On Vacation

 Being at the beach in June versus May is a totally different experience.  I am a snob because I told Mark I don't like strangers to be in my beach photos.  In May we hardly see anyone on the beach at all, and even though it's not exactly crowded on our stretch of the beach now, I don't like having to worry about Billy Bob from Maryland ruining my shot. :)

 We've been having a great time which is why I haven't felt like dealing with my pictures or this here blog.  Relaxing is number one priority which is why after I post these 50 pictures, you shouldn't expect to see a whole lot more until I get home.  It's something new I'm trying, relaxing. 

P.S.  If you've only come to check out the photos, you can click on the first picture and scroll through the rest for a short cut. No judgement here, just trying to help you out. :)

 Sister Sue has "perma-wedge" all day long.  I actually like it because her buns are so cute.  Stella's getting a nice little suntan while she digs endlessly in the sand.

 The baby float is a hit with babies and bigger kids too.

 Cousin Adam and Uncle Kevin

 Adam and Mark's mom.

 Nashy Boy seems to have warmed up to the sand.  It's already been established that Nash is the easiest going baby we've ever had, but this further supports that title.  On our home computer I have pictures of Luke at Nash's age howling when we tried to put him in the sand. There have been very few tears, at least from Nash anyway.  :)

 Can you spot him?  There on the left hand side of the shade? 

 The rest of us were down by the water, but Nash didn't even notice with that green bucket full of water and a shovel in hand.

 Nash's naps have worked out well and so he's been able to have some fun like the rest of us.  We let him out once in a while.  :)

 The week before we came here, Brooke told me that she doesn't want Nash to grow into a big boy.  I completely, 100% agree.

 The other cousins (My sister-in-laws 3 kids) got here early this morning after driving overnight and headed out the beach almost immediately.  That's cousin Emily on the right.

 We were up and ready to go so we joined them before 9 AM which was a record for our family.  It was blissfully uncrowded because it's change over day for those unfortunate people who only get to stay for the week.

 Bert catching a few winks after taking shifts driving through the night.  Mark and I used to do that, but I'm happiest driving during daylight hours.

 Cousin Joe is Luke's favorite.  He's about to turn 14 in a couple of weeks. He'll be driving before we know it which boggles my mind.

 Cousin Dan.

 Stella was all about the ocean today.  She didn't want to get out and even wanted the waves to crash on her.

 I love watching the boys skim board. 

 Mark trying his hand at boogie boarding.

 I tried to tell him he was almost too old, but he's still got it.

 Mark and Bert "supervising" the kids.

 Poor Brooke has been pacing the beach like a caged lion.  She is desperate to get into the ocean, but is so consumed with worries about getting knocked down by a wave like she did in May, that she won't go in past her ankles. 

 It's an all out cousin fest.  The kids love it and the adults love built in playmates.  Joe, Emily and Dan are so, so sweet to our kids, I am grateful to have them around.

 After we had sufficient sand in our bathing suits, we headed to the pool for some lunch.  Nash wasn't too happy to left behind with me while I grabbed the last of the beach stuff.

Not happy at all.  This is how I'll feel when it's time to go back home.  Until then, I'm loving fewer distractions, an occasional afternoon nap, and less laundry and toys to pick up.  Go, Vacation!!

We're Back, Again!

Yes, we are totally spoiled.  We're back at my in-laws beach house in North Carolina. It amazes me that we can make this 11 hour drive with 4 kids and only 2 stops.  Nash and Luke are the best travelers, followed by Stella, and then Brooke lands squarely in last place for being 7 and throwing  more tantrums than anyone.  I think I said about 50 Hail Mary's to keep myself from killing her before we made it out of Ohio. 

After we unpacked we took some time to hit up the pool and beach before dinner.  That's the benefit of leaving at 5:30 AM.  So far Luke was in the pool without a life jacket, without supervision (we had the pool safety talk shortly after) and Nash fell in the kiddie pool while Mark was standing within a foot of him.  As far as water safety, we've blown it.  The good news is that we have no where to go but up from here.  :)

I love this place and we are so blessed to spend 10 days here.  It will be an all out cousin fest this coming week and our kids can't wait.  If you are planning on robbing our house while we're gone, could you please fold the two baskets of clean laundry waiting in the laundry room before you steal our 27 inch Sony TV from 1998? It's the least you could do, really.

If you're on Glaser family beach photo overload, you might want to wait a week or so before you check back.  I've got to get some rest because the kids will be up ready to go at 6 AM.  Nothing says welcome to vacation like waking up with the sun.  :)

Bits and Pieces

 I know you can probably hardly imagine that I take many more photos than I post here on my blog.  There are tons of  photos of the little things that don't really deserve a full story, but there are little things that I just want to remember.  Things like Stella dressing up like a cowgirl last week.  Those boots are a hand me down from Brooke and I'd say we've gotten our money's worth with those little cuties.

