A Long Weekend

Labor Day weekend is kind of the anti-holiday of all holidays for teachers. I mean sure you get the long weekend, in theory, but there are always a million things to do in preparation for The First Day. I was up to my eyeballs in unfinished bulletin boards, unsharpened pencils, unopened curriculum binders, and all of the other parts of my job description that become the bane of my early September existence.

Any upstanding, sensible teacher will work nose to the grindstone right on through that holiday. A dedicated professional educator will lovingly staple up a bulletin board masterpiece, alphabetize her silent reading books, and make thoughtful seating charts. A good teacher will meticulously plan EACH and EVERY detail for that crucial first week of school even if it means working late into the evening and hoping that the custodians haven't locked you inside.

I went to the beach.

Cousin Xavier came, too.

Did you know that Brent is actually a real life surfer dude? Neither did I. After six years of marriage he continues to surprise me.

It was your textbook perfect beach day. Not an Oregon coast day, mind you, but an actual beach day. As in sunshine and warm temperatures and bikinis and swimming and sunscreen rather than your typical menu of raincoats and wind and sea foam blowing in your face.

The kids ran and splashed and explored for hours and hours. Brent surfed for hours and hours. And I just kind of hung out and was really happy not to be putting up my bulletin boards.

Sawyer was out as soon as he hit the car seat.

We camped at Nehalem State Park, just south of Manzanita. It was Nick's birthday and he and Mishaun met us there for a night of campfire, s'mores, and snuggles with nephews.

And did I get a single picture of the birthday boy? Nope. But I have about fifty shots of the kids eating s'mores, so I guess that counts for something.

Sometimes when look through the pictures trying to decide which ones to post I marvel at the number of kid photos. Really, these boys of mine see the camera lens often. This trip was no exception- just how many pictures of my kids running on the beach do I need? Apparently a lot. But I think it's okay that the kids are in every shot because this trip, just like all our trips, was really about those kids. Spending time with a cousin, watching Dad as he rides that perfect wave, celebrating a birthday with Uncle Nick. In fact, if it weren't for these kids and those memories I'm always wanting them to be making, I just might be tempted to stay behind on Labor Day weekend and tie up all of those tedious work-related loose ends.

But let's face it, those bulletin boards could wait. A perfect day at the beach could not.

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