Life's a Beach!

Before I forget, I've got to begin this with telling you that if you've ever been to Carmel Beach, there is hardly any parking. So trying to find a spot is like finding a buried treasure! Before we got to the beach I told the kids we needed to pray for a Parking Angel because we had a lot to carry down to the shore and we would need a prime spot. So we prayed and prayed! There were lots of cars before us and it wasn't looking to good. We prayed some more! Then as we turned the corner... I gasped outloud... SWEET JESUS because a open parking spot appeared OUT OF NO WHERE, right in FRONT OF THE BEACH!!!! Don't you love it when God answers prayers for your kids like that!

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Aaaaah... we've arrived at Carmel Beach! I've got my Cha Cha Hat...

Selected the BEST spot on the sand...

Secured gorgeous views of the Sea...

...and let the children go!

Aaaaaagh! My boy turns back from the cold water!

The kids look for treasures! (Sea creatures that is...)

There were a lot of Foreigners among us, mostly French I think. So it really did feel like we were at the Sea instead of the Ocean. Let me explain... I refer to our Pacific Ocean as the Sea because I like to watch a lot of European movies and of course they refer to it as the Sea (the 7 Seas that surround the area) and my girl said she liked the sound of that better. I couldn't agree more!

Mom, let's build a Castle!

Up for a game of beach ball? 

 

This year we didn't see Dolphins. HOWEVER, my girl and I were frozen in our tracks when a SEA LION appeared in the sandy surf less than 50 feet in front of us wanting to play. It was one of those HOLY SMOKIN' ROCKETS (translation... *&^%$#!) moments! Like a momma bear snatchin' her cub, I swooped up my girl and did like any girlie-girl would do.... Yell SEA LION at the top of my lungs! Within moments we were surrounded by other beachers who took pictures of the friendly Sea Lion. He got bored with us though because we wouldn't play with him (yea, ya think!) and drifted down the beach until he was out of sight. Now, remember our French neighbors on the sand... well they asked me if it was an Otter or a Sea Lion and shockingly out of my mouth rolled as smooth as butter in a French accent reply.. "Sea Lion", as if I had spoken French all my life! What! Where did that come from?! ha ha ha

 

Having my own Pedicure!

Oh don't you wish you had the energy of chidren sometimes?!

At the end of our day, we decided we'd stop at Bubba Gumps for a shrimp dinner. Bubba Gumps is a restaurant chain devoted to the movie "Forrest Gump" and is filled with movie memorabilia.

Even the kids meals come in fun boat shaped containers, appropriately named "Jenny".

And the trip to Bubba's wouldn't be complete if you didn't stop to sit at the bus stop bench and put your feet in Forrest's shoes!

Now this picture says it all, in that the shrimp quickly give me and my boy an upset stomach before we even left the restaurant. Probably because we ate waaaaaaay to fast and the butter and spices didn't agree with us. We weren't even out of Monterey when we had to stop AGAIN for a bathroom. But never fear, Mommy was prepared!

By now it was nearly 8:30pm and I've got OVER a 2 hour drive to get home, so I stop at the drive through for a double shot!

During the last half hour of the drive I was starting to feel tired but then suddenly, the moon appeared in front of me and lighted our way home. Ya know, God is better than he has to be!

Au Revoir!
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