Labor Day at Oceanside

You know how you have these traditions that are so old you don't even remember where they came from?  Well Labor Day in Oceanside is kinda like that, except I know where it started and I LOVE it.  Last year we went to Oceanside with our friends Erin and James (plus their daughter Jadie).  It was a blast.  We hung out on the beach and did nothing the entire weekend. When they offered it again this year, we couldn't resist!

The friends!

Another reason we needed to get go was to get this little one some beach time!  Her mom is a fish so she has to have a lot of exposure to the water!  To bad she was in hibernation mode.  

One reason we like going out with Erin and James so much is they have the same money sensibilities that we do... meaning they are cheap! One night we splurged and went to Ruby's, which is a restaurant at the end of the Oceanside pier.  The food was pretty good!

It is kinda a long walk from the beach out to ruby's but Brent always manages to get some great pictures!  This is one of my favorites.

In front of Ruby's was this gentleman.  He was AWESOME!  He made balloon animals for kids.  It was seriously an art form.  He listed off about 40 things he could make and when he was making it he would talk to the kids and tell them their balloon animals back story.  It was so cute.  I would love to have a talent like that!

Jadie and her butterfly.  Erin, James, Brent and I thought it was adorable.  Until she started playing with it at five in the morning.  The squeaking was a lot less cute at that hour.

Most of our day was spent on the beach.  I would look for sand crabs. I am not sure why finding them is so much fun, but I find it really relaxing. I thought about collecting them in a bucket but if I were a sand crab I wouldn't want to be in a bucket, so I would catch them and then free them. I know they probably don't like being caught at all but I need my fun, so they can deal.

Jadie and James setting up Ladder Ball.

On Saturday Brent and James were pretty concerned with watching the BYU vs Virginia game, which was rained out. I hit the beach for some boogie boarding.  It was fun because several families had their phones out waiting for the rain delay to end as well.

Why do we only get pictures of the back of Erin's head?

Brent likes to skim board.  I do  not have the balance for it.  He got pretty good towards the end!

Oh Harper!  Although she slept the majority of the time she also pooped at the most inconvenient times!

Brent boarding.

Isn't she gorgeous!  I love Jadie and I have several little nephews I would hook her up with in a few (13?) years.

On the last day, Brent and I woke Harper up to take her in the ocean.  Brent wanted to sit her all the way down, until a wave came and almost soaked her all the way through. 

Then it was a stand up moment.  She looks SO SO SO small here.  Especially not as big as she is now.

Going to the beach is a really fun tradition and one I hope continues on for years and years to come!  Next year we should get to take another little one along with us as well!