Red Reef Beach

South Florida has Good Friday off--so even though we just finished Spring Break, we got another holiday! It was a *perfect* day for the beach, so we headed out! We started with a group of moms, but they all headed out for naps (maybe we should have too?!) and it ended up being just us at the end. And it was magnificent. Sterling is still in the thick of surgery rotation. He actually is enjoying it so much and loving being in the OR. But it means that daddy did not have the day off--we missed him!

I love those three crazies!!! They were the greatest. They carried in their toys and towels and they got right down to playing and just played the day away. I also can feel the affects of my half marathon training. I feel like I have more energy lately--and it is wonderful! It's funny, because I have worked out regularly for at least the past three years. And irregularly worked out regularly before that :), and I have always felt 'in shape' but this training has stepped it up a notch. I can lug in all our beach stuff by myself with a baby strapped on and then continue to dig and play tag and stand in the waves and jump over them with the kids. It is a good feeling and I am super grateful for the health that I have now to help me enjoy my four awesome kiddos!

All the kids adore Russ. They have since Day One--and the anticipation before that. But man, Russ and Ruth are just the sweetest together. Ruth is old enough to not be too rough and really get him to laugh and every single time Russ sees her walk into the room he just starts grinning. "He loves me, mom" and I couldn't agree more!

They were building a castle with a moat and the seaweed was crocodiles to stay in the moat. :)

Right as we were leaving and I was feeding the baby real quick, my kids adopted the family beside us on the beach who had dug big holes and the bottom had a little layer of water. It was their own personal pools. Luckily, the couple was super gracious and didn't seem mind that my kids joined in on the fun. That night at dinner when we were going over Happy's and Sad's about the day--those pools were Will's favorite. He went into great detail describing to Sterling how they built them and how awesome they were!

I'm so glad that Ruthie is such a great photographer for me! I was there too! And so was Russ!

I also had Ruthie snap a photo as we were leaving. I wanted a. memory of me being the solo parent pack horse. Looking at that picture, it doesn't look like I'm packing much--and if I would give up bringing my nice camera around it would be one less--but it's still a good bundle. And several of the moms I met up with first thing in the morning were carrying and toting solo for as many kids as I was--and I just looked around and thought "Look how strong these women are! Moms are incredible!" and had a teary moment thinking about how not only love goes into parenting, but a whole lotta physical strength goes into parenting! It's no easy thing from the very beginning--starting with baby carseats and then lifting toddlers, etc.

These are out of order because they are off my phone. But we had a few different tractors go across while we were on the beach. Will was in heaven!

Ruthie wanted one last pic of her!

We all came home exhausted and happy. The kids played in the tub for another hour or so (they never tire of water!) before we started getting ready for an evening Easter egg hunt at our church. Sterling was able to get off and make it there--and then our med school friends came over and we played games all night. It was such a good day. I love the beach so much!!! My kids always vote pool--because they like to actually swim in the water, and the salt water and waves make that very difficult for their skill level at the beach, but I would vote beach every time! That sunshine just does something to my inner happiness levels. I always feel so rejuvenated and uplifted after a good, long day in the sun looking at the beautiful ocean.