Summer couldn't have come fast enough this year. All year long we look forward to our family summer vacation to the beach! We dream about the warm sand and cool breeze. We talk about our long bike rides on the boardwalk and of course eating chocolate covered frozen bananas! Ed and I try to devise a cunning plan to invest in a piece of paradise of our own, ultimately deciding to wait until next year... HA!
This is our second year going over the 4th of July week and this year it was very "festive!" We had a huge multigenerational middle eastern family as our neighbors who were very friendly and kindly played music from 6 a.m. to midnight. They were also quite accomadating with drinks, food and insisted, just one toke on the Hooka! A what? That is what I said! Every time I couldn't find Ed, I was sure they finally lured him into a smoke out!
After a couple of days at the beach and the holiday crowd died down we decided to take the kids to Knott's Berry Farm. This was the kids first time and Ashlee assured them it was better than Disney! Not a very good idea! They LOVE Disney! Every ride was "Oh, that was short!" Kingston kept saying, " Mickey Mouse?" On the way home Kaili said, "Mom, that was fun, but it wasn't REALLY better than Disney!" I think she was just bummed that she couldn't go on the biggest roller coaster!
Look what King found! A carousel!!! He was happy!
I think the girls had the most fun on the dance floor! There were dancers and singers and they played fun dance to songs that Ashlee knew all the moves to! Go Ash! They played Teach me how to Dougie and The Cupid Shuffle. The girls liked it so much that they decided they would dance to it at the ward talent show!
Ashlee walking the tight rope!
Cool dudes! Dad and Kingston going for a run! I !LOVE! my morning jogs on the boardwalk and sprints in the sand! What a life!
King was so funny because he kept wanting me to bury him! What two year old wants to be buried? I guess it's a boy thing because my girls hate it! Cheez-Head!
Papa and Grandma Patterson and Jessie spent the holiday with us at the beach! King and Jessie had fun playing in the sand. Papa buried King in the sand and professionally instructed Ashlee and Kaili in boogy boarding! That night we had a BBQ on the deck and soaked in the Jacuzzi while watching about 20 fire work shows at once! It was awesome!
I love my California Gurls!
Every boy needs a big dump truck at the beach! He hauled loads of sand, seashells, sea weed, you name it!!! On call 24/7.
Kaili had so much fun catching some waves! And can you believe it, She is really good at it! The only time she stopped was when she spotted the "SHEshell guy" about a mile away! She booked it back to the house to get her allowance that she had been saving for three weeks in anticipation of buying a necklace from him! He showed her his huge selection and she picked out the perfect one. She put it on and didn't take it off the whole trip!
Another great trip to the beach and lots of memories and traditions to cherish! It wouldn't be a Patterson Family vacation if were weren't pulling a box trailer of junk, or didn't run out of gas on the way there and get lost at some point on the road because dad knows more than the GPS. No matter the circumstance, I feel blessed beyond measure and love my family to the depths of the Sea!
Special request for Grandma Lamont! We love you! Just thought you would like to know that King insisted on sitting in the middle of the heart!
