A few weeks ago we went to Port Aransas, TX for our annual family reunion. The beach is not so great, so we definitely go to be with family. My mom’s side of the family has been going there for almost 60 years. Last year, Jeff and I didn’t get to go because Olivia was only a few days old.

As all of you with small children know, vacation isn’t real relaxing or restful once you have kiddos. I know once the girls are bigger, that will change, but for now, that is just our season of life. Olivia was only happy at the beach if she was crawling directly into the surf. She wasn’t content to just crawl along the shoreline. She had to go face first into the water to be happy. Of course, she wasn’t happy for long because soon after crawling into the waves, she would get a face full of water. My job consisted of following her as she crawled into the water, scooping her up just before a big wave smacked her in the face, carrying her back up to the shore (her screaming at me in anger on the trip back), putting her back down on the shore, and then repeating it all over again. It’s funny….when I was a child, I remember actually getting bored at the beach. 🙂

Maya enjoyed playing at the beach, but she was a little nervous to go out into the water very far. By the last day she was brave enough to go out in the water in a blow up boat with some of her cousins. (I think the fact that her Great Aunt Jamie was pulling the boat made all the difference.) 🙂

All in all it was a fun trip. It was wonderful having Jeff off work and spending so much time together as a family. We had a blast hanging out with my parents, all of the siblings, cousins, grandparents and other relatives. Above are a few pictures from the beach. The little boy with Maya is Beau, my brother Jake’s little boy. They were inseparable the entire time. It was really fun watching them play. I know they will just become better and better friends as they get older.