Heat Wave.

The Beach.... 

The beach is something that I always look forward to going in the summer. We went back in June when there was a heat wave going on and it was the best feeling. Not the heat wave, the ocean! I tell you if you have a sore back going into the ocean with the waves hitting you really does feel good on your back. I wish we had a pool so we could swim and get more exercise but going to the shore and to our neighboring pool is good enough for me. The weather is going to be super hot this week so it looks like the pool/and or shore is on the agenda!

Belmar Beach Scenes!

First day of July and I already feel summer flying by! The beach is the one place that I look forward to every summer and even though the water was choppy and the water was super cold Chelsea and I had a girls day out and as always had a nice time having the sounds of the beach be our therapy for the day! Belmar Beach and Spring Lake are neighboring beaches on the jersey shore and we love taking turns going to both. I think Belmar will always be our favorite. The scenes from these two quaint beach towns are charming. From vibrant hydrangea flowers to boats and waves I captured a few moments before soaking it all in getting wet in the ocean! Beach hair don't care!

The End Of Summer Break!

 

Ahhhh! I can't believe that the end of summer break is here and that this was our last beach trip of the season. I have loved every minute spent with these kids and although I'm grateful for education and that they will be back at school this week I will definitely miss hanging out with them! The older they get the more I want to appreciate their presence and all the things that their heart desires which isn't too much. They are the most agreeable kids and I especially love the way they don't plan and want to do the simple things in life. Going to the shore are moments of fun, sand in our tushes upon leaving, and splashing in the waves while soaking in the ocean. Ahhh yes - I'm sure going to miss these moments...and so will they!

Beach Day!

With summer winding down we are taking advantage of time by going to the beach. We have less than two weeks before school starts and we really want to soak in these final days of summer-literally! I have to say that this summer hasn't really been filled with beach days because of having other commitments and being that it's been soooooo hot would rather go to a movie, museum, or just stay in the comfort of our home watching Netflix! 

We did manage to go to the beach when Jon was off from work and adopted my other son winsley for the day. Sure do love that kid and Noah is always happy when he tags along. As much as he loooooves his sisters I'm sure that he would like some male bonding with his friends from time to time. It's nice that Noah has a couple of good friends that he can have fun with and are like a brother to him. And looking back at this post I can't believe how tall these boy have gotten in one year!!!! I blame it on the pandemic!!

Beach Day From 2021!

In 2021 blogging became kind of blah for me and really had to push myself and be in the mood to write. Unfortunately this sweet beach post never made it in real time so I am documenting it now. Beach days are our favorite and every time we invite Winsley it just makes Noah's day. He's definitely his brother from another mother. Having Winsley around also gives chelsea a little break from Noah- getting the feel of how it is to have "another brother." LOL! She loves her bro and loves Winsley as if he were her bro too and on this day they all had a blast! 

Girls Beach Date!

Beach days are an absolute must in the summer time and since we only live about 40 minutes away take advantage of our time to go. We've been a few times this summer and plan to go again before school starts! While Noah was at scout camp we decided to have a girls beach date and we had so much fun. The water was extra warm and we literally didn't want to get out of the water! Chelsea was a true aqua woman and having the best time and even though she missed Noah at times it was nice for her to be able to go deep into the ocean and swim. Normally she'll stay close to Noah and play in the water with him but since he's not a swimmer doesn't like going in too deep. So chelsea went all in and took advantage of the waves! I myself am not a great swimmer and so I too stay close to the shore. Maybe it's cause I'm getting old. LOL! Anyway, we had such a blast just the two of us. We should definitley make this a tradition when dad's at work and Noah is away at scout camp! 

Belmar Beach In The Summer Of 2020.

Going to the beach twice last week was a blast but I gotta tell you that Saturdays are not the best time to go. Especially in the middle of a pandemic. Although the beach was pretty crowded we were lucky to have found ourselves a spot within a distance and managed to be in our little bubble. 

Chelsea's long time friend Amiyah has been staying with us for a few days and hadn't gone to the beach all summer! I can tell she was longing to go and so we braved the crowds on the busiest and sunniest day of the week and brought her. We probably broke all kinds of rules when it comes to socializing but luckily for us we stay to ourselves when we've ventured out and Amiyah and her family haven't really gone anywhere in months so I think we're good. But both she and Chelsea needed girl time and it was nice for Noah to have someone to play with other than his sister! We all had so much fun on this day and hope to squeeze in another beach day before school starts but for now here are a few photos from the beach! 

