The Fourth

My child wants to move to Orange Beach. What a long way we have come from March!!! During that trip, Grady asked to go home the first night we arrived at the beach. This time, we'd ask him if he was ready to go home and he'd say, "No go home. I stay here!" We are so glad that he finally loves the beach as much as we do. Pete has dubbed him a "regular little beach bum." I'm with Grady...wish we could have stayed longer. I don't think I am ever ready to come back home when I am down there! We enjoyed beautiful weather, delicious seafood, awesome fireworks on the 4th, and just good ole relaxing and fun with the fam! I am counting the days until we go back! :)

feeding the fish at Wolf Bay

Grady even decided that he liked to WALK on the BEACH! WOW! Couldn't believe it! A few months ago, he wouldn't even put his pinkie toe in the sand. This time, he begged for someone to take him walking to look for "she-shells" to put in his "buh-kit". We brought home 952 "she-shells"...ha. Well not quite, but he did pick up every shell in sight.

splashing in the waves

He's getting so opinionated. Every day, I'd let him choose which swim trunks and hat to wear to the beach. He is attached to his MSU cap... what a loyal little bulldog!!!

Josh built Grady a sand castle. Mom and I had to take Grady for another one of those "she-shell" walks to distract him during the building process. During our last beach trip in May, we taught Grady to tear down the sand castles we were building...just in hopes that we could get him to like the sand and not mind standing in it. But now that he is a beach bum, I'm sorry...he's GOT to learn the Fulton Family Rules of respecting all sand castle creations. There is no tearing down of the sand castles... When Susan, Jenny, and I were little, we'd guard our sand castles from destructor-kids and watch like hawks to make sure no one bothered them. I can remember even watching from the balcony once Mom and Dad made us go inside...just to see if it was still standing. I also remember one time watching (from the balcony) a group of kids tearing down our castle and wanting to run down to the beach and give them a knuckle sandwich... ha. SO... Grady is being tutored in the lessons of sand castle etiquette. ha. He did good for his first lesson and this castle stayed in tact while we were on the beach!

Happy Birthday, America!