BOARDWALK!

Anyone local knows the jingle for the Boardwalk… and how to say that title up there… ;) While last year we had a Great American Summer, this year the kids enjoyed Boardwalk passes. The Boardwalk is a 1/2 mile walk from Cowell’s, where Little Guards was being held, so it’s a super option when everyone begins to feel burnt out from the beach. (It’s also a super way to sneak a few miles of walking under the kids’ feet without them realizing that’s why they’re exhausted.)

 

Our family has enjoyed many days and evenings at the Boardwalk over the years. They have rides babies can sit on parents’ laps, hurl-inducing spinners, roller coasters, and everything in between, right on the beach.

Memory Lane…

LITTLE GUARDS 2013

Carter completed Little Lifeguards two days ago. He was very unenthusiastic about it going in, and it was a keen love of Star Wars Legos and the promise that he’d earn the Rancor Monster set as a reward given he completed without complaining or trying to miss days. The boy loves Legos, but I was happy to see he really enjoyed himself, too.

I’m so happy to see him have progressed from being intimidated by the waves to running right out with confidence. Granted, a deal is a deal, and I did say I expected no complaints, but Carter outperformed my wildest hopes. Sure, he had a couple of days when he was tired after 3 hours of rigorous conditioning and activity (and one where sand got in his pudding), but he mostly had a big smile on his face, and he usually tried to win. I think the kid enjoys competing and the feeling of some success after bringing home a ribbon, which is placed so its the first thing he sees when he wakes. I am very gratified that he’s has this opportunity, and so proud of my Little Guard.

For a little information about the Little and Junior Lifeguard programs we’ve spent 5 seasons over 6 years supporting, please read HERE.

THE ONLY SAND TOY WE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

THE BIRDS

A couple of weeks ago Paul spent the afternoon with us at the beach, enjoying some classic Santa Cruz weather and waves. For some reason, all the birds on earth also came to the shoreline—I think it was a sardine school or something, as I saw gulls flipping shiny silver blades around in their bills a few times. It was loud. It was feathery. It was… different. But the waves were pretty good!

This gull is all, “I dunno, it’s kinda crowded.” Those are mostly seabirds in the water, not bathers.

Thankfully, this was only one day, a week and a half ago. I don’t think I’d like sharing the beach like this daily!

POKING AROUND ON A RAINY DAY

It never rains here in the summer. Except when it randomly does, once some years, never some, and other years we get a couple of weeks of June Gloom (which can go to July because, hey, because). The past 3 days have been rainy/foggy here, so yesterday Bunny, Cole, and I explored a little off beach while Carter had Little Guards (he was so warm in his wetsuit his skin warmed my chilly hands when I helped him change afterwards, and he’d been boogie boarding a couple of times that afternoon). We took the trolley downtown and did a little window shopping.