A Little Hydrangea Photo Shoot!

The first time I noticed hydrangea flowers were at my brother in laws wedding and they truly were the most beautiful flower I'd ever seen. So you can imagine the look on my face when the time came for us to move to the east how excited I was knowing that I would be able to plant these! I longed to see hydrangeas because they don't grow out west. It has become my favorite flower and every year I look forward to summers when they are in bloom and by golly they are the most vibrant beautiful flower! I have some that grow in the back of my apartment but they are not as colorful as the ones in these photos. So when we went to the beach last week we decided to go for a walk along the neighborhood to capture some in all their glory and even did a little video on my TikTok. And they are soooooo gorgeous!

I had some lovely "models" too and had so much fun capturing these moments! 

Beach Day & Happy July!

As I look back at time it amazes me that we are already in July! There are days I feel like we are still set in March or April but when I wake up and the sun is shining and see more cars on the road I know that those months are long gone and that as a family and universe we are striving to move on and look forward with hope. The pandemic is very much alive and ongoing but as long as we are careful and remember the important things to do in order to stay healthy and alive, the more we can find joy around this virus. So with all that has been going on with Jon working 14 hour days six days a week for the past two months he finally has time off from work!! The kids couldn't be more happier and yesterday we ventured out to the shore for some fun in the sun and I think they got a little too much of that! One thing for sure, as an essential worker Jon sure needed this! 

More fun pics below and a little tiktok of my youngest offspring enjoying this beautiful place on earth...

Jumping Into Summer Like.....

Happy First Day of Summer y'all! It seems like it's going to be a cruel, hot summer but please wear your masks when you go out anywhere. My kids are going to hate wearing them in this sweltering heat but it is crucial to wear them. Unless you are a huge distance away from people then take it off for a bit, but otherwise use common sense. Wear a mask and social distance yourselves as well. I know we all want to gather together with friends for beach parties, and dinner parties but please remember to keep it at a minimum of 10 people. I find that if we follow the CDC guidelines then we should be a-okay! Here's to a fabulous summer with the social distancing, and wearing a mask! Make it a fun and relaxing one folks! 

More fun pics below...

The Faces Of Summer & A Road Trip Ahead.

Oh summer. You sure are passing us by pretty quickly, and it sure didn't help with the first two weeks of August being taken away from us because of moving into our new place. Still..we are savoring the last moments of summer until fall temperatures arrive, and looking forward to seeing mountains, eating at In-N-Out burger, and hopefully making it to a few new LDS temples along the way! 

Caught In The Midst of A Storm.

Yesterday we had a storm pass us by that was crazy insane! I've never seen anything like it in Jersey except maybe when Sandy hit. I grew up near the gulf in Texas so I know what to except when a storm comes, and the effects are pretty similar to a hurricane. The day will be so beautiful with blue skies, and the sun shining, and then all of a sudden the sky slowly begins to cloud up turning the skies from a clear blue to a dark grey, and then it becomes real windy. Almost like a tornado! 

Beach Day In August.

With the weather finally being sunny without any signs of cloud coverage we ventured out to the beach, and this time brought Jon with us! Even though he has weekends off we always have an engagement to go to, and end up doing something else that doesn't involve the beach, but I was determined to have a beach day with the family. Jon hasn't gone all summer, and when we told Noah that papa was coming with us he was all smiles, and couldn't stop jumping! 

A Little Letter To Summer From Our Beach Day!

Dear Summer, 

I can't believe we are already in the month of August, and I want you to know that even though it has been raining off and on since summer started that we are not giving up on you to have more days of sunshine! We have only been to the beach twice since school let out, and even though the kids and I are humble about that we can still use a few more beach trips. Especially since we were recently kicked off the beach  due to lightning, and rain. My husband hasn't even gone with us yet, so please please hang in there at least until school starts! We love the beach, and the sunshine, and splashing in the waves looking at hermit crabs, seashells, and eating beach snacks such as watermelon, grapes, and cantaloupe.

