Sunday splash

So we took the kids to the beach.

 

We'd just taught them the song 'Simple Gifts' in primary—and what could be more simple and free than frolicking on the beach enjoying God's gifts?

The most open spot at the beach was kind of right behind a little drop off leading to the ocean (which is probably why it was open). Phoebe had fun running and sliding down that little bit of the beach on her way to the water, however, so it worked out well.

Here are Zoë, Alexander, and Phoebe all doing something...digging like dogs, perhaps:

And here's (almost) everyone in the waves with Daddy:

It was a good day for catching sand fleas (or mole crabs, whatever you want to call them):

And when we were wading in the water a sea turtle swam right in front of us—and that was simply majestic!

Much to our surprise, Grandpa and Darla showed up in their bathings suits while we were playing. First Grandpa just sat on his chair...then he stood up...then he let the ocean lap at his toes and said, "I decided that I can't touch the ocean, but if the ocean touches me..."

To be fair, he did not swim (though he said that if he had to go in after a drowning child, he would). 

Honestly, while I admire his restraint, he's not very good at enforcing his "no swimming on the Sabbath" rule, either. Here are my kids "not swimming" at Lake Powell on a Sunday morning in 2017 after Grandma and Grandpa had taken them to church during a Grover trip (that I didn't go on because I was imminently expecting Alexander).

We went back to the beach after dinner as well for a pre-bedtime stroll. This time we wore our clothes and said that we wouldn't get wet...but still a few of us squelched soggily back to the beach house.

Watching Phoebe run through the waves is delightful (she's one of the ones who got a little soggy):

She was so full of joy (which is more than I can say about her Monday...wow...she was a little bit of grump today...but on Sunday she was a delight):

Andrew and I took a sunset selfie together:

Here's Rachel photobombing another attempt:

Benjamin found the most beautiful olive shell.

We've actually found so many olive shells, as well as a surprising number of conchs, whelks, and augers. My kids might find this link that can help identify shells commonly found at Panama City Beach interesting. I know Benjamin has found a spiny jewelbox.

Here's Benjamin walking off into the sunset:

We're on the gulf, so the sunset is off to the side of us, rather than in front or behind of us. I think it's lovely because I'm a Pacific girl in my heart (though I do appreciate the warm waters of the east coast) and I feel like sunsets should be over the water. We also learned that The Gulf (of Mexico, people) only has one tide per day—it's a diurnal body of water. So our high tide was about 2:30 pm today and low tide will be at around 1:30 am. And then the next high tide is at 3:00 pm. 

The Atlantic ocean tends to be a semidiurnal tide, with two highs and two lows every day, while the Pacific ocean is a mixed semidiurnal tide (where the highs and lows differ in their intensity depending on the time of day). Who even knew diurnal tide patterns were a thing? 

Not me. 

Here's a few more pictures of people walking on the beach:

Phoebe, again, was just overcome with joy about being on the beach:

Here's a little clip of her living her best beach life: