The kids didn't get enough sleep. They kept each other up with their 'sleepover' and then they were all up well before 7 AM.
And it was raining.
And the coffee maker was upstairs......stairs that were out in the rain.
All signs of a rough morning, but the joy of being at the beach helped carry us through.
If anything, Shane was excited about the rain. He'd been rooting for a storm to blow through ever since he heard we were under a Tropical Storm Watch.
Not the best forecast for going to the beach during a beach week for most people. However, we come for the company (and clouds help prevent me from crisping under the sun).
We entertained the boys downstairs at first to let others sleep. Pop had thought ahead and there were Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts available (Shane's favorite!).
The rain slowed down and the house came awake, so we went upstairs to see everyone.
Mornings are better with family! Nana doesn't like anyone being active before 7 AM.
Which works out well for Matt and Renee. 7 AM is Aiden and Graham's wake up call.
Matt and Renee will get up early to make coffee, read, and prepare for the day. Matt made the conscious decision to wear a tie, but it was a Father's Day present.
I'd forgotten it was Father's Day, actually. Nana brought out a card for everyone to sign for Pop (No attempt to hide it this year).
All the dad's hadn't arrived yet, so there was no group picture. Stu and crew would arrive late morning and Patrick wouldn't be around until Tuesday.
The top floor of the beach house was claimed by Nana, Pop, Matt, Renee, Aiden and Graham. Patrick and Shelby would claim the last room when they arrived. Downstairs would be all of the older siblings and their kids.
Also downstairs was the wi-fi password. "I'm not going to help you," I said. "Both you boys are able to read and smart enough to figure it out yourselves."
"Good job! Isn't reading great?"
With B and Shane hooked on electronics, I went upstairs where electronics weren't allowed....unless it's for church. Matt and Renee were planning on streaming the service today since they were on the road and Renee hadn't gotten her 2nd shot yet (At the time, the doctor's weren't sure if she should since she was pregnant).
Nana wanted the rest of us to go to the 11:15 AM service, but there was a lot of time left before then.
Everyone ended up downstairs and playing for the morning.
B started making a marble tower, but it was short-lived.
He was upset, so Megan pulled him into the kitchen to start anew.
Once B got going it pulled the other kids in.
A true tower was born!
Nana brought down a thrift store find and called the kids over.
It looked like a beer pong trainer.
The kids played the morning away until it was time to pack into the van for church.
We went to Barefoot church. It was in a converted theater with a separate set of buildings for kids.
Megan and I walked around to sign everyone up.
Only Megan's kids didn't stay! Sammy didn't want to go into his classroom, so he walked down to the older kids area. B and Shane would have been in the same class, but they had different reactions. Shane saw other kids and Mario Kart. He ran over to get in line. B saw other kids and Megan leaving and ran to her.
B and Sammy ended up joining us for church. B was good about it, but Sammy had a hard time staying quiet (and he enunciates exactly what he wants).
There was a nice amount of space around where we sat which was appreciated. I've been vaccinated, but the pandemic has made me more cautious about germs in general. Shane was scheduled to go to camp and I didn't want to risk so much as a cold if it could get him sent home early. I even passed on the Father's Day Duck Donuts in the lobby.
Kathleen and Stu arrived during service. All the grandkids were now on the scene!
We caravanned back to the beach house to unpack and party.
The wind blew like a gale the whole time. I watched trees bend as Stu tried to convince the kids that palmetto trees were the reason the US won the Revolutionary War.
Shane and I had to peel off from the group to get a COVID test. Shane's camp required us to quarantine at home for 2 weeks (Nope!) or present a negative COVID test (Yup!).
It was supposed to be a 30 minute affair, tops. I pulled into the CVS early to find out we were supposed to go to another CVS a few miles further down the road. Only when I typed the address into Google Maps it took us 100 yards down the street to a Banfield Pet Hospital ("Are you calling my kid an animal?").
I'd have taken Shane in if they'd have administered the test.
Shane and I continued down the road. There was a wreck and we went from early to late.
The test itself was an interesting experience. We went inside and they told us to go through the drive through.
