The Mark Show

The Nathan Show

Night on the Beach

Thursday night was beautiful on the beach. There was a cool breeze blowing. The tide was low and there was a lot of room for running around. The waves were gentle so we weren't worried about anyone getting swept away.


We just stood back and watched the boys play.

Sandy boy

Somebody loved being buried in the sand...almost to the point of asking for it!

Mark was genuinely happy about the whole process. I love how he stretched out in the sand, and how he sometimes bites that lower lip when he's smiling.

Nathan kept cool with Nanny.

He was probably asking, "Mama, why does Mark want to be buried in the sand like that?"

Hard at Work

Here are some action shots of the sand castle construction crew.


I served as the hydration and behavior modification captain, providing beverages and removal of disgruntled employees for periodic attitude adjustments (none of these incidences were captured on film, thankfully!)


Greg was construction supervisor.

A Day of Rest

We played hard in the mornings. Actually, this picture of Mark was taken at high tide one evening. He loved playing in this tidal pool - had his face in the water and everything! He's a fish. Every now and then, he would sit still for about 10 seconds. Maybe.


Nathan and I were a bit worn out from all of the running around. I think he had a touch of a stomach bug early in the week because he was really tired and didn't have much of an appetite.


Mom, Dad, Aunt Melanie and Uncle Rick brought the boys these squeaky sharks.


Good news was there was one shark for each boy, but the challenge was keeping the sharks from swimming away in the ocean tide.

First morning at the beach

I'm still finding sand in Mark's ears and shaking it out of our shoes, but here are a few pictures from our first morning on the beach. Thought I would share a few memories and photos each day as I unpack and we get used to our normal life again.

Last summer, Nathan's theme song was "I Hope I Don't Have to Go In the Ocean," but times have changed.

He and Mark were both fearless and ready to splash around in the surf right away.

There was a new sandcastle or shark tank under construction every morning.


They both took a liking to running laps between the beach chairs and the ocean, so we usually stationed one adult each location. I didn't even bother bringing down a book or getting comfortable on a blanket...I read and rested during nap time instead.

Summer Corn and Watermelon

We've had a whole lot of fresh corn and watermelon this summer. Nathan especially liked shucking corn on the front porch and playing with the husks afterward. He went wild for the watermelon, too!


Mark was mostly a spectator, and wasn't a big fan of either corn or watermelon. Maybe it's just that he's almost two and is opinionated about most everything these days. I feel sure he'll come around in a summer or two.


Mark designed his own outfit here, complete with rain boots and mason jar rings as bangle bracelets. He's been on a reading kick and enjoys Going on a Bear Hunt a lot.