This time, we remembered the buckets...

On a whim last Thursday, we decided to take the kids back to the beach at Maumee Bay after work in the evening. It was Craig's idea because we had friends staying at the campgrounds out there but you know how keen I am on spontaneity. So he had to do a little cajoling, but I'm so glad he did because it was a really fun time.
Craig had organized a big "beach bag" to have at the ready with towels and beach toys, so it was pretty easy to just change clothes after work, apply some sunscreen, grab water bottles and go. P.S. - Check out the brown grass behind them. This is what ALL grass looks like around here lately. WE NEED RAIN SO BADLY!!!

Just a forewarning: this will be picture overload. The early evening light was so perfect and the kids were having so much fun that I just kept taking and taking and taking pictures.

Sandcastles/forts were on the agenda this evening...

Sophie is changing and growing so quickly! She even looks taller, more slender and definitely more sun-kissed just since Memorial Day weekend!

Will finally seems to fit (barely) into a pair of 4T swim trunks. These are a tad long but the other two pair he owns that are size 4T are way too big in the waist. He's been wearing mostly 3T trunks this summer.

Tossin' around the football.

Sophie loves to play catch too, often more so than Will.

It's moments like these that make all the hard work of parenting 100% WORTH IT!!

See? String bean.

Flexing :)

Originally attempting to do a pull-up on daddy's arm... but now sort of just hanging there. :)

I just observed, played in the sand and took oodles of pictures.

Rinsing sand off of hands and feet before wrapping in a towel and heading back to the car.

Love my little beach burrito. We only stayed for a little over an hour. Then we stopped by our friends campsite to visit for awhile before picking up a pizza and heading home for a late dinner and bath. Thank goodness for the bag of pretzels we brought to tide us over to 8 p.m. when we sat down for dinner! A perfect evening and great memories...

I love summer.