Beach Trip: Sand and Sea!

So, we beelined for the beach that last week in May and relished every last moment of family retreat that the trip provided. We just couldn't get enough of the beach locale and vibe.  I think we left our hearts there.  {sigh} I took so many pics that, for the sake of blogging it all, I will break down into several different themed posts.
Firstly, Sand and Sea moments.

We got to the hotel a smidge before our room was ready.  No worries, we had other destinations to get to.  Chiefly, this one!  This was my first and favorite picture of the whole trip.  Also, I am sucker for shots from behind.  You'll see.

Once checked in, we changed and went right back.  What a difference three years makes.   Noah and Anna were FISH! 

After this construction, there were no more sand castles built by my people. The waves of the following days were FAR too interesting and WAY too much fun to spend time on shore.

Searching for seashells.  We didn't find much though.

 

That first morning we made a friend...

 

 

 

Strolling the morning tide pools ... and/or burying our knees.

 

Later that same day...

 

I dig this shot!

While we made fools of ourselves trying to take our own family shot with the beach also in view, a kind lady nearby offered to take our picture for us and she did a great job, making this one also a favorite from the trip!

While Josh and the kids would be at the water as early as 7:30 a couple days, I was more drawn to take in sand and sea moments in the evening when the sun wasn't blazing.

There were family groups all over the place this night with beach photographers in tow, but we were content with a silly selfie.

I kind of got into taking pics of my feet, too. You'll see. Anna and I painted our toes a fun teal color from a cheap $1.99 bottle of drugstore polish that promised to be long-wearing and, man alive, it is!  It is STILL on our toes.  Not even the pool chlorine could wear it off.

We took this shot our last night there.  After a patio dinner whereby we watched a woman vomiting profusely out her car door.  Lovely!

I tried the night sky on different camera settings and got very different results each time.  The light perspectives were so interesting to me.  These four were all taken at the same time.

This was our hotel's boardwalk out to the beach.  We loved being steps from the sand.  Next time, we will spring for the full beach view room ... so that we can still be on the beach even when we aren't ON the beach.

This was our short walk back to the hotel each day. 

Which is not to say we had a bad view from our second-floor room this time.  The scenery from our patio was perfectly welcome. :) We were also overlooking the pool to the right of our patio.

 

One night we walked out to watch some weather rolling in...

How beautiful is this?

Don't be fooled; they didn't build this.  Just played in the remains of someone else's construction that day.

Anna posing with another cool build we spotted - a sand shark!

Fondly remembering my last sweet getaway from my even better getaway.  Hey, Ellijay!

The hotel we stayed at was having a daily photo contest and I submitted this cutie.  He didn't win.  No one did that day, in fact.  : /  They must be blind.  And forgetful.  Oh well, #Beach, Love, Happiness. anyway!

 

Meet my tootsies again.  Sandy feet and beachy toenail colors made me grin all week. Couldn't be helped.  :}

Next Beach Pics theme to post:  Food and Other Fun. :)