Nix: Party of 5: August 2017

It may be my favorite sport that the kids do each year: swim team. I don't know why I love it, but I do!

This year was Natalie's first year to be on the team, and although we struggled in the beginning, she greatly improved! Prior to her first meet she had never been able to swim the entire lap, but she worked so hard AND DID IT! Swim team is tough, and this little girl worked and worked and worked--all with a positive attitude. I'm so proud of her!

James moved up a division this year and added the breaststroke and butterfly. These seem like pretty difficult strokes to master. He much preferred the butterfly---lots of hard work!

butterfly-top lane

James--bottom lane

Lately Luke has wanted to dress himself, usually in plaid or some mix of prints. I just let him--he's the third child.

This blog post always holds me up: there are so many pictures to sort through (many of which are the same), and it's hard to decide what is too much and what to leave out. So I always decide to include everything--all 131 or so pictures.

It's been a full two months since we were at the beach, but this might have been the best trip yet! The kids were at the perfect age: they played so well together, and they were old enough to entertain each other, which allowed me and Brad some restful moments of just watching them. We also saw a lot of family--we stopped in Destin on the way in and spent the afternoon with Jimmy, Susan, Jimmy and the boys, MariClaire and Eric, John and Molly. On the back end of the trip, Brad and the kids decided last minute to stay with Jimmy and Susan in Destin for a few extra days and enjoyed time with Georgia, Gary, Rosemary, Brannon and the kids, and Jimmy and the boys. As a sidenote: I interviewed with SBS and was offered the job while in Seaside. It took everything I had not to call CCB and tell them I was staying at the beach a few more days. The solo drive back to Houston was a sad day, but I digress.

Destin

James and Jack with Luke and Natalie

This is the best picture I got with everyone in it, which isn't saying much. That's John and Brad in the background with "cousin James"

Seaside pictures! And yes, I realize there are A LOT of pictures, but look at them playing together! It had to be documented!

Oh, and for the first time ever the water was cloudy and murky. While the waves made for great fun and play, the Galveston-looking water did not make for great looking pictures.

day 1: ready to take on the beach!

teeny tiny seashell or snail--can't remember

cute little booty

Brad and James love going very far out into the ocean and making me worry for 15 minutes that they will float away or get eaten by a shark.

Luke "learned" to throw a frisbee this trip--and by throw I mean sling it across with no regard to where it went or landed.

throwing the football with dad!

Seaside has a great bookstore on the square (similar to Square Books), and James went every day. I think we bought a total of 8 books, and he plowed through them. He discovered the "Who was" series and occasionally would pass up beach time for reading time.

Our one and only picture as a family

Seaside's square is my favorite! We loved going there in the evening, grabbing dinner (and wine) from the food truck and watching the kids play/listen to music/watch the play being performed. It's heaven