The Beach

This was a FIRST for 9 of the 13!

Only Anna, Sarah, Emma and Ellie have been to the Florida beach!

Oh my, how they LOVED it!

Hubby was on business calls so I was in charge of 13 children... in their swimsuits...on the beach...

And I told them no one could go in the water...

They could get wet only up to their knees...

What on earth was I thinking!

I know, CRAZY!

Of course they were going to go into the water...

What was I thinking!

They did try to listen- everyone only was wet up to the waist!

(Dad will swim in the ocean with those that want to on another day!

Me? No thank you- I just LOVE to look at it and praise GOD!)

Ben was amazed at how the waves carried the shovel away!

He chased it all over!

Simple pleasures!

Everyone was into shelling!

Especially Luke!

Our sweet guy collected every broken shell on the beach!

Yep!
He won!
He had the most!

I tried to explain to the children that it would be best to collect unbroken shells but many of the children just didn't quite "get"the difference between an unbroken shell verses a broken shell...
Oh well!

Once again it was lunch at poolside and then swimming!

Why mess with perfection!

Anna was giving Madeline swimming lessons!

That works for me!

It is just such a wonderful sight!

Playing together and...

learning to swim together!

We can already see improvement in their swimming skills!

Joey- home only 2.5 months and doing well!

Lot's to work on BUT still doing well!

Daddy and Mommy with 13 treasures!

Joey definitely has a mind of his own and often a different agenda!

Who could resist kicking around a bit of sand!

Family picture?

What family picture?

Another pic by Ellie!

Thanks Honey!

They love decorating their hair with flowers!

We made a stop at the local Island Library for some books!

35 books and one ocean learning bag later and we are good to go!

We are not doing formal school but we did bring journals and our school reading books.

However, we are having a bit too much fun to do a lot of school work!

The extra library books are great for our non fluent readers and for everyone- they are out on our coffee table and available to the children.

We have such a variety- some just gobble up books while others would chose to do anything else before reading.

Luke is actually doing such a great job at phonics and beginning reading- we are happily surprised!
BUT, 
while at the library he and Joey chose the kitchenette instead!

Another GREAT day!