Abby at the Beach

Mike brought a new video camera, a Flip, to the beach, so we have tons of great videos. I'm going to post just a few tonight...

MB 6: Golfing with Dinosaurs

Jake and I completed 36 holes of miniature golf this morning, alongside some very nice dinosaurs. This afternoon, we all went to the pool, where Abby and Mike discovered they liked the river pool as much as Jake and I had. Blissfully beautiful day. And we head home tomorrow... Sigh!
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MB Day 5: Swim and Sand

Today was simple. Jake and I went to the pool in the morning; we all went to the beach in the late afternoon. Jake and I discovered we really liked the "river" pool at the hotel- it flows like a river in a big loop and you can float on it as I did, or creep around the edge as he did. And tonight we built our first real sandcastle. Fun!
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MB Day 4: Sharks and Moonlight

Today we took the kids to the MB aquarium. They have an an amazing tank where you view sharks and such from underneath. Mike took great videos and the kids loved it. Abby fell asleep in the car going home and then wouldn't nap, so we went out for an early seafood buffet dinner-- crab legs for me, yum! We fed ducks and turtles again and Abby spent a lot of time watching older girls on the playground. In fact, at one point, Jake was making up elaborate rules for himself that involved turning the toys into shooters and specifying which buttons did what, and Abby was busy trying to emulate the girls on a spinning toy. They were both very engaged in their gender-specific pursuits- very much in the "flow."

My favorite part of the day, however, started at 9 pm. I went to the hotel's outdoor pool (we rented a room 1/2 block away there so Mike has net access while we're here) and had an amazing night swim, complete with fireworks someone lit on the beach, followed by hot tub time, and then I meditated on the cool, windy beach under a full moon. It was delightful!

Can't believe we only have 2 days left! :(

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Happy Swing Girl

Had to post this too- we swing nearly every night and Abby is ecstatic!
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Myrtle Beach, Day 3

Today Jake and I went crab fishing off the pier at the Myrtle Beach State Park. It was an organized event so we had a ranger helping everyone and explaining what we found in our nets. Other people caught little hermit crabs, and we got to hold them, which was satisfying. We caught two different jellyfish, which pleased Jake. We didn't touch them and put them right back in, but one of them left some potent slime on the side of our trap, which then touched my shirt, and then before I knew how it happened, I touched my shirt and got stung lightly on my arm, stomach and leg. I was quite surprised, to say the least! And I'm so glad it got me, and not Jake!
The tackle shop gave me a vinegar bottle to spray on and in a few minutes I could barely feel it.

The rest of the day was a blur. Jake and I explored a miniature golf place from the outside, met Abby and Mike for lunch, napped, and Abby and I went to the beach while the boys shopped and prepped dinner. After dinner we all went to the beach together. The beach really empties out by 6pm and it was gorgeous. The waves were really strong today and both kids are getting rather fearless! Esp. Abby, who still runs right into the surf and laughs after she gets tossed around while sitting down or splashed full on in the face. I don't know where she gets her chutspah from!!!

I do love being on vacation!!
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Myrtle Beach, Day 2

We took the kids to the MB Children's Museum this morning. It was a huge hit. Abby loved the big lite brite, and pretending to float in a large raft sitting on a water bed. Jake got really engaged in a pizza truck where you could pretend to bake pizza in an oven in the back and then go to the front to drive and deliver it. It was a nicely designed museum. Lunch at a family diner style restaurant was devoured by all and naps were long, and again accompanied by rain. This afternoon we hit the beach, had Mexican food for dinner, and fed the ducks and turtles. Mike took some great beach videos that hopefully I'll get to add in soon. Both kids were hyped up from their busy day and just went to bed at 9!

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A and J's first morning at the ocean!

The picture is not great, because I took them alone and got too sandy to touch my phone, but two happier kids no one has ever seen. Abby, especially, loves the ocean! She chuckled last night as she saw the huge expanse of sand and ran happily after Jake, who was running in circles and divebombing into piles of sand, shouting "cannonball!". Today, Abby ran into the water every chance she got and cried every time I had to remove her from the water (like to go back to our towels get a toy with jake or get a drink or to leave).

After a very sunny and warm morning, we napped to the comforting sounds of an on and off thunderstorm. Then after a kid-pleasing dinner at Friendly's, we hit a local park that again enraptured both kids. They fed ducks, watched turtles, and played at two great playgrounds. An amazing first day of vacation for all!
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