I'm not a big traveler. I tend to be more of a homebody. However, I do like being other places. I know that sounds weird. It's just the thought of travel that I don't like. I pack everything but the kitchen sink when I go somewhere and with little kids, it's even worse.
Well, Blair goes to St. Augustine on business alot and this time he decided to take us with him. A beach? I'm in! We were going to all ride with Blair in his truck and tow my jeep so I'd have a way to get around while I was there. This sounded great to me. I was actually going to have a little time to read, relax and maybe even catch a few zzz's. Once we were all settled into the truck (Max was on his own in the jeep), I kicked back with my latest parenting magazine and started to read. This lasted until we pulled out of the driveway and discovered that you can't actually tow my car like that. 2 options. Put my car on a flat bed trailor, which we have, or I drive. Well, the girls had already been strapped into their carseats for 15 minute, so I decided to drive. No need to confine them any longer than necessary. I wasn't very happy about this but I was ready to go. Turns out, it wasn't so bad. What I actually don't like about traveling is sitting there for long periods of time. It's not so bad when you're driving. Plus, it was just me and the dog. And my thoughts. I don't get to hear them that often anymore, so it was kindda nice. (No, I'm not hearing voices in my head. At least not yet. And even if they were there, I probably wouldn't be able to hear them over the din of my own children!)
The drive to St. Augs wasn't so bad. There were stretches of it that reminded me of Raleigh a long time ago. It was all lush and green and there weren't traffic barrels everywhere. All of that green made me think of my childhood and trips to the beach. There doesn't seem to be much lush green left these days. Everything is being destroyed to make room for new. But on this drive, while I could hear my thoughts, I thought about how it used to be. I remember going to the beach during the summer and when we'd return home, the yard would be all shady and cool, in that summer kind of way. We had a pecan tree and a maple tree that shaded most of the front yard. The grass would need to be cut and there was always the smell of fresh cut grass from one of the neighbors. The house would be stuffy from being closed up for so long and it's warmth would welcome you when you walked in. It was nice to be home. Those smells and feelings were comforting. I miss those carefree days of youth, and I'm afraid that my children won't have those carefree days if I'm not careful. The 'Jones's' push way too hard for our children to grow up too fast. But I'm in control now, and so, carefree and innocent it is.
We spent most of the week on the beach. It was great. St. Augustine is beautiful and I absolutely loved it. There were beautiful flowers everywhere and it was warm and sunny and you felt like there was really no need to wear shoes anywhere. Great! I ate seafood every night. It's the oldest city in the US and so there are all these great old houses shaded by palm trees, scrub pines and twisted old live oaks. The buildings and houses are separated by streets that are paved with old cobblestone bricks that are uneven and worn. You really feel like you are in another time.
We stayed in a hotel right on the beach, so each day, I would load up the stroller and set out for the beach. Me, Rena, Rachel , Riley and Max. We had to walk through the pool area to get to the beach, up some steps to the outdoor shower, across the gazebo, down a couple of step and then into the sweet soft white sand that the Atlantic Ocean had offered up. There's nothing better than walking barefoot through that soft sand. Oh, it's hard work, especially when you're pushing a double stroller, loaded. But it's great. It makes a kind of squeaking sound as you push on towards the harder packed, wet sand. Your feet sink down into it's warmth and resurface for another step. Progress is slow but Ahhh.
It helps to know the tide schedule, which I didn't, but the beach is really wide and there weren't alot of people there. The last day we were there, we got there at high tide, so I set up right at the water. The girls played in the sand and the surf, chased birds and made sand castles. Rachel and Riley took a nap in the afternoon, so I got to spend time with just Rena. Max guarded our 'camp' from other dogs and bike riders. Blair joined us in the afternoon and we all just wandered around enjoying the warm sun and the cool water. It was perfect.
Well, Blair goes to St. Augustine on business alot and this time he decided to take us with him. A beach? I'm in! We were going to all ride with Blair in his truck and tow my jeep so I'd have a way to get around while I was there. This sounded great to me. I was actually going to have a little time to read, relax and maybe even catch a few zzz's. Once we were all settled into the truck (Max was on his own in the jeep), I kicked back with my latest parenting magazine and started to read. This lasted until we pulled out of the driveway and discovered that you can't actually tow my car like that. 2 options. Put my car on a flat bed trailor, which we have, or I drive. Well, the girls had already been strapped into their carseats for 15 minute, so I decided to drive. No need to confine them any longer than necessary. I wasn't very happy about this but I was ready to go. Turns out, it wasn't so bad. What I actually don't like about traveling is sitting there for long periods of time. It's not so bad when you're driving. Plus, it was just me and the dog. And my thoughts. I don't get to hear them that often anymore, so it was kindda nice. (No, I'm not hearing voices in my head. At least not yet. And even if they were there, I probably wouldn't be able to hear them over the din of my own children!)
The drive to St. Augs wasn't so bad. There were stretches of it that reminded me of Raleigh a long time ago. It was all lush and green and there weren't traffic barrels everywhere. All of that green made me think of my childhood and trips to the beach. There doesn't seem to be much lush green left these days. Everything is being destroyed to make room for new. But on this drive, while I could hear my thoughts, I thought about how it used to be. I remember going to the beach during the summer and when we'd return home, the yard would be all shady and cool, in that summer kind of way. We had a pecan tree and a maple tree that shaded most of the front yard. The grass would need to be cut and there was always the smell of fresh cut grass from one of the neighbors. The house would be stuffy from being closed up for so long and it's warmth would welcome you when you walked in. It was nice to be home. Those smells and feelings were comforting. I miss those carefree days of youth, and I'm afraid that my children won't have those carefree days if I'm not careful. The 'Jones's' push way too hard for our children to grow up too fast. But I'm in control now, and so, carefree and innocent it is.
We spent most of the week on the beach. It was great. St. Augustine is beautiful and I absolutely loved it. There were beautiful flowers everywhere and it was warm and sunny and you felt like there was really no need to wear shoes anywhere. Great! I ate seafood every night. It's the oldest city in the US and so there are all these great old houses shaded by palm trees, scrub pines and twisted old live oaks. The buildings and houses are separated by streets that are paved with old cobblestone bricks that are uneven and worn. You really feel like you are in another time.
We stayed in a hotel right on the beach, so each day, I would load up the stroller and set out for the beach. Me, Rena, Rachel , Riley and Max. We had to walk through the pool area to get to the beach, up some steps to the outdoor shower, across the gazebo, down a couple of step and then into the sweet soft white sand that the Atlantic Ocean had offered up. There's nothing better than walking barefoot through that soft sand. Oh, it's hard work, especially when you're pushing a double stroller, loaded. But it's great. It makes a kind of squeaking sound as you push on towards the harder packed, wet sand. Your feet sink down into it's warmth and resurface for another step. Progress is slow but Ahhh.
It helps to know the tide schedule, which I didn't, but the beach is really wide and there weren't alot of people there. The last day we were there, we got there at high tide, so I set up right at the water. The girls played in the sand and the surf, chased birds and made sand castles. Rachel and Riley took a nap in the afternoon, so I got to spend time with just Rena. Max guarded our 'camp' from other dogs and bike riders. Blair joined us in the afternoon and we all just wandered around enjoying the warm sun and the cool water. It was perfect.
1 comment:
I love the picture. Included it on Mom's Mother's Day Apron that you will probably hear about! Had to have pictures of her grandchildren on the beach! Love you all!
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