Now while most people are suffering through cold rainy weather and snow storms with temperatures in the 20s or 30s, here I was in Southern California with a 70-degree day. Sun shining and just the right amount of poofy clouds. I thought … I really need to get out of the house. I’m taking my sunshine for granted. I could be shoveling snow and using all kinds of Chapstick, but instead I have the opportunity to wear flip-flops and use sunscreen.
And so I showed some appreciation. I dragged myself out of bed and gave in to my kids’ break-of-dawn excitement on Sunday morning. Normally I just want to sleep in, you know every parents dream. Sleep in until 9 a.m. without disturbance. But today was not the day for that dream. I woke up just like every other day … at 7 a.m. and instead of rolling over and turning on Sunday morning cartoons — the awesome human snooze button for parents trying to savor another thirty minutes of sleep in the morning — I dragged myself out of bed and declared a beach day.
But this beach day would include an adventure to be crossed off the Sandbox List. And in truth it was an adventure for three. It’s been four years (almost two years for my daughter) of summer beach trips, and I couldn’t believe that we hadn’t done this. I’ve always wanted to do that myself and I know my kids thought the idea was pretty awesome. There was sand flying everywhere and getting everywhere. But I took one for the team and they were ecstatic about it. After completing a pretty awesome sandcastle, our biggest one yet, complete with seashell decorations, I ventured into the all-time parent duty: Letting your kids bury you in the sand. Now no matter how tightly I tucked in my shirt, sand seemed to creep its way into various body cracks and breathing passages. But with my kids giggling, smiling, and laughing the grains of sand didn’t seem to bother me as much. It’s the price I pay for the privilege of wearing flip-flops and sunscreen during “winter”. This adventure might have only lasted fifteen minutes, but it was a quality fifteen-minute span. Something I hope they remember enjoying.

It first started with the sandcastle. They had to practice working with sand and placing it in the right spot. I really didn’t want to get too much sand in my face.

This is where I thought … well maybe this might not be a great idea. However my son and daughter disagreed, they continued using their green and blue buckets, dump truck, bulldozer, hands and any other sand toys they could find.

The final step of Operation Bury Mom complete. My son wanted to add seashells, but I told him my face wasn’t a good place for decoration. So he added a little bit more sand.
The Great Adventure in Southern California…..
You did the right thing ,my dear,your children will never forget that!
Hope so. Sometimes I feel like such a dud at the end of the day–no energy– so I’m glad I can venture off like this with them.
Um, so jealous. So cold and grey here today. A beach day–I’m drooling!
Ha 🙂 … sorry for the bad weather. I don’t like to mention it much because I know other people out there are probably hating that Chapstick frostbite weather and here I am at 75 degrees today. But I’m glad my pictures can bring you a little sunshine 🙂
Oh! By the way I gonna need a little extension on our book. That flu really kicked my butt and I was out for two weeks, but I’m catching up slowly but surely 🙂 How are you doing? Probably done, huh?
Love your sandbox series! What a great way to pass the winter, at the beach!
OH MY GOD! Thanks so much. I worried about it at first, wasn’t sure if people would like it or not seeing how I’m not really a “parenting blog,” but so glad the adventures can resonate with the Wild Rider. One of these Sandbox adventures will involve snow, (he’s never been) but I’ll have to wait a while on that one because it’s like 75 degrees today. 🙂
Hahaha! It must be coming our way too. It will be 60 here by the weekend!
Sweet! If I can’t have lovely weather, I can at least vicariously join you at the beach. Thanks for this post – brings back memories of when my son was that age.
Thanks what a cool thing to say. I’m glad I can take you back in time to when your son was younger 🙂 and I’m also glad I can bring you a little sunshine 🙂