to keep our sanity when traveling with Peanut these days), it was worth it. Honestly, it was only about 3 hours, so I shouldn’t really complain… it just seems like a lot longer than that with a fussy baby!

It was soooo nice to have a weekend to pretty much just unplug and hang out without having a plan. We got up when the baby woke us up, rather than at the sound of the alarm clock. We ate when we were hungry, slept when we were tired, and stayed in pajamas as long as we wanted to. With no plans, we just decided to do things on a whim – a morning walk on the beach, an afternoon in the water, a game of Phase 10, or reading a couple chapters of a good book.

The relaxation was just what the doctor ordered. And the name of the house? Couldn’t have been better!!

This mug became mine for the weekend, and it was a perfect description of how I felt as I sat out on the porch each morning sipping my hot coffee! 

It was Peanut’s first trip to the beach, and she was loving all the excitement and attention. And what little girl wouldn’t be excited to go play with her new beach toys?!? Now, it may not be the prettiest beach ever, but it was still so much fun to watch her take it all in. Such a good reminder that we don’t always have to compare things to what we perceive to be better. Sure, the water out in San Diego was much clearer, but when you look at it with the heart of a child, all you see is the magic of the rolling waves and the endless fun that is wet sand. I think we should all try to see things like that – take them for what they are, and embrace it without comparison. We’d probably all be a lot more content!!

Sure, it may seem that all I did was take pictures of Peanut… and that isn’t completely untrue. Yes, I spent a good amount of time taking photos of her little hands squishing sand, but I really wanted to document this first in her life. And on top of that, I wanted to freeze this easy-going weekend for all of us. But I did also make a point to intentionally set the camera down (or not pick it up in the first place) so that I could focus on being in the minute, rather than just documenting it. I’m a work in progress when it comes to that, but I feel good about making an effort in both regards.
Our beach house was the blue one set back 1 block from the beach. It suited us just perfectly for the weekend! 

Y’all know I had to pick up seashells… and the whole family ended up getting in on the act! On walks, and as we sat out in the sun, we all slowly collected the shells that stood out to us – for whatever reason. My dad and my brother both handed me shells they had picked up just because they were broken. Simple gestures, but that really meant a lot to me. Like I said, I made a point to put my camera down… which then gave Max and my brother the opportunity to pick it up! A few quick lessons later, and they were fast at work gathering proof that I indeed was actually on this trip with my family. Thanks for the photos, guys!!