I’m going to start by saying WE ARE NOT BEACH PEOPLE! That became very clear after today’s trip to the beach. Let’s go to the beach today I thought, a nice family day out for the first day of the year. It will be fun. I’m laughing now just thinking about it.
At first I didn’t think we were going to even make it as we had to wait until Preston got up from his nap! So eventually he woke, and we all managed to get ourselves into our swim wear, bags packed and beach tent in the car (after all we need some shade for Jasper to happily lay there). The beach tent was the best thing we could have taken if I’m honest.
We arrive and the first issue really was how are we going to get three little kids and all our stuff down onto the beach without us having massive issues. Some how we managed but looked quite funny (Daddy managing to carry 2 kids and a bunch of stuff). We really are a sight when we go out in public haha.
What I didn’t realise was how much the kids were going to freak out about the sand! I have to admit, it was a pretty hot day! Hot and sticky! That meant sand sticking to hands and well everywhere which for Prez was just a nightmare. He couldn’t handle it. So standing holding a baby, two kids having a little meltdown over the sand, “Quick get the tent up and they can get out of the sand!”…. saved by the tent! I laid towels in it, and got the kids in, cleaned the sand off as best I could and calmed everyone down. Of course I knew it wouldn’t stop there, every time Preston touched the sand he hated it and had a little panic attack. But after time he did get a little better. We tried to get them both to play and build castles, trying to take their mind off it. They got there eventually but still were not handling it brilliant.
One person was enjoying themselves… Jasper! He was quite happy laying in the tent, watching what was going on. Eventually he needed a feed, but even then he was happy. (Don’t know what I would have done if he was upset too, it was already hard enough!).
I said to Daddy to take the kids down to the water which he did. They come back up after a short time… dry! They were scared of the water hahaha. I sear I have a huge grin on my face just thinking about it. Here we were on New Years Day, at the beach…. you know with the sand and the water and both of the kids didn’t like either. Great idea mum!
It gets better! After a bit Daddy asks if we’ve had enough “fun” and can we go home now lol. So we start to pack everything up, or try to….. Daddy made a trip to the car to put most of our stuff in, leaving me with just the tent and of course the three kids. He comes back and starts the battle with our saving grace (the beach tent). I had earlier said to him, perhaps you should go out the back and just practice putting it up and down (we haven’t used it for years) and like always, he thought no need for that! There was nothing else I could do but laugh and laugh as he attempted to put it down small enough to get it into the bag.
In short, no he didn’t get the tent down. He got it small enough to fit in my car (yes my car, the mini!!) and home we went. Sand everywhere!!!!!!
On the way home Daddy simply said to me “WELL THAT WAS FUN!” Oh boy oh boy, next time I guess we better just stay home. And that right there is why we are not beach people (we better rethink our location!). We might give it another go in say 5 or 10 yrs hahahaha. Here are the photos of the kids “enjoying” the beach!!!
Reminds me of the picnic lunch we has one Sunday after church. To make it easy we decided to pick up a takeaway and have it at Picnic Point here in Toowoomba. Regan was 3 and Charles 8. We no sooner sat at the table and served out the meal than a gust of wind blew up and whooshed all of Regan’s meal onto the ground! Father gritted his teeth and said “isn’t this FUN!’. Maybe Charles was replaying that tape for your family day out! Things improved a bit when Dad and Charles went for a short bush walk and Regan and I headed for some playground equipment! Guess we just keep trying for those family times though as they build the happy memories we all need.
That story always reminds me of us going for fish and chips. I found myself trying to hold our lunch while sitting with Addi. I had Preston in the baby carrier. There were heavy gusts of wind trying to blow the food everywhere (which it eventually did) and then the seagulls attacking, me trying to protect Preston from the crazy birds. Meanwhile Charles was trying to get me a drink as we had forgot to buy one when we got the fish and chips. He gets back and all I wanted to do was go home with some of our lunch having blown all on the ground. Not very fun! So much for fish and chips by the water!