Then I was given a kit including the swab to shove up Shane's nose.
You can probably imagine how that went, but I'm going to tell you anyway: It was awkward and difficult to hold the back of Shane's head from the driver's seat with one hand while he was trying to pull away from me in the back seat and grab at my other hand with the swab up his nose, all the while complaining about how much it hurt as I tried to do the exact minimum, because I didn't want to somehow shove the swab too deep and blind him or pierce his brain.
Not a fun experience, but I guess it completed our pandemic experience. At least it was quick.
Most of the kids were in the pool when we got back....
...while the adults relaxed.
Cole and B have both graduated from needing floaties.
Shane was quick to change and join the group.
Pictures don't do the wind justice.
Hopefully, a gif will.
The wind was constant. We weren't directly in the storm's path, but we could feel it's effect. The kids all wanted to know how it would affect the waves.
Cross the street to hit the beach was a breeze.
And the waves were rough! The kids were delighted. I had to put my phone down quickly, because they all dived in!
As rough as the waves were, the shallows stretched far and wide. There were occasional pockets in the sand that would dip a foot, but all three of the older boys were easily able to stand wherever they went. No one used a floatie. B, Cole, and Shane cavorted and dived into waves while I hung nearby just in case.
There was a strong northward pull. When we were driven far enough, I'd yell, "Relocate!" The boys would run out and past Stu before running back in.
B grabbed Shane's towel when he went back. Only my phone was hidden within. B simply dropped my cell in the sand and moseyed along. No one took it, but it took a scoop of sand into the case for me to clean out.
Everyone took an electronics break to rest after cleaning up and drying off.
Nana attempted to have a family movie night. Pixar's latest film, Luca, was available to stream.
It took a little work to herd all of the kids into the same spot!
Tenley and Evie weren't interested.
Neither was Graham. He was helping Renee cook in the kitchen.
Renee was hard at work. Families split up duties over the week and she wanted to get her cooking nights over up front.
Meanwhile her husband was equally hard at work....
Maybe not. Matt wasn't as interested in the movie as he was in resting. Aiden had never seen a movie before (according to Nana). He was enthralled.
They never finished the movie, because dinner was finished half an hour in.
The TV went off and the kitchen got crowded as everyone dished out food for their kids and themselves.
Nana had brought disposable trays to make for easier eating and cleanup.
And this is probably a good time to mention: Nana assigned cups at the start of the week. She wanted to know exactly who to blame.
But back to our story at hand: One table was set up for all the kids.
They got to eat and entertain themselves mostly adult free.
Sometimes someone would have to go over to help with serving, iron out an argument, or wipe pee off the floor....
...there was only one pee incident. I'm glad it wasn't Shane!
The adults and Graham sat at the other table. While eating and talking, I noticed Pop's shirt was too accurate to be one of Nana's thrift store finds.
Nana designed it online. "I knew I should have listed him as something other than 'white.' Look how pale they made him!"
Since I don't cook, I'm expected to help with clean-up. My only problem was that Pop started on them before I could finish eating! I ended up playing sidekick while Nana looks askew that I'm not helping enough as my "almost 70 year old dad with kidney issues works himself to death."
The kids were having a party downstairs while dinner wrapped up. No one went back to the movie.
Side note: B's still a clapper! Gotta respect that!
Matt and Renee brought their kids down to join the general chaos.
It slowed down when the electronic devices all came out. When one kid gets a device, the others all stop what they're doing and want one themselves. Failing that, they pile in. No one has personal space issues.
That's a trait that seems to have passed down the generations. Five people packed into the same bedroom with competing sound clips isn't for everyone.
In case you needed more proof: How many people does your family fit on a couch?
Kudos to Megan for reading a book within the dog pile.
The good news was that all the kids sufficiently wore themselves out to sleep soundly. They went down piecemeal. I would have liked to put Shane to bed a little earlier, but since he's the oldest and it's the beach I waited until everyone else went down.
And thus ended our first full day at the beach. Nana wanted to get a picture of all of the fathers and fathers-to-be after Patrick arrived. Happy Father's Day to all!
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