- Life's a BEACH: Family Photos -

Smelling the sea and feeling the sky...
Letting our souls and spirits fly! 

#live #love #beach  <3

- Life's a BEACH! -

The mountains ocean is calling, and WE MUST GO! 

We've been "saving the date" and looking forward to this trip for monthssss now after Brian's sister booked all of us a glorious 7-bedroom house on the beach last winter!  We have a little sweet spot in our hearts for Destin after visiting there on babymoon #1 and babymoon #2, and I wasn't even a little bit mad to head back for another round of sand and waves and sun. [Edited to add: I just reread the posts from our prior vacations here and #zomg we are most DEFINITELY a couple creatures of habit because holy whoaaaa.  Same. Itinerary. To. The. Max.  Pedis and carsickness and overembellished-roadtrip-fun, OH MY.  Followed by:  do other restaurants besides The Back Porch and The Donut Hole even exist?  ...We shall never ever know.   Just read and re-read and you shall seeeeeeee.]

Alas, same sh*t, different year:  pedis for all the girls!  Scarlett rocked her first time at the nail salon and only had to have one smudged toe touched up before we bailed.

After HOURS of list-making and packing packing packing some mo', we finally hit the road!  Thank youuuu to everyone who responded to my Facebook post requesting activities to keep the kids entertained in the car.  We had binders filled with coloring books and activity pages, tons of wrapped toys from the Dollar Tree, borrowed DVD players, glow sticks, and snacks to the max that kept everyone semi-smiling for 11+ hours.  Thank you!

^^ In true Flem family fashion, car sickness reared its ugly head yet again for both of the sweet babes.  I get a little more experienced in the backseat-puking department each year, and this time we FINALLY came prepared with our sand castle beach buckets loaded with "peel away" Walmart bags... #winning.  After a dose of Dramamine for Harper and a few wardrobe changes for Scarlett, we made it to Sweet Home Alabama [where Scarlett was VERY much dissatisfied with the musty 2-star hotel that I scored us on Hotwire -- but only $69!]...

...and thennnn the next day, we made it to FLORIDA! Hello, beach!!!

^^ There was a private pool on the deck of the house that was a huge hit for the kids [and the adults, too!].  Harper was thrilled to see that no one was swimming naked after she thought I had been continuously referring to it as "the privates pool."  Oy. 

Some screenshots of my camera roll after Harper disappeared with the phone for a couple hours...

Overall: family fun for everyone!

So lucky to be a part of this amazing family! Thanks again to Aunt Sarah for planning!  We had an absolutely awesome time and hated to say goodbye! :(

But! Until next time...

#lifesabeach

- Out of the mouth of babes: Roadtrip Edition -

While driving: 
"Mommy, sometimes when my legs are in the shade my hairs disappear!" 


After five minutes of silence following above conversation:
"So if you get a lot of leg hair, then you can't ever even see it in the shade which is nice!"


Randomly: 
"Do mermaids wear underwear?"

 

As Brian is vocally frustrated with a road closing/detour:
Brian:  "B, look at the map and see if we're about to get back on the interstate..."
Harper:  "Daddyyyy, just RELAX and enjoy the ride and watch 'da road where you're going!"


Randomly:
"I like it when it's hot, because it's not really cold..."


A few minutes before we were going to stop for food:
"Scarletttttt, stay awake my darling!"

While gazing at the moon:
Harper:  "Why is the sun and moon always following us?"
Brian:  "Better go to science class, kid.  Gotta learn about the solar system!  The earth is tilted and everything rotates and revolves and spins around together................[blah blah blah, long high-school geared science lesson begins]."

While discussing the plans for the week + house accommodations:
Me:  "So you can either be at the beach every day, or there's a private pool behind the house too if you want to swim there instead."
Harper:  "Why do we not wear our swim suits?  Is everyone going to see my boobies?"
Me:  "You do wear your swim suit..."
Harper:  "But you SAID it was the privates pool!" 
Me:  .....


