Beach Life

Now that we're finally home and things are settling down, I've had a chance to look through our vacation pictures!

Our CA trip ended with a stay at a beach house in Watsonville with Aleks' mom, sister, and our two nieces.

On the way there, we stopped to see my good friend Christy and her husband Zach.

Aren't they cute?!

Actually, this is the original picture; Ruby wouldn't let Christy put her down.

This long weekend was definitely a high point for me.

I loved showing my girls the ocean for the first time, staying at an adorable beach house with my family, and absorbing as much of the sand and water as I could.

This is one of Maia and Ruby's cousins, Emma. She's 4 1/2.

And here's another cousin, Lizzie, who is 12.

She was the flower girl in our wedding. Gah, I'm getting old!

I love an overcast beach day more than I love a sunny beach day.

Ruby seeing the beach for the first time.

"Oooo, ocean!"

And Maia, "Can we go home now?"

But there was lots of digging in the sand with cousin Lizzie to take her mind off of the loud waves.

And Ruby was fascinated by the sand.

At one point she was on her stomach, nose almost touching the sand, diligantly poking at sand clumps to break them up.

It lasted for a good 10 minutes.

As soon as we got back to the house, Maia took off her pants and underwear.

???

And there was lots of girly cousin things going on.

Painting nails.

Dressing up.

We also got to visit the Monterey Bay aquarium.

Here Aleks and Maia were watching a show about sea life (?). Not a bad way to put your BA in music to use.

Touching a starfish.

Aleks is almost as tall as a baby whale!

And there was lots more digging and sand castle making.

So beautiful.

What am I doing in Wichita?! This is where I need to be!

Oh yeah, I can actually afford a house in Kansas...

And on our drive back to NoCal we introduced the girls to In-n-Out.

And their first milkshakes.

Ruby loved it, but Maia was not impressed.