Back to the Beach

It is hard to believe that is already beach weather out here.  I feel like I was just posting pictures of our family hanging out on Florida's gorgeous white beaches...maybe because it was only five months ago.  But I'm not complaining...now I just have to remember this when it is 110 degrees and humid.  Guess you have to take the bad with the good...and this weekend wasn't just good...it was wonderful.

Daddy and his boys...look closely and you'll notice Arthur and Jake's matching shorts

This trip to the beach was extra special.  First it was Mr. James' first real trip to the beach (besides the few minutes he spent when we met up with the Haymore's 2 weeks ago).  However, I will mention that a sand happy little boy and an infant makes for an interesting combination, but James was a trouper about having sand flung, well, just about everywhere.  And he was adorably cute and smiley while I applied his sunscreen.  I think he thought we were playing a game.  

So serious in his shades

I am obsessed with his profile...his little nose kills me

So bright outside our shade structure

Who doesn't love to sleep to the sound of waves?

Such a peanut!

Second, it was Jake's birthday weekend.  Despite his initial reservation about all things beach (sand, salt water, waves) as a baby, Jake has turned into quite the little enthusiast, at least when it comes to the sand and the splashing along the shore.  We'll have to wait till the water is a little warmer to see how he feels about the actual ocean.  Things got a little gray (literally) when it started to rain shortly after we arrived on Saturday.  Jake lost it when we started packing up his sand toys.  Luckily, Arthur was able to talk Jake off his emotional cliff and we got a few hours of shopping in while we waited for the sun to start shinning again.  But the birthday boy got his wish and we were able to spend two afternoons under the sun (okay some of us spent much of that time under the shade structure).

My favorite view

Jake, of course, found a cute older girl to play with

Yep, that is a jellyfish carcass...at least we didn't let him play with the dead man o' war

Officially three!!

The final reason this trip was so much fun was because two of my best friends on the entire planet were here visiting.  And you can't let someone come all the way out to lower Alabama, and not take them a little further south...that would just be mean.  It was wonderful to have them here.  And I think we might owe the power of Laura's positive thinking for our sun shine.  Now they can say they spent part of their "Spring Break" on the Florida beaches with two cute single guys...or something like that.

Erin was the only one brave enough to going swimming...remember it is only March

Getting fancy drinks from the Tiki Bar (don't worry Barlow's...Laura was sipping on a virgin daiquiri :-))

I love you girls!

One extra benefit to having friends there is I didn't have to take all the pictures and I actually got to be in a few...

I adore him...and if possible he is even cuter than when we met more than 10 years ago