We stayed to soak in the sun for a couple days after the 4th. 
I don’t think kids could get tired of the beach even if they tried.
There is endless entertainment…
…endless shell collections to be made:
…endless holes to be dug:
…boogie-boarding to be done:
…babies to be eaten up:
…imaginations to let run wild:
…and endless tiny friends to hang out with 🙂
Max took a surfing lesson with the other teenagers. I was too wimpy to get too wet so this is what I got with no telephoto lens:
Here’s a little closer one:
He is head over heels in love with the idea of that sport. He wishes he could just be a beach bum and really learn how to do it well. And Lucy wishes she could be a professional shell-collector.
Dave and the boys had fun.
Every year we make a humongous sand castle. This one is from last year:
(More on how we did that back here.) But this year the big sand castle idea got voted out. There were some pretty sad kids (and dads) about that. So they decided to dig down rather than build up.
Which everyone was pretty excited about. They called it the “Sand Lounge.”
All that digging and getting buried in the sand:
Warranted some good bath time:
We spent a little time on other things too:
…although none of them included anything quite as mischievous and exciting as the bubbles-in-the-hot-tub fiasco from a couple years before (see the end of this post). I loved having some fun family time.
At night the kids scavenged for a place to hang where they wouldn’t disturb the other guests. Because man alive, they were loud. The teenagers found this hallway:
And the big-wigs at the hotel finally let us use this abandoned conference room for all the craziness.
One evening at sunset I rounded up the kids because I was determined that we HAD to catch that light. It’s a tradition in Coronado and they know it.
Don’t let those smiles fool you into thinking they were actually excited about that little fact.
But the little sweetie-pies went ahead and put on a show for their insistent mother.
Have I mentioned I really love these guys?
…and that lingering sun?
Can’t get enough of it.
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The picture of Lucy kissing Max is the cutest thing. She seems like such a sweet heart. Love reading your posts.
Beautiful shots! I need to get brave and take my camera down to the sand the next time we're at the beach! I'm always so scared the sand is going to ruin it. Do you take any special precautions when you have it on the beach with you?
-Jennifer
I loved looking at these pictures, nothing is better than summer and the beach, it looks like you guys had so much fun!!
Very fun! love the traditions. I laughed out loud at the little picture of Lucy's head poking out of the bathtub. She's so cute!
Isn't it just so magical in Coronado, and most especially at the Hotel Del! Oh I love that place!!! I use to ditch high school and just walk around that place. Bad, I know, but it's just so captivating!
Shawni,
You're just such an inspiration to me, I can't even tell you. You're exactly the type of fun, loving, firm but understanding Mom I hope to be to be two little boys (4.5 and 21 months), and I look forward to your posts daily! Like today, I have a headache and I'm just generally not feeling well, and all I really want to do is curl up in bed for the entire day, But, we will go to the playdate my 4 year old has been excited for for a few days, we'll go to therapy, the grocery store and then we'll come home to do "jobs" and have some quiet downtime together. I just can't thank you enough, because when I am feeling myself start to slip into laziness or just generally not being the best Mom I can be, I think of you and strive to be as amazing as you are! Love love love your blog, thank you again! 🙂
How fun! Hotel del is one of the most magical hotels ever! We were there the weekend before the 4th and loved the fireworks and smores and live music– just missed the parade! Looks like it was an amazing place to spend the actual 4th!
You take such gorgeous pictures! That photo of Max and Lucy is the sweetest. All I see in your pictures of your family is love. A whole lot of love. Thanks for sharing.
I just found your bog today and it is just beautiful. Thanks for all the mothering inspiration! We've got a house full of kiddos and it's sites like yours that help me get through the days 🙂
Beauty!
I love your beach pictures! I always want to take my camera on the beach but I'm so nervous about messing it up with the sand or water. How do you make sure it doesn't get ruined while also taking those great beach pictures?
I heart your kids, too. They make me smile…and hope…
Deana, I just make sure I keep my camera in my bag with a towel wrapped around it when I'm not using it and that's about it. I should probably be better about it, but if I didn't bring it to the beach I would wither away without it 🙂 Too many beautiful things going on there.