Oceanside Vacay

What a vacation we had!! We just got home from a week long stay in Oceanside on Saturday and I am already missing hearing the waves from my window. We rented a beach house right on the sand with our friends the Duncan's and had an awesome time. When we arrived Sunday evening and saw where we were going to be staying for the week both Jill and I got a little nervous. The house wasn't spectacular and only had 3 bedrooms for all 8 of us, but it actually worked out great and by the end of the week the little "dump" actually wasn't half bad. We enjoyed beautiful weather, a park on the sand within close walking distance, great friends, yummy food, friendly competition with our late night games, and of course the beach as a front yard!! Renting a beach house is probably the best vacation you can take with small children; we are already starting to make plans to do it all again next year!!

This picture was taken standing on the sand...we were literally RIGHT ON THE BEACH!!! The house was lovely, don't you think?

The view from our balcony at sunset
We ate out on the pier a couple of nights at Ruby's Diner. Owen got the biggest kick out of the restaurant over the water.

Spencer and I pretending that we were on vacation without our children.

Owen and Kaelyn on the pier after dinner. It was impossible to get a good picture of these two the entire trip. I just love how Owen is just staring at her in this picture.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was when Paul and Spencer found these wetsuits in the closet of the house. Since the water was cold they decided to put on the wetsuits and go for a swim. They seriously thought that the wetsuits were super old and that's why they were so ugly. It wasn't until they went to zip them up when they realized that they had them on inside out!!! Jill and I thought this was hilarious!!

Here they are wearing the wetsuits the right way...turns out they were actually pretty nice!

These two were so good all week. Austin and Audrey were so adorable and did well being out of their normal routine.

Love this pic!!

Owen and Kaelyn played great together as long as they were outside. If they were inside too long they would fight like brother and sister, but lucky for us we spent A TON of time outside. They enjoyed playing in the water and digging in the sand and Owen learned to say, "We must fortify" from Paul.

Running up and down the beach one evening. We were trying to tire them out!!

Playing in the sand. Owen and Kaelyn have been friends since birth, it was so fun to see them play together all week and they actually do really love each other. Owen misses her already and has asked me where Kaelyn is several times since we have been home.

Spencer buried in the sand

Audrey is so different from how Owen was as a baby. Owen HATED the sand, but this little girl couldn't get enough. She was having the time of her life playing in it and eating it too apparently.

On our last night there we had a bonfire and ate dinner and S'mores on the beach. This by far was my favorite evening. Love this picture of the kiddos!

Our family

It is so nice having such good friends. Thank you Duncan family for putting up with us and our wild children (ok child...not to mention any names) for an entire week. We had a blast and can't wait to do it again. In the meantime I think we need to get together for another late night game night!!