IB 2013

We absolutely LOVE our annual trip to Imperial Beach.  It has been great to watch the boys grow up on this beach.  It has been neat to see each of them experience this place as a baby, a toddler, a preschooler, a little boy and now as big boys.  Each year has brought about different house guests, that bring different kinds of fun.  This year it was me, my boys and Raelynn in one house and the Buvala family right next door. 

 

 

 

Watching them made me remember that I have paid my dues with a crawler on the dirty, sandy floor.  I have paid my dues being freezing in the cold water holding shivering little fingers.  I have paid my dues sitting down in the sand for hours and then cleaning that sand out of every one's many unmentionable crevasses.   Fifteen years later, it is my time to relax on the porch with a cool beverage, a sweet snack and a good book!

 

 

Randi on the other hand has just begun.  Luckily her son is adorable and I loved watching him learn and explore, even if I let him get a little (lot) too dirty!

 

 

Derek has moved into the rock star mentality of up all night and sleep all day; better known as teenager.  Some mornings at 11:45 he wasn't quite ready to face the world or the fish.  He spent most of his awake time out on the pier with his brothers and the locals.  He is a good fisherman.  I am just glad that I no longer have to join him.   He did spend more time down in the water this year in order to see Cody.

 

 

 

 

 

Jake is still excited by the sand and the water.  He likes it even better with Cody!

 

 

 

Carsen is the craziest character.  He is right in the middle, where he belongs.  Some times he wanted to be out with Derek on the Pier and other times he was happy as could be, out on the beach digging for sand crabs.  This year there were lots of jelly fish in the water, so he wasn't super interested in going out to meet them.

 

 

He would rather meet the ice cream man on the corner.

 

Raelynn was as happy as a clam, as long as all her meals were served on schedule.  She spent a lot of time hanging out on the couch doing her paperwork.  She did make it onto the sand once, but I don't think she ever even put on her swim suit.

 

 

We missed Anthony terribly and were sorry he had to work, but tradition is just that and we had to go.  I am glad that my boys love this place as much as I do.  Until next year...