The Cahill Family: Santa Rosa Beach 2013

This time last week we were soaking up the rays at Santa Rosa Beach, FL. We took our annual beach trip with my family a little later than normal this year, so it was much anticipated by everyone. I have to say, beach trips with the kids keep getting better and better! Mary Frances loved everything about the beach this year. The ocean, pool, sand, and playtime with Gigi, Papa and Aunt Sally. Margaret seemed to enjoy it too, as did everyone else.

Usually we caravan down to the beach in two separate cars. This year, with Margaret's sleeping schedule and Sally having been in an out of town wedding, we rode separately. Our crew left at nine and made it in six hours. Before we left, I gave each of the girls a little bag of goodies to take with us in the car. My mom would do this for us each year and it was always such a special treat! This is the first year I have done it and I would say it was a hit. Thankfully both of the girls were great travelers.

Looking at their bags of goodies

Mary Frances kept saying, "Thank you, Mommy!"

Pit stop

Stretching our legs

Mary Frances couldn't wait to get to the beach. At one point during the last leg of the trip she said, "This sure is taking a long time." Once we unloaded the car, Mary Frances and Paul hit the beach. That girl couldn't get to the sand fast enough! And, much to my surprise, she was already in the ocean. Of everything that we did at the beach this year, being in the ocean seemed to be her favorite.

Getting her toes in the sand

Mary Frances and Margaret both loved the pool. Mary Frances was a little fish in her puddle jumper. She even enjoyed practicing swimming without it. This mostly meant I would pull her through the pool while she kicked, etc. It was a lot of fun, though! Margaret really seemed to like the pool too. I would hold her on her tummy and she kicked her legs like a little tadpole and splashed her hands. I think she would have taken off if there had been something to hold her up! Of course, the pool is more fun when you have a big sister to chase and play with.

Gigi and Papa enjoyed play time with the girls as well. They built a big sand castle, which Mary Frances helped very little with, and enjoyed jumping the waves with her, too. Margaret, as I mentioned in a previous post, does not like men. Poor Papa, before the beach she would cry every time he held her! Thankfully, after a week together, she seemed to come around and see he is not such a bad guy.

We also loved having Aunt Sally there. Mary Frances loved having an audience. Sally also celebrated her birthday while we were at the beach. We completed the celebration with a trip to Charlie's Doughnut Truck and a birthday dinner at our condo.

Birthday Doughnuts with Aunt Sal!

Happy 27th Birthday!

And last but not least, Mary Frances made her first friend at the beach, Amelia! She is just a few months older and the two had so much fun playing together on the beach, almost every day! It was sweet to watch and brought back memories of Sally and I doing the same thing when we were growing up. Amelia's family was really nice as well, and we enjoyed talking with them over the course of the week.