It Was A Bit Of A Beach...

this awesome photo was taken by my photographer friend, and partner in beach-crime, heather. the crappy ones are mine.

So we know the saying "Life's A Beach." This can have many different connotations depending on your point of reference. If all alone, armed with a book and a frozen pina colada by the pool, drifting in and out of sun kissed naps, Life's A Beach is synonymous with "Heaven On Earth."

A day at the beach with 5 little kids, supervised by 2 adults with 35 pounds of paraphernalia? It gives "A Day At The Beach" an entirely different meaning.  A different kind of happiness. The kind of happiness you "acquire," like a taste for dark beer or the learned ability to function on 2 hours less sleep a night. It's the kind of experience that challenges you to practice the act of reinventing happiness... expanding your definition to involve lugging coolers, towels, chairs and umbrellas 10 blocks to follow your fearless 2 year old around the entire beach for hours.

You do it not for you, but for them. For these moments.

You know, if you take "relaxation" out of the "fun" equation and insert mild chaos, lots of sandy wet bodies and the whole act of peeing in the ocean, you got yourself a pretty good day.   

Life is a beach.  Or, more accurately, a beach can be a metaphor for life.  For parenting.  It's fun and exhausting.  Chaotic or relaxing depending on the circumstances.  You work really hard but smile a lot.  And at the end of the day, you did it all for them.  It's always all for them. 



my fearless, recycling friend and our combined brood (minus 1 for each of us) conquering the day!