Down by the Shore

I keep asking myself if we lived in Oceanside, or San Diego, near the beach, would we appreciate it like we do when we visit? I'm not sure what the answer to that question is. I would like to say that we would never take the beach for granted. That we would always appreciate the beauty, the smell, the serenity of the ocean. But I'm not sure if that would be reality. It's good to have balance. It's good to have bliss and non-bliss. Work and vacation. School and play. These contrasts help us appreciate the other. Right? Well, that's what I keep telling myself. That way, I can function at home. I can do the laundry. Clean the toilets. Make the school lunches. Help Barik with his homework. And know that sometime in the future, we will experience the opposites of those tasks.

Spring Break was heavenly! The weather was the best it's ever been in our visits to Oceanside. The sun greeted us every morning, and the fuscia, magenta, and tangerine skies kissed us all goodnight. This trip was a little different than previous trips to Southern California. No trips to Lego Land. No trips to Sea World. And we still haven't taken the kids to Disneyland, so why start now. No. This trip was just a trip to the beach. Five days and Four nights of trips to the beach. We rented a condo 20 steps from the sand.

Our days went something like this:
Wake up.
Eat breakfast.
The boys LOVED the little individual boxes of cereal I brought.
Take a walk--either along the beach to the pier.


or around the beautiful gardens and koi ponds encompassing the condos.
Eventually we would make our way to the pool. Andrew spent the most time in the pool. It was a little too chilly for Paul and I, which in turn meant, Coop and Drake weren't getting in either. But the hot tub was enjoyed by all. No shivering in the hot tub.
Then it was lunch/nap time. After getting Drake and Cooper down for naps, Andrew and Barik played X-Box while I laid out on the back porch, reading. I honestly don't know what Paul was doing. I was too focused on my tan to worry about him. Rough life. I know.
After naps and before dinner, we spent relaxing on the beach. Andrew was a natural out in the ocean waves!

Barik loved the waves and the sand. Cooper spent just a bit of time in the ocean, but mostly became "sand man" as he rolled in the sand covering himself from head to toe in that heavenly, gritty warmth. And Drake was not a fan at all of that water that kept chasing him. Instead, he preferred playing in the sand
and throwing rocks at his brothers. Too bad he has such good aim. After baths, dinner and tucking in of kids, Paul and I buried ourselves in the sofa and surfed channels.

Paul's parents were able to join us the last bit of our trip. It was great to spend a little time with them. It was especially nice for the boys to reconnect with Grandma and Grandpa.

Here are a few pictures I took of the boys across from the pier. What handsome young men they all are!




Until next time, Good bye ocean. Good bye pool. Good bye waterfall. Good bye koi pond. Good bye hot tub. Good bye beautiful flowers. Good bye sand. Good bye crazy lady on the beach. Good bye morning runs along the water front. Good bye pier. Good bye seagulls. Good bye condo. Good bye $1 sodas. Good bye waves. Good bye brine smell. Good bye king sized bed. Good bye air mattress. Good bye jetted tub. Good bye little cereal boxes. Good bye sand crab. Good bye beach toys. Good bye Oceanside. We love you and will miss you. But you will always be in our hearts.