Beach Vacation

Soooo, we went to the beach this past week and had an absolute blast!  I'm embarrassed to say that the last time that we went to the beach.... or even went anywhere on vacation was four years ago.  Is that nuts?  We just haven't been able to make it happen until now. Needless to say, that gap in time made us so much more excited and so much more grateful for this trip!  And hopefully, it won't be four years before we head back.  

We went with some awesome friends of ours to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. They had a connection to a great condo that came with all sorts of amenities-- lazy river, kiddie pools, indoor and outdoor pools.  There was just so much fun to be had!

Since it had been four years since being at the beach-- Leeland was a newborn, and Hayden obviously had never been so we weren't quite sure if they would like it.  Leeland LOVED LOVED LOVED absolutely everything-- the sand, the ocean, the pools, the sprinklers, miniature golf, ice cream... everything we did, he loved.  

Hayden on the other hand was a toss up, he was very excited each day to go to the beach and to the pools, but then acted very shy around the water and wasn't as into it.  Not sure if he genuinely didn't like it, or if he was just being a two year old-- He loves bath time and always has, and he loved the pool last year, but this week he wouldn't let go of us at all in the water and even holding onto us had to be talked into going in. He loved the sand though and had fun digging and building in the sand and he adored all of the other activities.

We also stopped at the aquarium for a few hours on our last day as we headed home and both boys were really into the aquarium and all the sites it had to offer!  Heck, Mommy and Daddy were even loving the aquarium and looking at all the fish and sites with awe. 

I cannot describe the joy that I felt this week-- the joy that came from just being away from life for a while, from spending undistracted time together just the four of us which is often too rare, quality time with our friends, and the joy that came from simply seeing the beach through the eyes of our precious little boys as if it were my very first time going.  Simple joy.  

We definitely plan on making this at least a yearly adventure.  We cannot go four years without a vacation ever again.