.: Myrtle Beach

Well, it's been about two weeks since we've been home, so maybe it's time I posted a few pics from our Myrtle Beach vacation. I look forward to this all year, and when it's over, I get a little down. This year was especially amazing because we no longer had a baby or small toddler to chase. In fact, I was more concerned that Lucy would wander off on her own adventure than I was about Lizzy. Matt was showing his artistic side with some of these photos...I guess I can't blame our camera why a lot of my pictures are so bad, because these were taken with the same camera and they are really nice. Not this first one so much, although I like it even though it's dark.

But this is cool. If you're hoping to find exotic seashells, don't go to Myrtle Beach. There aren't many shells at all, (yay for your bare feet), and those you find are small, ordinary, and usually fragmented.

Bubbles. There's Lucy in the background.

This was taken in the condo. Another thing I love about the beach is how clean the kids are, all the time. The sand is so super fine that you really have to shower and scrub to get clean, every time you go down to the beach, so it's a pain but well worth it. I made these jammies...they say "Air Force" but Matt calls them Samuel's presidential jammies because it looks like the presidential seal.

Another nice Samuel pic.

Looking for crabs or shells, I can't remember which.

Here's Samuel and Lizzy planning our extra activities.

Here's Mom and I, after we finished our chicken pot pie dinner. I made that skirt I'm wearing. I hardly ever make myself stuff, but when I do, I remember why I don't. It's much more satisfying to sew for the kids.

One of my favorite Lizzy pics. I wish I had taken a picture of the "kiddie pool" outside our condo. She thought it was the best thing ever, and wanted to spend every spare minute in it. The best part was that it was about the size of a Walmart plastic pool. It was that small, and quite dumb. But hey, whatever brings this kind of smile, right?

This was Lucy at Myrtle Waves water park. We hadn't been there in a couple of years, and it was a real highlight of the trip. We love the beach and sand, but mid-week it's always nice to take a little break. I have to add that I felt lots better about my body in general after spending the day looking at other people.

Lizzy at "Saturation Station."

Matt's toes in the sand.

I took this from the deck, it was so cute that Matt and Lucy had a few minutes together without everyone else.

Ready for church and waiting for the rest of us.

A favorite pic of Lucy. Not just because she's beautiful, which she is, but I want to always remembver this outfit she has on. It shall always be the "Summer 2011 Standby." It's a kitty shirt and a brown tiered skirt. She wears it any day that it's still clean enough to wear, and when it's not, she begs me to wash it so she can wear it again. And again. Oh, and she's pausing to be photographed with the dead jellyfish. So touching.

The big bucket dumps water about every 10 minutes. Fun.

Another pretty Lucy pic.

I love this, Samuel and Lucy just running and playing.

A tired girl. I know, I know, we really need to break Lizzy away from the binky, but I'm not too worried about it. When you get to kid #4 you're just happy for anything that makes your life a little easier, and the binky does that for us.

Pure joy.

Lizzy posing. Again, the clean kid thing....love it.

So sweet! Lizzy is probably the most loveable child I've ever had. Not that I don't love all my kids, but she's so easy to love, and most people find her that way too. She's a real charmer and has a sweet little temperament.

All kids on the computer, we were headed out for seafood that night. I made Lucy's dress, but then later felt that it was not super modest, so now she wears it with a T-shirt underneath which kind of ruins the look, but oh well. Modesty is the best policy, or so I taught in sharing time on Sunday.

Two girls with surfboards. Too bad that darn sandstorm came in at the last minute. Just kidding, it's just the foggy lens. But it is too bad, because this would have been a perfect pic otherwise.

The girls slept on the pull out couch each night. Better them than me, that's all I can say.

Cutie booty. So so sweet!

Another artistic shot, at sunrise.

As usual, I'm always out of order. Here's the chicken pot pie. I made all the filling before we came, and mom the pastry. Nuff said.

3 kids, you have to hand it to Mason for trying for a good pose, but I could just tell it wasn't going to happen for a beach portrait this year. Samuel and Lucy were the clues.