THE BEACH!!

After we left DC we headed down to Virginia Beach. I've been asking Jeremy to go on a family vacation to the beach for sometime now and we finally found the perfect opportunity. There was a lot of traffic so it took awhile to get there, but once we got there it was so fun. I loved driving out on the bridge and then it goes into a tunnel under the water then back to a bridge. So fun!

We stayed in Chesapeake, but then drove to Virginia Beach. We found a really cool spot right by this HUGE Neptune (the Greek god not the planet) statue. There was a playground, a kid's sand area and a place to rent umbrellas. Everything we need all in one location. Plus the bathrooms weren't too far away. Perfection.
The first day at the beach parking was only $10. The next day (Saturday) it was $20.
I'm sure if we'd done some better research we could have found cheaper parking, but it was right across the street from the beach and only a block down from all the other stuff.
Brynlee and Trevin playing in the kids' sand castle area. She would get so red and hot, but would refuse to get wet. I would get wet to just cool down, but anytime we took her near the water she would scream at the top of her lungs. At the end of the day when showering all that sand off I felt like I was practically drowning her. But back at the pool at the hotel she had a great time in the water. She even has made it down to the bottom step. That's huge progress when only a few months ago she wouldn't even come near the water.

Trev sure loved being around Kylee! I think he learns this from his dad though! And if you know Todd you know what I mean

Price loved playing in the waves. He got knocked over pretty good a couple of times. He loved it when on our 2nd beach day the Madsens brought boogie boards. We had to drag him out of the water. He was having such a great time.

I got Price this water shirt so I wouldn't have to rub on a galon of sunscreen. And it worked great and he loved wearing it, but it gave him some serious chaffing on the nipples. I've heard that happens to guys who run, but never from the beach shirt. It was quite the sight to see. But they healed nicely and now we know. But I think chafed nipples are better than a sunburn anyday.

Here's the girls playing in the sand. Brynlee didn't want to get wet and either did Kylee so I sat under the umbrella most of the time. It was nice and relaxing and fun to people watch.

This is about how far we were from the water. Great location and great fun. Can't wait until the kids are older and will hopefully enjoy it more.

Other highlights from the beach include:
-the large lady in the ity bity bikini. smallest swimsuit ever, or maybe it was just her size that made it seem so small.
-Jer's bad sunscreen application. His shoulders were white, but back was burned and he had one white stripe across his burned stomach. It was the most random sunscreen application ever. We did better the next few days, but by then the damage was done and it just looked a little weird.
-The girl that brought around "popsicles" everyday. They were melted Otter Pops that were cold, but definitely not frozen.
-The girl offering to rub lotion on Todd (wink, wink).
-One family payed for an umbrella then went to get their stuff. Meanwhile another family came and plopped themselves under it and didn't pay and then all left to go swimming. It was funny watching it all unfold. I guess I should have said something, but it was fun to just watch.
-Tons of dolphins swimming just out past us.
-Trying to find someone as white as me on the beach. There was one lady who may have been, but I was most likely the winner in that category. I just like to think I am very good about not getting skin cancer. And I'll be glad when I'm 80 that I was so careful.