Not pictured (Until I pull some from other people) - Renee's family came to visit for the day. They arrived early and stayed through the low-country boil Renee and Matt cooked. Matt and I taught and played Renee's Dad, Jack, in Smallworld. It looked like Jama and Renee's grandmother enjoyed a lot of conversation. Not everyone likes a ton of pictures taken, so I laid off.
Shane slept in until 7:30 AM today. I knew he couldn't sustain the amount of fun without some more sleep!
Mornings normally involve the kids clumping together. The boys hit the porch or the couch.
The girls stay by Ka.
Shane's been having Pop Tarts for breakfast every day. I don't mind, because it's vacation and he burns off the energy. Cole's been jealous.
The rules and styles for parenting the different kids are all different, so that does cause some conflict and confusion among the kids. So long as they realize we're all one house paid for and under Nana and Pop's rule it hasn't been a problem. It's a good learning experience to see things are different outside of your house.
But not as much as the kids.
If they stay in one place long enough, I may try to experiment with a camera angle or two.
Gotta watch out for the lens, though.
Stu found a dead crab in the pool. It looks like chlorine and baby crabs don't mix.
It was popular with the kids (especially Shane).
He was ready to tell the other kids all about it. Maybe I go into teach mode too often? It feels like he's imitating yours truly.
The gated pool in the front yard has been a real treat. Instead of forcing two sandy trips to the beach each day, the kids can splash around within moments of gearing up.
Jama and Ed have made their way down the stairs a couple of times themselves.
Shane's 99.5% fully independent in the water. The first day he was jumping, swimming and flipping all through the deep end. The first day, there was a split, freak moment when he swam down and spent too long trying to pick something up. Shane "forgot" what he was doing. He popped up, said "Help!" splashed around, and then saved himself. It was over before I even realized it had happened. Shane shrugged it off, but it's kept me alert since!
It is so important to have moments like the beach to spend time with family and invest in loving each other.
Shane loves the fact that Patrick brought Pokemon on the 3DS for him!
One of these days, I may pick up Talisman (an old board game) because I know Stu played it as a kid. Like me, he's too busy running around chasing kids during the day. Actually, he was running around more busy than me the whole trip. He's got three to my one.
I haven't even tried to make Shane write, read, or do forms. When nap time hits, the kids who don't nap get an electronic pacifier and stay quiet for a couple of hours.
Stu's tried to do some educational lessons. There was an attempt to teach them about a compass and a sundial.
It didn't take. If it did later, I didn't see it. I admire the attempt. I feel like I'm too brain dead and there's too much going on to plan anything.
Funny moment: Ka tried to teach the boys how to play Smallworld. She doesn't have a clue.
The boys took her rules as law and had a go. It lasted until Shane did something Cole didn't like.
I put up the game later when their backs were turned.
The whole trip can be summed up so far in three words: Family, sand, and water.
Speaking of all three of those things, here are more beach pictures.
It's easiest to take pictures at the beginning and end of our beach excursions.
The sun was behind the clouds this evening.
Shane thought a shark egg pouch smelled like cat litter (unused).
Everyone sleeps well thanks to all the activity and cousin-time!
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