When Life Was Beachy

When life was beachy you could spend the weekend riding tandem on an old bike around a cute town

A routine run could turn into a fun group outing

You could start out on your feet and return in a basket

When life was beachy you'd hear more laughter than waves and smash ball was a hit 

You could take a beating from the waves and still come up smiling

It could be business as usual but with a way better office and a much better dress code.

When life was beachy you could eat at new places and visit with old friends

Hours of fun could be found in freezing blue water

You could pass the day with your toes in the sand and not ask for better company

You could sleep where you sat and not everyone would laugh

When life was beachy digging holes and burying your brother seemed like great ideas

 There wasn't a better way to take in the sights than with your feet on the peddles and the wind in your hair

You could start off laughing at the pier

And wind up at the other end of town in the same state 

Cruising around town with this big crew would be perfectly normal

and seven kids eating Sunday dinner at the bar could seem like just a few!

At any given moment you could be surrounded by gorgeous girls

happy moms

sun kissed cheeks 

and teasing boys

When life was beachy a cozy campfire was welcomed by all

It was a perfect time to huddle together in your blankets and jammies

when age and gender were less important than what game could be played next

When life was beachy the best seat in the house was on a parents lap

or cuddled up next to the ones you love most

 Conversations could range from Aloha Friday being a lifestyle and not an event, to the finer uses of Skype, and end with a message from Drew channeling a lady with a thing for camels.

When life was beachy all the roasting sticks could somehow disappear and you'd still see these kids still smiling from ear to ear!

 You could count on finding a moment or two of peace and quiet after the sticky s'mores covered fingers and chocolatey faces were cleaned and tucked into bed 

 You could devour a book into the wee hours of night and know you'd make up for it the next day with a nap in the sand

When life was beachy the early risers could be rewarded with the best shells 

and the combination of mist, sand and sea could seem magical

But even then we knew it couldn't last, so we did what we could to make it count

We climbed on our bikes for one last day of fun

The ladies set up camp and kept watch over all

 the kids braved the cooler temps and much colder water determined to make the last day the best

they set out for the waves they knew they'd soon miss

It's hard to find good friends and fun times or even waves quite like this!

The boys determined to master some new tricks

Wes brought out the board and decided to give surfing a try

A few attempts later he was up!

Successes and failed attempts both brought about smiles

 Riding in on the perfect waves helped the hours slip seamlessly by

One last day of beachy fun meant something different for everyone. They leapt

they caught

posed and kicked

dug 

and sifted

dragged and pulled

carried and lifted

they laughed

and tried to stay warm

played with their kids

and snuggled with mom

They were silly and enjoyed their friends

But one of the best things about life when it was beachy was that just about everyone smiled

When the fog rolled in and our day of fun came to a close there was nothing we could do but sit back and watch

the waves still came in

and the sands kept shifting

but it was time to pack it all in and go

When life was beachy there was laughter and fun, bikes and sun. There were waves and friends for everyone.  But now its winter and the cold has settled in.  It's nice to remember the sun and the smiles, perhaps I'll doze off and dream of it a while! 

Labor Day Weekend 2012