Beach days are amazing.  You know, when it’s hot and muggy, and you get up and put your swimsuits on first thing after waking, slather sunscreen everywhere, pack up the car with towels, floats and a cooler full of beer water, and head down for a day at the beach.  I love those days.  My most favorite memories of summer often involve a beach day.

But the thing I miss most about living by the beach? It’s not the beach day, per se….but a few beach minutes.  Grabbing coffee and croissants to be savored from the breakwall?  Yes.  Running down to the lake for an hour before dinner?  Love.  Taking a walk along the sand to tire the little guy out after a full dinner?  A sunset as a bonus?  Pure and total bliss.  These are the moments I miss the most.  The quieter times at the beach.  The times when the light is slanting, the waves are relaxing, and a mist is either burning off or coming back in.  The air is damp and clean.

I think Raines likes it too.  Here are my favorite pics from our last several “beach minutes”.

Rolling around in still-warm sand

Burying his feet in the sand. "Where my feet go, Mum?"

Wrapped up in Dad's hoodie

The Great Escape

Am laughing too hard to grab him