The Beach

This is the great part about living in Texas. We're still able to go to the beach at the end of September. Now that it's fall, we finally have weather that's bearable. It's beautiful this time of year.

So we made our yearly trip to the beach last month. We're happy we were able to make it happen with all of our friends. The original trip was planned at the beginning of June, but about a week before we were supposed to go is when I started feeling sick during my first trimester. I couldn't get out of bed. Luckily some others that weren't able to make it then wanted to plan another trip and everybody hopped on board.

It was a much needed vacation.

Unfortunately I didn't pull my camera out until lunch time.

By this time, Brayden had been stung by a jellyfish and refused to go back into the water so I didn't get any water photos.

From the sounds of her screams (for nearly 30 straight minutes), I take it, it hurt pretty bad.

She wasn't standing in the water when it happened either. The shore came up and crashed into her feet while she was playing in the sand.

We took her to the office where the park rangers helped her out. She wasn't the only one there for a jellyfish sting either.

FYI: don't rinse a jellyfish sting with fresh water. This is what we did to see what the problem was. There was sand all over her feet and we didn't know why she was screaming. Apparently it makes it sting worse. Use salt water instead.

The park rangers mixed vinegar with meat tenderizer and packed that right on it. That took the sting away pretty fast.

It wasn't long before she was up and about again.

Here she is playing soccer with the adults and big kids.

Brayden stayed away from the water from that point on, but Brandon was sitting in the water with Kaleb (with his eyes wide open) when he sees something floating in the water and coming straight for them. He quickly scoops Kaleb up and was able to get away from this....

The Portugese man-o-war.

They scooped it up and burried it somewhere to get rid of it. Not before the kids got a good look first.

Here Brayden is telling her "war story." I heard her say, "Don't get too close, it will sting you. I doesn't hurt too bad, though." Haha.

All the kids love to dig these sand holes. Hopefully nobody digs where the jellyfish is burried.

Robyn, me, Brooke, Kelli, and Audrey

Doolittles, us, Robbinsons, Jenks, and Watsons

The whole group.

Can't wait to do it again next year!