We'll play in the sand...

In all the times Isaac and I have visited his family in Southern California, we've never had a chance to go and play on the beach. We've been to the beach a couple of times while visiting family there, but only on cooler, windier days that require jackets and long pants. This first picture is of the first time I went with him - when we surprised his mom, Becky, for Mother's Day three years ago, and I had a chance to meet the whole gang. We went to the beach that weekend, but it was beginning of May and still pretty chilly, especially with those ocean gusts.

It has always been quite the novelty for me to be able to play in the sun on the beach. The first time I can remember ever going to a "real" beach (i.e. light-colored sand, sun overhead, and water you can actually swim in) was when I visited
Central America on a school trip as a 14-year old. My mom tells me that when we were little, my brother John and I begged to go to "the beach" on nice days - which consisted of a man-made lake surrounded by piles of dirt at the end of the highway in Cordova...
The beach trips since then have been few and far between- I can probably count them on both hands. Isaac and I had one week's worth of fun in the sand on our honeymoon in Costa Rica (2 1/2 years ago!). I'd say we're about due for some more beach time.

Hence, my excitement for our upcoming Catalina trip next week. We will swim, and build sand castles, and look at pretty fish through our snorkel screens. Sophia will play in the sand (and require the use of sunscreen!) for the first time. I can just imagine her with her little plastic bucket and shovel - taking big scoops and filling up the bucket, and then dumping it out only to repeat the process again.

I almost forgot to mention the whole reason we're even meeting in Catalina. My father-in-law Fred is having a birthday - Happy 60th Fred!