 Last Tuesday our home school group was getting together at a park we've never been to.  We couldn't make it while everyone else was there, but I decided we would swing by to check it out later in the day anyway.  It ended up being really fun...a creek to explore, a playground, and a Hawaiian Ice shop right next to it.  We tried orange, strawberry and blue raspberry flavors.  Nothing natural about chemicals in a cup with a little dye to go with it.  I crack up when the kids ask me if something is "paleo".  Hawaiian Ice, while you are tasty, you don't make the cut.

Speaking of paleo, Brooke and I were hanging out in her room before bed and she told me that donuts were a "paleo nightmare" with all that wheat and sugar.  Don't think for one minute your kids aren't hanging onto every word that crosses your lips.  She is a hoot!

 Stella cried all the way home from the park that day (I don't even think she knows why she was crying. I chalk it up to exhaustion.). I snapped this picture of what I could see in the rear view mirror while we were stopped at a traffic light.

 Last week was a week of bedtime forts.  For several nights the older 3 all slept peacefully in a fort in their rooms.  You may or may not have noticed, but it's unusually light in Stella's room because she insists on falling asleep with one of her curtains open.  Mark and I have given up and leave it open now and when we go to bed we close it. 

 Nashy Boy is turning into Mr. Picky Pants when it comes to eating.  He will refuse to eat chicken without BBQ sauce and has taken to throwing whatever he doesn't like on the floor.  He used to eat anything I put on his plate, but now he's turning up his nose like the rest of them. That bruise on his forehead is from falling off the desk chair in our school room.  See earlier post for details. :)

 I realized that I have officially turned the corner last Friday when I was rubbing Coconut Oil on my kids in the place of sunscreen.  It has an SPF of 5 if you were wondering.  :)  Brooke says to me, "Mom, can't we just use regular sunscreen?" A few months ago when I made my own toothpaste Brooke said the same thing. I think I've earned the title "Crunchy Mom" fair and square.  For fun search "What Crunchy Mamas Say" on Youtube.  If you're even a little crunchy, you probably will like it.

Today I took a mental health afternoon.  I left at 1:30 and returned around 6 PM.  Mark wanted to know what I was going to do all that time I was away and I told him I didn't know exactly, but a pedicure was on the agenda.  Not only did I get a fabulous pedicure, but I got cute shoes from Target to go with it.  I went shopping at Kohl's and Target for new shorts and ended up with a few other things as well.  When I got home Mark jokingly asked who was going to pay for it and I told him someone by the name of Mastercard.  It's a shame I  didn't get his first name. :) 

Our Happy Place

 Most people have all their fun on the weekends, but we prefer the weekday kind of crowd.  Mark had a few days off so we headed to my in-laws lake house in Kentucky.  I've decided that it's my happy place.  I like being outdoors and I love that there is no laundry or phone calls beckoning.  It's a time to slow down and a place where baths are optional.  :)  My mom and niece, Carly came with us and we spent two days playing, reading and relaxing.

 Well, I suppose I should say that not all of us relaxed.  Mark built a ladder for a slide we scored two summers ago at a garage sale.  I am so impressed that he really had no previous experience and pulled this project off  with flying colors.  Except for that severed saw cord.  My dad gave Mark the saw and now it's replaced with a new one that has a usable power source. It's all part of the experience!

 Reading on the deck.

 Spending time at the lake mid-week is so peaceful.  I feel like I could stay for the summer, except it wouldn't be the same because eventually I would have to  do laundry and make a few phone calls and eventually the kids would be so smelly they'd need baths.

 Isn't my husband manly?  You should have seen him using the power tools.  :)

 The finished product!  That slide is a hoot of a good time.  It's 6 feet tall and so, so fun (even for adults).  Screaming is optional. :) Mark even went down head first which was a crack up.

 Luke was the first kid brave enough to try it.  It is a little intimidating at the top and I almost chickened out.  I pressed on despite my fears and loved it.

 Carly is officially a college girl!  She just graduated last week and is now beginning a new leg of her journey.  What an exciting time!

 I wish I could record every single conversation with Stella.  It's the way she says her words that melts my heart.  So. stinkin'. cute.

 Nashy Boy didn't make it down to the dock this time.  He was busy bonding with my mom and taking naps (or not, depending on the day).

Carly popped right up on her first attempt skiing.  It was amazing!  I'm so glad that we took this time to come to the lake.  Tomorrow, it's back to the real world. Thankfully, we'll do it again soon. We're lucky little things.