New Years Day with the Family

First off let me just say, Happy New Years to everyone!! It's so exciting, 2011. I recall when I was like 5 or 6 thinking that by this time, the world would be filled with flying cars, robot housemaids (like Rosie on the Jetsons) and automatic cooker-roos. You know you thought it too...it's ok, I won't tell *wink wink*

Anyhoo...Mike and I decided what a better way to start off the new year than to take our family to the beach and just walk. it. out. So, we did. We got the girls all beached up, which at this time of the year meant jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a cute hat, and got on the road to enjoy the beach.

When we got there, it was breathe taking. Not your normal beach view of sunny with a slight chance of a normal beach shower or two. No no. It was different. The fog barely hung over the shore, the beach in front of you was only visible for about the length of a football field. There was a briskness in the air. It was different.

There were a lot of people out there but they were all doing non-beach stuff. No swimsuits, no sandcastles, no floats or rafts...just chairs, books, big floppy hats, rolled up jeans, slouchy sweaters, sunglasses...all comfy stuff.

The girls were quiet when we first got there. I think they were baffled by the sounds of the waves which by the way was peacefully relaxing!! What is it about the waves that just equals total and complete therapeutic energies?

We picked up a lot shells, you know that normal thing to do. I walked barefoot which I think is a beach rule. Just kidding.

We attempted to get some good pictures of us and the girls. I was secretly wishing someone walking by would offer to snap one of all four of us...I'm a little shy when it comes to asking people to take pictures of us. Couldn't tell you why though. So, we managed.

Of course, the girls weren't as interested as Daddy and I, but that was ok too! We had fun. We let go of a lot of last years anxiety and welcomed all the new with salty air and seagull culls. The girls ate their Cheerios and enjoyed culling back at the birds.

I pray that we have the chance to get back there soon. Mike informed me that a short beach walk was something I could do with the girls alone at anytime...if he knew how big of a challenge it is to do anything "alone" with them, he'd retract that statement. But, i appreciated his thought and loving nature.

What did you do to enjoy your first day of the new year?