The Tornado at Coney Waffle!

While Lexie spent the day bowling with friends we decided to take the kids to the beach. After all, it's only going to be the four of us venturing out once Lexie graduates from high school. We are not too keen on the fact that another daughter is leaving the nest in about a year and a half, but I am glad she is out making memories with her new peeps, and that we are making the best of our time spent together. 

Coney Waffle on the Beach.

I can't get enough of the beach and if you follow me on Instagram or snapchat you'll see why. I have been having way too much fun lately with these kids, and going to the beach this summer has definitely been on the top of my list. You know...sometimes it's the little trips we take in our own backyard that make us happy! And by looking at these batch of photos everyone had a grand time! 

Especially Noah. 

He is beginning to love the water so much that he wants Lexie to get him in further into the water. 

Me...I'm not that great of a swimmer so I stay in the shallow part, but boy were those waves in full force that day! They kept knocking us down, and every time they did we'd laugh so hard! 

Although Lexie was getting familiar with shakespeare by reading Macbeth, she decided to take a little break and go in the water. She even let me take pictures of her! 

The kids are always down when I mention "beach day" and with Lexie's busy schedule with tennis practice, and just running back and forth getting the kids school supplies, and shopping for necessities really needed this time out! The girls have also been working really hard on their summer homework so I really wanted to take them out for one more belmar beach day, and...get a yummy treat ! 

And it wasn't our usual fried oreos! 

There's a place called Coney Waffle on the beach, and when I found out that they added these ginormous milkshakes to their menu I knew that these girls would jump on the wagon to have one! 

This here is what you call the "cookies and cream wonder wheel"milkshake topped with lots and lots of sweet treats including a waffle! If you've been to Coney Island you'll understand the name behind these milkshakes. They are all based on the rides there. 

Being that it was a weekday the lines weren't too bad, and we were in and out in about 30 minutes. This cup of sugar filled all of us up. I recommend getting one milkshake for a family of five, and maybe two if you have four or more kids! It was pretty tasty, and even though I'd like to try Black Tap in New york city someday, having the wonder wheel which is closer to home was pretty sastifying! And as my friend Amanda said on my instagram story, "Top that black tap!"

Here's hoping everyone has a fun, and safe Labor day weekend! 

A Birthday Celebration With Pizza & the Beach!

This past weekend was just too much fun, and the fact that I got to spend it all day with another great friend and her daughters made it all better! Going to the beach with these girls on Myesha's birthday might as well become tradition. Last year we went to Sea Isle for her birthday, and they had so much fun taking in the july sun, getting all sandy, and their favorite part, splashing in the waves! There is way too much fun going on in these pictures, and did my best to take a few great shots without dropping my phone!! Seriously need to invest in a go-pro, and waterproof case cover for my iPhone! 

This day was too perfect, and we all wish it wouldn't end. I can tell that the girls didn't want to leave the beach, and when it was time to take them home can tell that both Myesha, and her sis didn't want to say goodbye. We love them so much, and wish we still lived close enough to where we can hang out every day...especially in the summer time! 

Here are a few photos of the birthday girl, and the rest of the crew. 

We started the day taking her out for lunch to her favorite food...Pizza!! One of the pros about where I now live are the great pizza places they have, and we took her to papas tomato pies. Soooooo good! 

Noah giving her a birthday hug...he missed her!

And now for some beach photos! 

 see what i mean by splashing!!!

waiting for the waves...

 Little boy in the blue taking in the waves! He loves running away from them! 

 Can't believe how beautiful and grown my girl is getting. She's so pretty! 

 me, my boy, and my fly away hair! 

 As much as i love the beach I try not to get to much sand on me, but for these kids they wouldn't care less. They love digging in it, being buried in it, playing with it, and sitting on it! 

 mommy long legs. Yeah right! I wish. 

waiting for fried oreos! 

What an amazing day it was for everyone. I personally didn't want to leave either, but had to get home. We are already planning a sleep over so the girls can stay all day as opposed to two hours. That's what happens when distance separates us, and we don't have enough time in the day to have a long beach day. 

Hope you enjoyed your birthday Myesha, and see y'all next time! 

SaveSave