A couple hours from Florida: 
"When we get to the beach, Daddy has to show his boobs to everyone 'cause he doesn't have a top shirt!" 

After seeing a man in a speedo:
"LOOK at that guy in those underwear shorts!"


Walking up to the ocean on the first day in Destin:
Harper:  "How did God make 'da ocean?"
Brian:  "I don't know..... But do you know what kind of animals live in the ocean?"
Harper [confidently]:  "Bears!"

- Out of the mouth of babes: VOL IX -

Randomly [and proudly]:
"I'm a 'dult almost 'cause I'm getting older! Isn't that right, Mommy?"


As she rammed the stroller into the back of my ankles on a walk through the subdivision:
"Mommmmmmmm, I telled you 'da WATCH OUT and give me some space!"


While watching a proposal on TV:
"Did Daddy put one leg down and the other leg up and tell you you should marry him like that?"

After she ran [kind of far, actually!]:
"My legs are really strong and they never run out of injury [energy]!"


Before bedtime:
Harper:  "Can I watch TV?"
Me:  "No." 
Harper:  "Why not?"
Me:  "Because you already watched TV for an hour this morning while Sissy napped, and you aren't going to be a TV junkie." 
Harper:  "Wellllll, fine!  When I get older, I'll be a junkie like you." 


On the way to the park to play:
Harper:  "I got a bad feelin' 'bout this..."
Me:  "Why?"
Harper:  "Because there will be babies and sisters there, and Scarlett will hit them!"
Me:   "Oh....... Well she's been better with her pushing and hitting and pinching lately."
Harper:  "Well, I"m still worried..." 

Before bed one night:
"Dear God, thank you for everyone!  Please make the rain stop, because the flowers are gonna be too wet and die.  Please don't let the storm keep coming, because I don't really want it to...  Please try to make Sissy stop crying all the time.  She was supposed to stop crying after she was 2 months old!  Hope you enjoy your family!  Hope you get some sleep.  Bye!  Amen!" 


After she said her prayers but was lying awake still:
Me:  "Where do you think God lives?"
Harper:  "Ummm...in a house!"
Me:  "Where's his house?"
Harper:  "I don't know, but I think it's a stick house with palms inside."
Me:  "Who else lives there?"
Harper:  "The kings and all the animals... Jesus... Jesus's wife... God... angels..."
Me:  "Sounds like a fun house.  I think that place is called heaven."
Harper:  "Yep it is! And when we die, we live there with God and all the animals and Jesus.  I think God's house in heaven is lovely, Mommy!"

While driving in the car one day:
Harper:  "My skin is black, Mom..."
Me:  "What?  Did you spill something on yourself???"
Harper:  "No, silly. I'm just getting a really good tan!"


While driving home from Menards:
Harper:  "How did we get made?"
Brian and me:  .....*exchanging sober stares*....."What do you mean?"
Harper:  "Like how do we get made and stuff?"
Me:  "God made us!"
Harper:  "Oh!  Well, I wish we didn't have noses."
Me:  "Why?  You don't like your nose?"
Harper:  "Well, I don't like breathing and boogers and colds.  But I guess it's ok since God gived me one." 

While cleaning up a huge mess of toys:
"Oh my goodness, it's really hard to bend over my belly!"





While watching me wax my eyebrows:
"Can Sissy and me come watch you take off your eyebrows?"


Randomly:
"Mom, did you know God is 60?"

While driving to the paint store:  
Harper:  "I think when I get older I'm gonna marry Van (cousin), because he doesn't have a sissy to marry.  And Sissy, you can marry Henry (cousin)! ...Is that ok, Scarlett?"
Brian:  "You don't really want to get married, do you Harper?"
Harper:  "Remember, Daddy, you have to get married to get a wedding ring!  Remember when you buyed that ring for Mommy?"


Genuinely excited as she points at my large stomach:
Harper:  "Mommyyyyyy!!!!! Your belly looks like you're gonna have another baby!  Maybe we should go to the howse-petal tomorrow!"
Me:  .........
[Diet starts tomorrow.]