Orange Beach, July 4th

It's been a Fulton family tradition to spend the 4th at Orange Beach for about as long as I can remember (with the exception of a few years when Ivan destroyed the Gulf Coast, or I had an infant at home and didn't get to go).  Josh and Jon couldn't take off the whole week, so Susan, Grady, Vera, and I went down early with my parents on Monday.  I haven't spent a whole week at the beach since I was in college and it was so nice to have more time to spend there.  The weather forecast showed storms all week long, but we managed to get in as much beach time around the rain clouds as we could.  Most showers were just sprinkles and lasted 5 minutes.  There was only one real "wash-out" day. 

DeeDee and Vera on the beach

 

Grady and Pete, working on their first of many sandcastle creations...

He is getting a little more interested in sandcastle building with each beach trip that we go on.  YEA!  Susan, Jenny, and I used to spend hours with my dad doing this! 

 

 

 He also loves the pool more and more!  Maybe we will be ready for swimming lessons by next summer finally!  :)

 

 Little clown...

Next summer, these two grandparents will have THREE grandchildren to play with on the beach!  I cannot wait!!! (And I won't be the one changing diapers on the beach!!!! Vera can be totally potty-trained by then, right???   Wishful thinking! ha ha!)

 

 Miss Vera did really well for her second beach trip.  She still isn't exactly fond of the sand, but she did walk in it a bit and was still all about playing with some buckets and sea shells!

This time around (after the almost-choking incident in May), we were sure to only give her the bigger shells to play with.  All was good!

 Grady's favorite thing to do by far was ride the waves!  I was so proud of him.  He was stung by a jellyfish twice and it didn't scare him away from getting back in the water.  He LOVES the ocean!  :)

 Josh and Jon drove down on Wednesday.  Grady was VERY disappointed that Josh left ladder-ball at home.  Thank goodness, Jon brought bocce ball.  Grady has a new favorite beach game now.  He takes it so serious.  Look at his face in these pictures!  ha!

Vera and her shells again...

 

 

 Working on another sandcastle creation...

 This trip was a little more relaxing than Memorial Day.  Probably because it wasn't so packed into just a few days.  I even got to READ on this trip!  Whooo hoo!  I love watching my kids on the beach.  It wears me out, but it's so worth seeing their faces light up and have so much fun.  I love watching my parents with my kids on the beach. They say it brings back tons of memories for them.  But it does for me as well! 

Grady was pretty sad on Sunday morning when we were packing up to come home.  I really think he would live at the beach if I'd let him.  We've been home two days and he's asked me at least 5 times when we can go back!

So I guess summer is almost officially over...  Kind of sad.

Until next time...