Memorial Day Weekend

While I've never needed an excuse to barbeque, I welcome long weekends like Memorial Day as an opportunity to whip up some potato salad and throw some burgers on the grill.  But what I really want to pass on to you is that Memorial Day is about much more than the smell of charcoal and sandy flip flops.  It's an opportunity to show gratitude and respect to those who have served our country.  We don't necessarily come from a military family, but you should know that your great-grandfather is a Navy, and WW2, veteran.  Also, your great uncle was a Marine and served in Vietnam.  I am hopeful that you will grow up during peaceful times, but never forget the sacrifices that these men, and many men and women like them, have made.

Red, White & Blue Baby

But, I do love the smell of charcoal, and I'm always down for a beach day.  So of course that's what we did.  Because that's what we do.

I got two turntables and a microphone.

We kicked off our three-day weekend at the softball field where Daddy was playing in a tournament.  It was a steamy morning and it wasn't long before we retreated to the children's museum, which just so happens to be at the same park.  How convenient.  Daddy even treated us to lunch at a favorite local hangout.  The kind of place that has a wall of tv's, sticky menus and wings sold for pennies-a-piece.  In other words, a happy place.

Sydney is more entertained by the bleachers than the game.

We discovered that your sister has some seriously mad hula hooping skills.

At Pelican Larry's

The rest of the weekend was spent outside, too.  Sunday we hit up a playground with a splash park and had a picnic dinner at the beach.  We intended on catching the sunset, but things rarely go as planned.  The waves were as high as I've ever seen them and the wind was whipping.  We were there for several hours, but mostly spent that time trying to keep our stuff from blowing away.  We did manage to inhale some sandwiches at a picnic table, using our drinks to weigh down our plates.  And Daddy and Sydney braved the waves that were sometimes as high as Dad's head.  And after all of that, the sun dipped behind some clouds, never to emerge again.  So once again...no actual sunset.  But that doesn't mean it wasn't beautiful.

Hurdling the water fountains.

You had a turn in the water also.  It did not go well.

Is it wrong that I just want to squeeze those cheeks?

And then to the beach...

Did I mention it was windy?

Very windy.

And that the waves were crazy?

That didn't slow down your sister.

The beginning of one of your crazy waves.

Yes, Finn...live long and prosper.

Pure happiness: toothless baby smiles and beachy sunsets.

And dolphin sightings.

And watching your family play in waves so big you wish you'd brought a surfboard.  Or at least a boogie board.

And an ice cream cone on the way home.

So forgive us if your actual first Memorial Day was a little anti-climatic.  It was an exhausting weekend.  We had company over, cooked on the grill and mostly relaxed.  But you're gonna have to trust me on this one.  Other than making you wear some vintage red, white and blue, I mostly gave the camera a rest.

  

Li'l Buckaroo

Ta-Ta for now!