it's how you live: the rest of the beach week...

i'm not sure i've ever been at the beach when it's been so COLD. it never got out of the 50's. hardly got out of the 40's. but it wasn't RAINING...and we were able to get outside...so it was fine!

actually, because it wasn't "beach" weather, it actually made it MORE relaxing than our usual beach trips (either that, or all the kids were on the older side and maybe that's what made it more relaxing??)

i slept until i woke up. every.single.day.
THEN we ate breakfast and some of us went running some days...if we wanted to.
i ended up running more miles (and faster!) than i do in a week at home! yet still feel like it was a week of "rest."

the kids were content to play games, make music videos together, read, we actually aren't entirely sure all they did. they were just happy and not arguing!

after lunch most days, we ventured to the beach and stayed as long as they lasted.

in the evenings, we would feed the kids, then put them in front of a movie and the adults would eat a nice, long dinner and have REAL conversation. once we were done with dinner, we'd put the kids to bed and we'd play games, watch bball or something else on tv and just enjoy each other! these friendships are the REAL DEAL and the richness of each of them goes deep into our lives.

these were the kids rooms...3 of the girls slept in here...

5 boys slept in here...

and 2 girls slept here. the 2 youngest were by themselves (levi and ella). i think being able to have the kids separated with more space helped them sleep well. and they would just play quietly until we woke up! it was wonderful!!

one day we walked to a fun playground/bball court.

he was in HEAVEN there! 3 dads to play bball with??

doing the candle on our bed...

i think i actually SAT and read on the beach for about 15 minutes the whole week. but i read a LOT IN the house. :-) i actually finished a whole book!