the beach...

I big puffy heart the beach...

No, really I do! 

Being able to unwind, read a book, play in the sand and make new memories 

with my family is my perfect idea of a vacation!!! 

This little mermaid spent most of the week in the water...

with this BIG smile on her face!

and she LOVES seaweed!

Impromptu puppet show with the alpha-puppets...

And per tradition, we had a princess photo shoot on the beach. 

Only this year {due to a wee bit of a sunburn} those mermaid sparkles didn't last long. 

Thankfully, a dear friend introduced us to these princess "pajamas" and 

I have to say, I loved how these photos turned out! 

{P.S. ACP would like to have them in her size!}

LOVE LOVE LOVE this toothless smile!

Family shot!!! 

A sweet kissy picture!!!

Family shot... 

thank you uncle josh duke of Cruces for snapping a few pics!

Dancing with my princesses

Silly face shot!

Please meet Periwinkle Pinkalicious...

she is a special dolphin that Avery won at the carnival!

These girls LOVED the tilt-a-whirl!!!

BUMPER CARS!!!

Awe, they are so stinking cute!!! 

Miss Adventurous Avery Lynn thought after having so much fun on the tilt-a-whirl she should give Vertical Limit a try...

um... not a good idea! 

so back to the merry-go-round we went!!! 

{and rode it 7 more times}

Yep, she was zonked the next day!

It was awfully quiet after lunch... 

Learning to play Molkky...

SO MUCH FUN!

Searching for sand crabs...

 Burying a princess in the sand...

I LOVE THIS GUY!!!

He's so darn handsome!!!

"Look Mommy, I'm surfing!"

cue Queen of the Wave 

Making pretty necklaces with Grannie Annie...

One of many sandcastles...

More Molkky...

Smashball... 

AHHHHHHH...

Daddy and Papa Dave found a sand dollar...

and I buttered Tony up into letting me use the sand dollar in their pictures.

Miss Addison wrote her name in the sand... 

Sand Pose...

Avery trying to hold still... 

She put her own spin on her pose...

Then we decided to get up and jump jump jump...

OH NOOOOOOOOOOO! 

We stepped on Daddy's sand dollar...

EEEEEEEEEEEKS!!!

I guess you could say we broke his dollar? 

HAHAHAHA

Cute cuddly sister pose...

Keeping score in the shade for the Ultimate Cornhole Championship!!!

Avery needed a little refresher on the rules...

But giggled her heart out in between turns!!!

Quack Quack Quack...

It was a great vacation, topped off with a trip to the movies to watch 

Monsters University with Grannie Annie and Papa Dave!!!

So much fun and already looking forward to next time!!!